The Stitchin Corral

Has it really been amost 2 weeks?

2009-10-15T06:55:00.005-05:00

Goodness, I had not realized that I had been so remiss in posting. I swore it was just a couple of days ago... really... Just shows how fast time is flying, I guess.

The first weekend in October, Bree and I took a roadtrip to Gordyville, IL (think Rantoul), it is about 2.5 hours from us. Gordyville is a horse arena/show barn place. Bree has shown there before when they hosted a big Appaloosa show each spring. The IL State NBHA show was being held there.

We knew 2 people who were running in it and this is the Association that Bree will be running in next year, so we thought it would be good for her to watch.

It was a big show (for what we're accustomed to)- 270 open participants and 50ish youth. There is one girl, Ashley, who was finishing up her youth career and is (and I'm not sure of the actual stats) the No 1 youth in the country that just blew everyone away. She ran a 13.7 SECOND pattern. No one in either the open or youth was within a half second of her. It was just amazing.

The other good part of going was we got to hook up with Miss Paige, Miss JoD and we met Miss Lori and her BF, Darren - who was participating - It was so nice to catch up with everyone and kick back, laugh, talk and just relax!

Lori had brought some wine that she had been talking about with a 'chicken' on the label, so we all had to try it to see if it was 'all that'. I'm not a drinker, as most of you reading this know, and it was ok. But, we had to prove we drank 'chicken wine' - so here's the photo that Bree took with Paige's camera!

On other news, of course, I've been knitting and spinning. I have finished another Christmas present, have 2 more on needles and spun some lucious deep blue/purple varigated Baby Alpaca and Merino. It was 7.6 oz (from The Fold) and it is so rich of a color! As usual, I have no plans for it, I just like to spin!

The weather has just not cooperated for doing much. Bill and Bree put up the Halloween decorations this past Sunday. If we ever get a day without rain or dreary, I will take a photo. I joked that they probably should have put up the Christmas decorations considering this weather!

Big event this coming weekend... A landmark... More on that later!

It is still September, right?

2009-09-29T07:34:00.006-05:00

I swore when I looked at the calendar that it was still September! You wouldn't perhaps guess it from our weather.

This feels like a chilly, windy, dreary, late November day. It got down to 45 degrees last night. Yesterday, by lunchtime, my nose was running (while in the house) and the tips of my fingers were cold enough that it made spinning difficult. (Spinning was the PERFECT thing to do on a cold dreary day) - Playing with the fiber made me warm and fuzzy inside! The thermostat said 66.

Now, these days, I am ALWAYS warm. I think it is the stage in my life where instead of wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants in the house in the summer while the air conditioning is on, I am in shorts and a tshirt and STILL warm - this was the first summer that I don't think I even pulled them out of the closet. I was surprised that I was cold yesterday. Maybe, it was the dampness getting to me - as we had a roaring storm go thru Sunday night. So, I broke down and warmed the house up to 70 (so I could spin, of course) then turned it back down.

So, I have been spinning! I finished Joy's fiber - I think it turned out so pretty! I will see her Wednesday to give it to her. It is a bit more 'green' that shows in this picture (I have noticed that my camera does not photograph dark greens well - wonder why that is)

And a closeup:

I am now working on some absolutely lucious, as in, want to roll around in, fiber - it is a blend of Alpaca and silk - It is so soft and airy. I am spinning it to be more of a dk / sport weight than a worsted weight so I can make a more lacey decorative scarf. I 'may' have a pattern in mind - but, not 100% sure on it yet. I purchased 3 ounces of each color and am going to ply one strand of each color together - should give me a nice, heathered type look (I hope) - Here's a pic of the fiber before spinning: I have the cream already spun and am a tad past half way thru the brown. It would be so nice to finish this today! (As I look around the house thinking what can I put off - cleaning wise - in order to finish spinning this up - LOL).

I have multiple knitting projects going which I don't normally do and don't like as it preys on my mind that I should be working on 'x' and not 'y' - but, in all fairness, I had to order a skein of yarn to finish the one - could not find the color locally. And, I need an opinion from the knitters in our group on how to finish another (which I'll hopefully get tomorrow night) - and then of course, I have a sock going - (I am allowed 2 per month - and this is my 2nd for September :) ) And a bigger, ongoing, Christmas present project that I am just working on steadily as it will take me a bit to complete - but I am 30% complete on it - so am actually happy with that.

Another successful Sunday!

2009-09-23T08:03:00.004-05:00

After waiting all day on Friday for Bree's new saddle to arrive (see post below) - it must be the 'right' one because Bree had a great show on Sunday!

Infact, it was awesome! Tess and Bree had the fastest time on the day (youth, jr's, sr's, and in the open) - they cracked one out like we've never seen before.

Just as a reference: Last show, Bree's best time on poles was 24.43. Her first run on poles in this show was a 22.72 - nearly 1.8 seconds better which is unique that you cut off that much time - It was a beautiful sight to watch - trust me!

The next fastest time was 22.84 (by an adult) - She was on cloud nine realizing that they can do it, they did it and that all the training and practice is paying off. There's nothing like success to drive motivation on wanting more!

Her 2nd run wasn't quite as good but still better than last show at a 24.00.

Then the weather set in and we loaded the horses into the trainer and waited out the rain. We thought we were in the clear and got in one barrel run before the skies let loose and after getting everything picked up, loaded up, we were soaked down to our skin. Talk about feeling like a drowned rat!

Her barrel run was 'ok' - she was talking about how she always thought poles was her 'weakest' event, but it is actually turning out to be the barrels. They have some things to work on - we are picking up on what's slowing them down. She had a respectable run at 21.86 and placed 4th.

So, eventhough she only ran in 3 classes - she had 2 firsts and a 4th - still making it a successful day! She made more than her entry fees and pocketed the difference - She likes that too!

Now, we kind of go back to the drawing board and start focusing on those few things to fix on her barrels. Tess and Bree are really clicking together so hopefully there will be more good results in the future!

Bree's New Saddle...

2009-09-19T08:35:00.005-05:00

After 4 years of riding in her Lime Green Ostrich Seat Billy Cook, both Bree and Tess have outgrown it. Bree was 8 and Tess was 5. It started to pinch Tess at the shoulder blades causing 'dry' spots underneath the saddle pad.

For those non-horsey, you put a saddle pad underneath the saddle, then the saddle. When you take the tack off, the sweat marks under should basically be the outline of the saddle pad. Well, with Tess filling out and her body type changing (going from 5 to 8) and Bree's body changing, this summer when we would take off the saddle pad there were circles about the size of dishplates that were dry near where her shoulder blades meet her spine. The dry spots are caused by pinching or too much pressure in those areas to the point where that area cannot even 'sweat'.

Plus, you could see when Bree would run to a barrel that Tess would start pulling up before the barrel because the shift in weight to turn the barrel would put even more pressure on those particular spots - think if you were running and had 30 pounds of pressure pulling your shoulder blades back and then stopping suddenly - the force of the stop would throw even more pressure on your shoulder blades.

Once we realized this, we ordered Bree a new Original Bob Marshall treeless saddle like our trainer uses and several folks from the barn have ordered too! It is lighter, doesn't have a 'hard' (think a wood form that sits on the back of the horse and does not conform to the back of the horse) and it is kind of like a formed leather seat. It's about as close to riding bareback that a saddle can provide. The rider can feel the horse more (since there isn't a hard board - so to speak - between rider and horse) and the horse can feel the rider better - shifts in weight, etc..

The saddles are custom made to your specs and you can pick the type of leather tooling, conchos, style of horn, seat type and color, etc...

Well, Bree selected a chocolate colored seat, with a basketweave and barbwire border with Texas star conchos. It's pretty sweet looking. She also is getting a matching breast collar (which didn't arrive with the saddle - and I will have to call on that on Monday) -

We waited ALL day Friday for UPS to deliver - they give you a time window - uh-huh- between 8am and 7pm... Of course, it couldn't have arrived before noon so we could go out to the barn to try it out since she was was off school yesterday. No, couldn't arrive by 3pm. It finally showed up at 5:25 last night. Too late to head out to the barn. And we HAD to wait for it since it required a signature and she wanted it for the show on Sunday and since they do not deliver on Saturday - we had no choice but to wait...

Here's the pictures of the new saddle:

Annual TN visit and boating

2009-09-18T11:53:00.007-05:00

Every year since 2003 (at least that's as far back as I have the pictures) - Bree goes to TN for a week with my folks and they do all sorts of things together - from crafts to shopping to site seeing

I go down to pick her up the following week and on the way home, we visit with my Brother and family and have our annual outing in his boat on Lake Egypt. It is a powerplant lake thus the water is in the 80's making it nearly feel as nice as bath water!

Here's the progression of the boat trip thru the years:

2003 - we had to convince her to go in the water by herself at first - then she was off like a fish:

Then in 2005 - she was jumping off the boat and you'd think she had done this everyday of her life! Picking on Uncle Richard was a favorite this year!

In 2007 - even more fun! And even got to drive by herself! And naturally, there was swimming!

2008 - more driving, more adventurous in the water and jumping off the boat! Definitely air time!

This year was more of the same!

It is so amazing viewing the progression of these pictures! We grew up in Antioch in Channel Lake and you would have been hard pressed to not find us in the water everyday during the summer - swimming with friends, boating, and basically just being a kid. Seeing these pics reminds me even more of my childhood! I wish she could do this more often with my Brother's family as both Bree and my neice, are only children and it would sure be nice for them to grow up more together and create memories that will carry them as family throughout their lives.

While in TN last year, Poppa (my Dad) graduated Bree to driving the four wheeler on her own - but she had to stay in the yard! (Previously, she would ride in the box attached on the back of the 4 wheeler seen in this pic) This year, he gave her more area to ride in, including the woods. So, when I arrived, she was so excited to be able to drive me around! Well, in the back woods there is a deep ravine, we stopped to admire the wildlife (deer, etc) and she walked to the edge of the ravine to see how deep it really was - and we both heard something - we could not for the life of us, figure out what it was. Then we heard it again - like a bleating noise. Now, there are NO sheep in the area - Shame - cause I'd love the fiber - Miss eagle eyes, Bree, spotted a baby goat down in the ravine. Again, we had NO idea how it got there - but it was early evening, getting dark - and there are lots of coyotes out in those woods. So, we hightailed it back to the house, she got Poppa and they headed out to see what they could do. Mom started calling the neighbors. Turns out a neighbor had gotten a baby goat and it had escaped and ended up in the woods - they had been looking for it all afternoon.

They came on their 4 wheeler and when they went back there - they couldn't find it - and it was dark. So, Bree was kind of sad as we were thinking it wouldn't make it thru the night. Imagine our surprise when we were pulling out the next day around lunchtime to see it tied up to the neighbor's porch again! She is the queen of the 4 wheeler!

Is it real or is it memorex???

2009-09-16T14:23:00.007-05:00

As I've blogged about before, Bree is an avid Indianapolis Colts fan. She is also an avid fan of anyone who beats the Bears. Bree and Mom have ongoing bets and the like over their favorite teams.

So, Bree got a big surprise this summer....

She got to meet Peyton Manning:

Ok, So that was the 'memorex' version - Last year there was a Gatorade display with this full size cardboard Peyton Manning - with his brother, Eli on the reverse side. When the promotion was over, Bill asked the store owner if he could have the life size display - and brought it home for Bree. She has it in her room and brings it downstairs for the games. When they're doing well, Peyton is facing out, when they're not, Eli is in his brother's (on the tv) face!

But, here is the real deal:

Over the summer some sports group had tons of big time athletes come and set up times for autographs and Bill surprised her with tickets to get to meet Peyton. I have NEVER, EVER, EVER seen my child speechless. She was in awe to the tune of speechless. She could hardly get out Thank You and answer his questions to which she replied, "Thank You" - it was so cute! She has a signed autograph picture, she has a numbered trading card and these photos that she will cherish forever!

I think that made her summer all by itself!

Following footsteps...

2009-09-15T22:40:00.004-05:00

There are certain things I notice about Bree that makes me laugh and think "I used to do that.... insert "x" millions of years ago"...

Sometimes it can be a litte thing - like a face or a hand movement. My Brother calls her "Lorna Junior" - which makes me laugh, because I don't think she looks a thing like me - but, I'll give on the personality. (It INFURIATES her when he calls her that by the way, then he just does it more and more because he knows that)

When she decided to try band in 5th grade, I did not influence what instrument she might be interested in. I was forced, at first, to play an instrument I hated. My Brother tried the cornet, my folks had bought one, so there you go - that's what I was donned to play. Nope. Hated it. And after sneaking practicing my friend's French Horn (thanks Jill H), my band teacher heard (Mr Wagner) and said I should switch - boy I was a happy camper.

In school these days, they let the kids try the various instruments (and they even have string instruments for the Orchestra too) - Bree like the sound and actually felt comfortable with the Fr Horn. Now, she knew that was my instrument and I kind of tried to talk her out of it just to be sure that is what she really wanted - and not because I played it.

Well, 5th grade she did very well with it - the gal (Kelsy) who does her lessons is fantastic and says Bree is doing very well. In 6th grade, they have band everyday (compared to only once per week in 5th) - and also there is a separate 'higher' band called Wind Ensemble (this is like a symphonic band vs a concert band) - you must audition for it. Well, Kelsy has been working with Bree over the summer on the audition pieces (keep in mind that is once per week and it was summer - so you fill in how much she really practiced).

School sent home the notice for Wind Ensemble and Bill and I encouraged Bree to try out for it - for the life experience and for practice playing 'alone' and infront of a stranger, and we figured she wouldn't get in as not many 6th graders make it. Also, because come February they also have the band solo and ensemble competitions. Well, she was scared to death, but went to the one practice and then last Tuesday was her audition.

Late Friday, we received an email from the 8th grade band director who directs the wind ensemble that she MADE it... She was SO excited and we were like, "Holy cow". She went from not really wanting to do it to looking so forward to it overnight.

They start separate practices this week and will practice 2 times per week. When we were in Jr High - we did things AFTER school as far as activities go - apparently things have changed, as these practices are BEFORE school. She will practice from 6:45am to 7:45am... They have to be there at 6:30am and be ready to go at 6:45am. I'm not sure that I even want to get up at 5:45am to get her up and ready and drive her to be there by 6;45am... When did they change activities to be BEFORE school? I am certainly getting old. The down side is that this will make for an awfully long day for her. But, that's part of the life experience!

This is a picture from last year, we just upgraded her horn to a double - as in 5th grade they don't need a double but, in 6th they recommend it. I'll have to get a new pic of it - it is SO SO SO purdy - makes me jealous!

I sure she'll enjoy Wind Ensemble, we are proud of her. Makes me think of the friends I madein band, the fun things we did together and how many of them I've reconnected with on facebook that still make me smile!

A Fish for Caroline...

2009-09-14T18:41:00.005-05:00

A friend of mine is having a baby this fall. She also has a 3 year old darling little girl named Caroline.

I made a Baby Surprise Jacket with matching hat for the new baby and Caroline loved the fishie buttons so much, she just sat down and buttoned and unbuttoned and buttoned and unbuttoned the little fishie buttons on this little jacket.

I thought she might be feeling left out - as she is the youngest of 4 (plus one coming) - and her older sibings are all boys...

So, I decided she needed something of her own! So, I started making this out of her favorite colors (pink, purple and yellow)... I planned on making it big enough to carry around, or in the car, or for naps, (like 30" x 36")etc.. Well, I got moving along and carried away (hard to believe, right?) and it turned out to be nearly 5' long and 4-1/2' wide! Almost big enough for a twin bed! It was made out of Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn" and it is so soft and washable too!

While I was working on this, I came across this pattern... Who could resist a little fishie purse with little fishie buttons for a little girl in her favorite colors!

It has little fishie buttons (same as on the little jacket) on both sides.

Our Bunco group met at their house this past Friday so I gave them to Caroline. I think she was a little overwhelmed, but her Mom told me she LOVES purses. She just get hooking and unhooking the loop around the fishie buttons. It was so cute! She is just a doll.

I loved the look on her face as it was like "this is for me"?

Doing my share to help the economy...

2009-09-14T11:21:00.007-05:00

This weekend was the expo: Stitches-Midwest held at a big hotel/conference center in Schaumburg, IL. There is just no way to describe it. For the horse folks - like going to a National Show and having booths and booths of vendors with everything horse and bling related to tempt you. For guys - like going to McCormick Place for the Auto Show -

There is just so much. It is definitely overwhelming and is most certainly not for the weak (as far as being way too tempted by all the goodies).

I was 'somewhat' weak, but, did "ok" - at least 1/2 the items I purchased had specific projects in mind and 1/3rd of what I purchased was to make gifts (both birthday and Christmas). I actually attended 2 days - (went with 2 different sets of friends) - thus my 'weakening overnight' - gave me too much time to think about things and to rationalize purchases - hahah

So, here's a picture of what I added to my stash!

I had stated to all my knitting friends that I was ONLY going to purchase one skein of sock yarn for socks... And I stuck to that - so, that was a GOOD thing - because I could have gone completely insane in the Miss Babs booth! I did purchase 2 other sock yarn skeins to use for other types of gift projects - which were on my list to purchase - so no harm there.

I planned to buy some fiber and I did. I bought 3 different colorways of Miss Babs fiber (which she really NEEDS to add to her online store) - 2 different blends. I didn't mean to buy 12oz of the SAME thing. Here's a story to show how predictable I am: On Friday, I bought a 4oz bundle of fiber - loved the blend (Merino - Seacell) it is in pencil strips (the fiber is long strips about a pencil width) which is how I like to spin - but usually have to waste spinning timing breaking up a braid of fiber INTO pencil widths- it is awesome to have this done already! On Saturday, because of how pleased I was with this fiber upon further inspection and thrilled to already have in pencil widths - I decided to purchase more - thinking an 8oz grouping to get more yarn for something a squoish bigger (more yardage) - So, I picked out a lovely colorway. When I was putting everything together for the photo - imagine my surprise that I picked out the same darn colorway? Two separate days, with different folks, so, now I have 12oz of said fiber. Not enough to make a sweater, but, more than enough to do most anything else with. I am just so predictable err consistent when it comes to choosing colors I like - HA! Here's the gorgeous consistent fiber:

I also came across a new vendor called Maple Creek Farm - hadn't known them before - but, they had the nicest Alpaca-Bamboo yarn - the dyeing and colors were just fantastic - so, I had to get me some of that. It's a gorgeous two tone brown - rustish- Heck, I don't know how to describe it - so here's a picture -
I was thinking about making this wrap/shrug type of thing that Dr Kate made when she worked at The Fringe - (I emailed her for the instructions if she remembers what / how she made this) - It's basically a rectangle type stole/wrap and I believe she added buttons to the edges that when buttoned would become sleeves allowing you to wear it as a wrap unbuttoned or a shrug - I think this would be gorgeous in that way.

I also picked up some cute accessories, notions, do-dads and the like for gifts and such - so I can't show you or else I would have to kill you and if you are perhaps on the list to be a recipient of one of these - that wouldn't be fun -

We all had a fantastic time enabling each other, seeing new fibers, yarns, patterns and the like and I am so thankful (so is Bill) that this only occurs one time a year!

If you're prone to getting lost...

2009-09-07T22:56:00.003-05:00

You definitely do NOT want to try this:

That is this year's corn maze design at Jonamac Farms in Malta, Il. We went for the first time last year in October and not only picked apples, but pumpkins too. This year they have the 'early' season apple varieties available, so we figured it would be a fun thing to do. We picked Galas - Crisp and Sweet, also Cortlands and Jonamacs which are both Medium and Tart. We picked about 15lbs... They smell SO good!

We then attacked the orchard store and got fresh homemade fudge in 1/4lb increments which Bill and Bree have made a big dent in - Chocolate, Cookies and Cream, Chocolate Mint and Dreamsicle. I ended up with some apple donuts - warm from the oven with cinn-sugar sprinkled on top and Bree got a fresh HUGE carmel apple - which she ate on the way home!

After leaving the orchard, we took a drive in the country, looking at land, farms, horse barns and the like! We had a great day driving the back roads, just hanging out! At one point, Bree and I decided that we must be in Iowa as all you could see were cornfields!

We'll be going back in October for the middle season varieties and pumpkins - not to mention more fudge, donuts and FRESH, non-processed, apple cider (not ready this past weekend - BOO!!!) We love the pick your own! And I'm sure we'll have all these eaten by then!

Also, in October they add the 'haunted' part of the corn maze - which should be fun too!

Knitting News...

2009-09-06T22:43:00.011-05:00

Yes, amongst Squirrel trapping, horse shows and the like, I have been knitting. I have been keeping in line with my restrictions of only 2 pair of socks per month! As of today, I have completed 17 socks. And have found time in between to knit other things too! (or crochet)!

My latest has been having fun knitting the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. One of the ladies in our bunco group is due in the beginning of November. It's so nice to know of a "little" one to knit for! I knit this BSJ and hat set.

Also, back in May, Jackie, a friend I met thru Paige and the horse forum had a baby girl, Annaleigh, and I made these for her!

These are Fleegle's Seamless Saartje Booties:

And I have to post a few socks, now don't I? These are a test knit pattern I did for Linda Welch, called Socks for Christy. I used Sundara Sock yarn in the Jump for Joy color. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this color. These are a toe up sock and it is a great pattern!

These have to be one of my all time favorite color/pattern combinations! The name of this sock is Shur'tugal Socks by by Alice Yu and I used Plymouth Happy Feet in Jade Green (color 14) - they were an incredible easy knit and the pattern just flew by!

And lastly, our knit group held a "Christmas in July" swap to kick off our knitting of Christmas gifts! I am proud to say, I have 2 gifts completed and 1 on needles! But, for the swap, my person is ALWAYS cold, so, I made her the warmest gloves I could think of. These are the My Bagatelle Thrum Mittens. I used Cascade 220 for the glove in a dark plum and the thrums are a roving with glitter (romney) from Esther's Place in big rock - they were a big hit! Fun to make as well! The beauty of warmth in these mittens is that the wool thrums (a piece of roving about 6" long folded in half - think like a Q-tip) - is held together with the yarn when knitting every so many stitches. The ends of the Q-tip piece of roving are on the inside of the mitten and feels like a fleece seat cover, keeping your hands extremely warm.

That's just a mini-recap since my last post back in April! I signed up for this cool internet site tabulator for knitting called "knit meter" - and you enter in your projects and it tracks for a month or year the amount of yardage of yarn you have consumed. Well, year to date, I have consumed 21,715 yards of yarn. How cool is that?

Hit the road Jack and never come back...

2009-09-04T09:47:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, we caught rat with a tail number 2. Mr Animal Tracker man was here to collect and I told him when he first arrived that I SWEAR that there were two (including rat no 2) -

I told him that NO ONE believed me in the beginning and that when I heard the playing on Wednesday that there were sounds on both sides of the soffit at one time and I was betting that there were 2 playing...

VINDICATION once again... While he was here removing rat no 2 with a tail, he got to hear yet another one... Ah, being right feels so good (also knowing that I am not NUTS)!

So, here is the 'juvenile' removed yesterday

So now we are on the hunt for rat with a tail number 3 - 'it' was quite active after Mr Animal Tracker left yesterday - totally ticked off I presume...

The other cool thing was that he had located and confiscated a runaway Ball Python - they are smallish - 3 to 4' - Bree got to mess with it - NOT me.... It got loose in an apt when a guy was moving out and they couldn't find it - it was under the burners of the stove (in the ledge that separates the oven) - good thing someone didn't cook on the stove...

He also had a 'dead' brown bat, a couple of possums, and a raccoon in the back of his truck, and his trusty Golden Retriever mix, Max, in the back seat! The next door neighbor boys and Mom came over and the kids got a pretty decent science lesson on the evolution of snakes, the python breed, bats and the like - it was actually pretty neat (why I didn't take pictures is beyond me - I think I was just so happy to capture rat no 2 and know that he heard rat no 3 that I got sidetracked)... They got to see the snakes teeth, the pits in the upper lip that allow it to know where 'heat' is (think thermal imaging and how they find their prey in the dark) and where the feet have evolved off, etc.. Lots of info!

He sat on the lawn and conducted class - it was pretty funny looking back at it.

We seem to have a quiet weekend ahead which is good as I think every other weekend this month is full to the brim.

The wheel on the wheel goes round and round...

2009-09-03T07:28:00.008-05:00

Ok, so I changed the words to this kiddie song a little bit, but, it is true... The wheel on my spinning wheel goes round and round. I know I've said it before, but, I just so enjoy spinning! It is therapeutic in its own way, different from knitting, but so relaxing all the same.

I also think it is contagious and Kate took some spinning lessons and is building her addiction and Rachel caught the bug and has even purchased a wheel which should be arriving in the very near future! I think that makes four of us now that have wheels - I forsee one of our 'knit nights' turning into a spinning night!

To get caught up from my last post back in April (I know, bad me) - here's what I've accomplished! I have even actually SOLD some of my handspun - how cool is that!!!

I just realized that the last one I posted was handspun number four and I am now on Handspun number 17 - So, I won't post them all - just a few of my favorites!

This is a nice, soft green Merino/Silk (80/20) that I spun for our Christmas in July swap for my person. It was so easy to work with and is soft, soft, soft!

The next one was my 12th handspun, it is a SW Merino by Julie Spins which would be great for mittens, hat, something along those lines as it is a washable wool! I love the 'woodsey' color!

The last for now is a neat turquoisey blue with a touch of black. It is a Rambouillet roving by Julie Spins called 'Stormy' and I never realized that Rambouillet spins up so soft - I thought it was a shade coarser, and I was pleasantly surprised. I will definitely purchase more of this wool! The color is rich and it is easy to spin! This yarn was used for a scarf for my Mom - It's a perfect color for her and it is nice to know that it was handmade from start to finish!

There are many more photos and spinning finished objects - you can see them here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14597896@N02/sets/72157615046367463 - (why I cannot get links to work in my blog is beyond me)

Oh, and I purchased a SECOND wheel in June... The Lendrum DT! So, now I have 2 projects on wheels at once which is so fun... I just have to figure out how to 'power' them both at the same time. Kind of like riding 2 bicycles or 2 horses at the same time - yeup.. gonna figure it out!

Bree's Successful Sunday!

2009-09-01T15:09:00.006-05:00

As if our weekend wasn't busy enough, Bree ran in a speed horse show on Sunday - and run she did!

This was her first show of the year and first since July 3rd of last year! Bree and her horse, Tess, have been working very hard to polish their skills!

She ran in 6 classes:

Trot poles: (kind of a warm-up class) her time was 39.51 (seconds - LOL) and she placed first

Then she ran in the "Novice Rider" poles and finished first in that class with a 25.52.

That class led into the Youth (13 and under) poles which she also won with a 24.43.

She also ran in the open which is all age kids, adults, professionals, trainers, etc.. She held her own placing 7th with a 25.02

We all ate lunch then after lunch, barrels started:

She seemed kind of sluggish in the Novice barrels and placed 3rd with a 20.94, but came back in the youth barrels running 2.2 seconds faster with at 18.74 and placed first - This is my most favorite picture, both Bree and Tess are so focused!

She also ran in the 3-D race - this is an intersting race - and runs much like a NBHA (National Barrel Horse Assoc class works). Everyone (all kids, adults, pro's and trainers) run and the times are recorded. The fastest time is called the 1-D time and wins 'first' in that class and the next 4 fastest times place 2nd-5th. The fastest time was 17.34.

Next, they add one second to that time so now it is 18.34 and the person with the closest time (over that number) places first in the 2-D. And the next 3 fastest times take 2nd thru 4th in the 2D

Finally they add two seconds to the fastest time making it 19.34 and the person with the closest time (over that number) places first in the 3-D. The next 2 fastest times take 2nd and 3rd in the 3-D.

Bree ran a 18.93 and missed 4th place in the 2-D by 2 tenths of a second! All in all it was a great day, they learned alot, know what they have to continue to work on and are chomping at the bit to attend the next show (mid-September).

"Baggo" was a blast!

2009-08-31T09:40:00.002-05:00

No, and I don't mean "Blaggo" our celebrity, impreached joke of a Govenor...

I mean BAGGO...

Bill and I were invited to a couples party for "Baggo" on Saturday evening. Neither of us had ever played. There were 14 couples - (big group!!!).

The way the game is played is: there are tables of 4 people, you have a partner (sitting across from you). There are cards of 2 thru queen face up for each person. and a pair of dice. You roll the dice and turn the number on the dice that matches your card over. So, you roll a total of 6 on the dice, you turn over the card with the 6. Once you have ALL your cards turned over, then you can roll for your partner and help them. If you roll the number of a card you already have turned over - you don't do anything.

The first team (out of ALL teams) that gets all their cards turned over calls Baggo. The other tables then just count the number of cards still left face up and the team with the lowest number is the winner - if there is a tie - you do a roll off and the first team that flips one card over is the winner of that table.

The funniest part is what happens when you win (or lose as the case may be) -

Each person brings with them in a bag (thus 'baggo') 3 "good" items (1-$10 item and 2-$5 items) and then 3 "gag" gifts which could be ANYTHING... Literally.

You as the winner, get to 'pick' from the person on your right a 'good' prize and then YOU as the winner choose a 'gag' gift from your stuff and give it to the loser.

The winners then move on to the next table, losers stay and EVERYONE changes partners which is fun and helps to get know other people at the party.

Well, if you win alot (like ME!!!) you could end up with lots of 'good' prizes or such - and if you lose alot (like Bill) you could end up with lots of 'gag' prizes. Or end up somewhere in between!

Everyone brought appetizers or deserts and there was lots of imbibing which is fun to watch the outcome of that with some folks!

We had a great time, great people, fun game and hope to do it again!

Still waiting on No 2 to get into the trap!

2009-08-28T21:22:00.003-05:00

Well, rat with a tail no 2 - seems to be a 'wascally wabbit' - um.. oops - wrong cartoon.

We are still waiting. NOT patiently I might add. I still hear 'it' and it still wakes me up. I'm getting to be a very cranky person. (so, what's new, I know)!

we spoke to the Mr Animal Tracker - and if by the end of the weekend, we still have not caught 'it' - then we will switch to a walnut in the trap - we've been told that they cannot pass up a walnut - must be like a catnip thing. I don't care if we have to put filet mignon in the trap. I want to sleep past 5am. Really I do.

I've been knitting and spinning as usual, trying to get into some semblance of a routine now that Bree is back in school. She just finished the first full week. She's gotten into the groove and is just cruising along.

Next week it is my turn to get into a groove! We've got some fun things happening this weekend, so hopefully by Monday, I'll have some pics to share! (if not pics, then good and also funny stories!)

It's been forever... and then some!

2009-08-26T08:46:00.004-05:00

Bree went back to school last Thursday, big change for her starting middle school having to get up at least an hour earlier, with taking the bus, changing classrooms, a real hot lunch program, band everyday, etc.. She seems to be adjusting well though.

We had a good summer (if you can call it that) - it never really did feel like summer as the weather was nothing like the past typical summers. I hope that does not indicate the type of winter we are going to be having...

Now the big challenge to get back into a routine. One good part about her going to middle school is that it has increased my day by about an hour and a half... Instead of leaving to take her to school at 8:50am, she leaves to catch the bus at 7:25am - I also don't have to go get into the car line at 3pm - she arrives home off the bus at 3:20pm. I know it doesn't seem like a lot of time, but it is amazing how much more time that it feels like I have.

I have missed her the past few days - I'm so used to her being around, seems eerily quiet - however, I'm sure I'll get over that pretty quickly - hahah - as I get into a routine myself!

We're in the great squirrel battle right now. I have been saying for months and months and months (longer than I can recall) that I thought we had squirrels living in the attic, but nope, no one believed me. Well, we do. One has been caught (I refer to him as rat no 1 with a tail - Bill calls him "Bastardo") - and this morning I had visual confirmation of rat no 2 with a tail chatting with rat no 1 with a tail while trapped - Here's a pic of Bastardo...
I think he has anger issues, don't you? LOL! (I had anger issues the past week as they got REALLY noisy and were waking me up at 5am - not a smart move)

Anyway, one of my new routines is to blog more often. I figure between Bastardo no's 1 and 2 and recapping some of the summer and then with new things happening this school year, I should be able to have some interesting things (at least to me) to post.

Time for my no 2 cup of coffee!

I do like to spin!

2009-04-28T07:57:00.005-05:00

I am so enjoying my spinning wheel. I am pleasantly surprised, pleased as to how much I enjoy spinning - kind of like a challenge to be consistent, makes me focus and is relaxing all in one.

I am playing with several different fibers seeing which ones I like more - the funny part is each time I spin a new or different fiber I like it 'best' until I spin the next one.

Someone told me how 'creative' I was because of spinning - I laughed. No, not creative - heck Hubby and I went tile shopping (taking up our hardwood as the dogs just are too hard on it) and we are replacing it with tile. We had samples of our cabinets/woodwork and countertop with us. We knew exactly what we wanted. We found about 95% of that. We brought home a sample. We were carrying in the sample board and Bree says, "Ewww, that doesn't go." We argued, we set the tile sample down on the floor, and she is 150% right. So, creative I am not.

But, I am a great technician. That's why I can knit. It is all about putting different types of stitches together in an organized fashion to make something. I cannot visualize putting those stitches together, but I can carry out instructions perfectly.

Spinning is much the same way. It really isn't creative. It's technical.

Here's the last fiber a superwash 100% Merino (yes, it is very soft!) in a hand dyed green multi colorway.
It is amazing to me how different it looks when spun as a single strand then when you ply it (twist 2 strands together) it takes on yet again a different look!

I also finished 2 pairs of socks - now, remember I only allow myself 2 pair a month - in order to knit other things - LOL - but, in March while working on Mom's sweater, I only knit 1 pair - so, of course, I had to catch up in April - I have now hit my quota - finishing 3 pairs this month -

The purple-ish is Angee from Cookie A's new book, Sock Innovations using Sundara, Be Home Late sock yarn. The caramel is Grapevine from Charlene Schurch's book, More Sensational Knitted Socks using Sundara, Comfort Zone sock yarn. Both are soft and stretchy!

Bree's Civil War Night

2009-04-23T10:51:00.004-05:00

This was a great learning experience for the students as well as their families. The students have been studying the Civil War in school and have been building to the Civil War night!

Last week, the kids went to Springfield to tour the Capitol, Lincoln's Tomb, the Museum, the House, etc.. they had to be at school at 6am and arrived back home around 9pm - long day!

Then they all had research topics and have been diligently gathering info and had to create a powerpoint presentation and display board. They also in their music class were learning songs from and about that era.

This all culminated into the Civil War Day/Night this past Tuesday -

Our family friend, Ainsley who collects the women's perspective of Civil War clothing, jewelry, and artifacts was so very gracious to come to the school during the day and demonstrate how women had to dress - including showing her 'originals' dating back to the 1860's - she taught the students the names of all the various garment pieces (and I think they were all grossed out by the drawers (underwear or what some called 'bloomers')- they did not realize that they were - ahem - crotchless so women when in their hoops/gowns, had easier access to use the facilities! The boys were even quite interested! She also explained that in old photographs it is/was difficult to determine if kids were boys or girls. She explained that girls always had their hair parted in the middle and boys on the side. She had an array of old photographs and kids had fun pointing out based on this new info which were girls vs boys.

Then the evening program included the student display boards set up on tables for all the families to review, they sang their songs (all 5th grade classes together - about 140 kids) and then we had Civil War experts in the multi-purpose room.

Ainsley brought numerous dresses dating back (all ORIGINAL) to the 1860's - silk! She had original bonnets and numerous other artifacts!

The 'committee' (us Mom's volunteering to set up this evening program) also invited Esther's Place to come and show how fabric/yarn/fiber was made during this period in order to make those beautiful dresses of Ainsley's. Donna, from Esther's place demonstrated cutting shearing to carding to spinning, also displayed the types of fibers that would have been used during that era and types of dyes and tools that were available. The kids enjoyed all this immensely!

To represent the "manly" side of the era, we had Joe, a Civil War Re-enactor in with uniforms, weaponry and equipment that used in the battlefields. Again, a wealth of knowledge and interesting to all.

I'm posting some pictures here, however, to see more - I have loaded them in a link here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/14597896@N02/sets/72157617222408972/

Current spinning and knitting project!

2009-04-20T11:30:00.005-05:00

To keep my sanity... Especially with Bree's Civil War project due 1/2 today and rest tomorrow -

I've been spinning a wool called Targhee - this is an awesome fiber - I see lots more of it in my future! This is bobbin 1 with 1/2 of the 4oz of wool. I am about 3/4ths finished with the 2nd bobbin and then I'll be plying them together. I like this so much and it is turning out so nice (at least as a single) that I'm hoping after plying I'll like equally as much and I'm thinking of making fingerless mitts with it!

I've been also working on a second sock pattern from Cookie A's new book, called Angee - Glynis is finished and gifted to Val. This is an easy-peasy pattern and I'm using Sundara yarn, in the color "Be Home Late" - a light purple with some blue/gray in it! It's turning out wonderful - very stretchy pattern - If I knew what I know now, I'd use US 1's instead of 1.5's... I love it though!

All I have left is 18 rows of the toe to do on sock #2!

It will be back to my Northwest Celtic Jacket upon completion as Val has finished her sleeves - so I need to get caught up to her so we can steek and complete - I haven't even started my sleeves yet so I need to hop to!

The weather is supposed to be gorgeous by the weekend so, I'm sure we'll be outside alot!

Lots of knitting and spinning!

2009-04-12T18:38:00.013-05:00

I haven't blogged lately - I think about it- get distracted and don't get back to it - but, I'll have several in a row, I'm sure -

An easy one, of course, is all the knitting and spinning to get caught up on!

I don't even remember where to begin. Mom's birthday was March 17th - so I made her:

It's a pin cushion, wood sunflower box - a kit I got at The Fold in Marengo by CiDDesigns - it's cute and uses scrap sock yarn!

Then I also made her this - inspired by Jen (Knitting Like Crazy) - who made one and I thought it was awesome!

I also made Bree this quick scarf (all the kids are wearing what I call the 'indoor' scarves!)

Then, since I hadn't knit her socks lately - I had found this conjoined creations flat feet tye-dyed yarn at Gene Ann's in Barrington just her color way - the pattern is Twisted Tweed - As usual, they are almost knee socks and I felt like they would never get finished (plus I ended up redoing them 3 or 4 times so they would fit)

Then, I started these socks from Cookie A's new book called Glynis - I am using a super wonderful, fantastic, phenomenal yarn from Zen Garden's Harmony Club called "Be Mine" or as I like to refer to it as Chocolate Covered Cherries - It is merino, cashemere and nylon - 450 yards... And I ran out of yarn with 20 rows left on the 2nd sock - how in the heck do I use up 450 yards? I dunno. But, I know Val has some of this and I'm going to beg, bribe and offer up some other yarn to get enough to finish! They're gorgeous!

I've also been taking regular lessons at The Fold on my Ladybug Spinning Wheel - I know have completed a couple of things - I have realized I need to spin thicker! (2 ply sock weight isn't going to do much - as you need 3 ply for socks) - But, the first is corriedale wool in two tone browns (med and light)

And the 2nd is a two color polworth wool - one a rust/burgundy which was a beast to spin with as there was alot of vegetation and 'nubs' in it - and an awesome blue-jean blue that spun like a dream! It's too fine by itself - I will need to double it or run something with it to knit - but, I am, if nothing else, consistent! haha - I also learned NOT to ply at night with dark colors - you cannot see the amount of twist you're plying - and my first skein is uneven - but, ok, I learned. I have a ton of yardage though (4 oz of each color) -

While at The Fold last week, I came home with about 20 different kinds of wools and other fibers at sample amounts to get a feel for spinning other fibers so I know what they're like if I want to purchase in qty! I think I'll make a notebook with my samples and notes about spinning them - I'm looking forward to the BFL, Ingeo (Corn), the blends and all the different breeds of sheep wool!

I think that's the result since my last blog post - but, I'm sure I'm missing something - more to come!

I was doing so good...

2009-03-03T07:33:00.006-06:00

I was doing so good about posting every couple of days - and then I slipped - I don't know why though -

I was talking to my Mom yesterday and she mentioned that she was 'rearranging' some furniture as she had an 'itch' to do so. That got me thinking... There are so many itches we hear about - the 7 year marriage itch, we are past that we are on year 14 - (does the 7 year itch go in multiples)?

The 'itch' to buy something? (Did that - see spinning wheel post) - at least I'm thinking that counts.

The 'itch' to join something? (Did that) - a friend is starting a Ladie's Night Out Bunco group - once a month - we start Friday, March 13 - is that an omen?

The 'itch' to rearrange furniture or house project type thingies... Ah... Now that one I can relate to - It's called the "10 year old house - everything seems to be breaking, dying or looking ugly" -

We are in our house 10 years this April. And in the past 2 months, my garbage disposal has decided to give up the ghost. (this is not something Bill can replace - he is not 'handy' - don't even get me started on this - it would be a PhD dissertion length post - not his fault though)

So, need to get a new disposal.

Two Cabinet hinges have 'sprung' - one door (where our kitchen garbage can goes - which is opened 100 times a day) will not stay shut - Socks has learned how to use his nose to open the cabinet now and see if anyone 'missed' hitting the garbage can. If you open the other cabinet door, it sounds like the pop of a handgun - when you forget and open it - it stops your heart. Plus, it has sufficiently freaked Socks out - that he goes into hiding if we forget and open it. His hiding spot is our Powderroom shower stall.

The grout in both Bree's bathroom shower and our shower is cracked and needs to be redone before we have water leakage behind it.

We have a floor to cathedral ceiling brick fireplace - the cement tuck pointing needs to be redone as it is cracking, drying or whatever it does and you find grit on the hearth.

Why does it seem that it all happens at once? Did the house magically say - hey, it's year 10 - time to cause the family issues? How does it know its time to breakdown? There are other things I'm missing too -

Well, I'm making a list, checking it twice and a handyman will have a field day here doing all the various repairs. What's next? Furnace, Water Heater, Air Conditioner - oh I must bite my tongue.

On another topic.. (is that allowed combining non-related topics?) I have finished a couple of knitting projects. I made these Thrum Mittens for Bree - for those non-knitters - you use roving (wool before it is spun into yarn) - in my case Romney Sheep roving and you break off pieces, roll into like a q-tip shape and knit with it every so many stitches. Thus, when you put your hands into the mittens - it is filled with warm sheep wool! And it is WARM... Very WARM! I used Cascade Ecological Wool for the mitten in a nice milk chocolate brown.

Here's a picture:

I also was asked/hired - LOL by Buc to make her a pair of clogs - They are drying (from being felted). They are a nice coal black and grass green!

I'll have another post catching up on Bree's Basketball soon!

Thanks to Paige!

2009-02-21T09:44:00.004-06:00

My thanks go to Paige for gently prodding me to join Facebook. I finally did a few short weeks ago, and I'm delighted to say how very cool it is!

I've reconnected with high school friends whom I haven't seen/heard from in 25+ years (yes, I am that old), and reconnected with friends I had stayed in contact with but, over the past few years, lost contact.

I've found that many are still in the general Chicagoland area and some have very similar families (kids around the same age), interests and are happy to get reacquainted again also!

Yesterday, Brenda, Marcia and I actually met for lunch up in South Barrington at a wonderful place Brenda selected called, Millrose Restaurant and Brewing. The decor is rustic/cabin-like on the inside and the food was great.

The best part was that the 3 of us sat and talked like it was 2 days after graduation! We talked about family, our memories from school (grade school on up), teachers, and current interests! Brenda and her hubby started a PT Cruiser Club up near McHenry and Marcia and I both KNIT! Who knew? We even brought our current knitting projects to share! Marcia is now inspired to try socks (ha - the good enabler I am) and on her way home stopped at Gene Ann's in Barrington and purchased a sock book, sock yarn, sock needles (and some other yarn too)! I cannot wait to see her progress!

We've decided when the weather breaks and we can arrange a day without time constraints (Marcia and I both had to head back to pick up our kids from school), we are going to try to gather as many folks as we can for a get together!

It was a great day! I am so glad I joined Facebook and it was fantastic to see Marcia and Brenda again and I cannot wait to see more old (in time, not age) friends!

(Ps - can you believe NONE of us brought a camera? AND, I didn't even think until last night about the camera on my cell phone - I know - bad me)

My new toy!

2009-02-18T09:08:00.003-06:00

This past week, I received a late Christmas present, an early birthday present and even earlier Christmas (this year's Christmas) present.

I am now the owner of a Schacht Ladybug Spinning Wheel! It is all set up and ready to go - I just need to get some 'practice' fiber to spin with which will hopefully occur this week!

In the meantime, I am trying to finish up some of my knitting list projects as I know this will cut in on my knitting time - or I'm going to petition for longer days to be able to do both equally!

I wasn't going to purchase a wheel, but came across this deal and even Bill agreed it was just too too good of a deal to pass up!

I'm going to be scheduling some spinning classes for both Bree and I as she has decided to forge her own 'yarn-making' business! Such an Entrepreneur!

Stay tuned for progress!

Games - BBall and Puzzles and some knitting

2009-02-15T11:24:00.007-06:00

This is going to be a quick update - A 'new toy' will be up in the next day or so!

But, the Michigan State girls lost their game yesterday to the Illini (14-4)- they did not play well at all. There seemed to be about 50 turnovers. (Thankfully, Bree did NOT turnover the ball) - but, the other team were 'scrappers' - they wanted it more and our girls HAVE to learn that once they cross half court (in this age group/league - you are not allowed to defend until crossing half court) - that they either A) MUST keep their dribble - they seem to want to stop 1 foot over the half court line and then the other girls are in their positions and not many come up to help out and B) If you DO stop 1 foot past the half court line you do NOT hold the ball in front of you like offering a gift.

Bree had 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 knock away and 2 shots off the rim/board -

She actually handles the ball very well and is patient to wait for the team to set up their play that the coach calls out BEFORE crossing the half court line!

She is learning to defend her person BEFORE that person has the ball and to anticipate if the person may be involved in the play.

I've also completed 2 puzzles and will now need to find more to do. They are like therapy - kind of like my knitting - keeps my mind on task and blocks out everything else (which can be good and bad, especially if I have other things I really should be doing)

Here's a pic of the last one - I cannot find where I saved the other one - eh, no biggie
And finally, my other form of therapy! Finished this pair of socks called Welt Fantastic by Charlene Schurch, from her book Sensational Knitted Socks, made from Socks That Rock Lightweight color called "Rare Gems". Bree's modeling them - but made more for me - thus why they look a tad big on her.

After I finished these on Wednesday, I started a pair of Jaywalker gauntlets for Bree's Teacher. Bree has a pair of these made from Cascade Fixation and one day she wore them to school and her teacher just loved them - so Bree asked if I could make her a pair. Had to modify my design that I made for Bree's - both in size and the fact that the yarn she picked out to use - was not stretchy like the yarn used in hers - so, Thursday I worked on it and completed the first one on Friday and am about 90% complete on the second one. (I'm already thinking, "What should I knit next?" hahaha

This is Socks That Rock in Mediumweight in the color called "In The Navy" and the pattern is modified from Grumperina's Jaywalker sock pattern and a typical mitten thumb gusset with ribbing on the end of the thumb sleeve as well as the finger tips.

This is pretty cool... And hits home for so many!

2009-02-12T09:17:00.002-06:00

My Mom, who all have read about, sent me this link - I think she got it thru some quilting threads and I thought it was awesome! In her email of this link, she asked if us 'knitters' could top this...

I don't know - but, these are fantastic - take a look!

http://www.quiltersofsc.org/artfullbras/artfullbras.htm

Breast cancer hits home for so many of us. My Mom is a survivor going on 8+ years now! Yippee!

What a great group from South Carolina paying tribute to 'ta-tas'!

Enjoy the photos and the artwork - all hand made!

It finally arrived...

2009-02-10T20:09:00.005-06:00

So, now I can post it... It only took roughtly 17 days shipped PRIORITY mail (which they said 2-3 days) -

It was kind of an early birthday present for Miss Paige - encompassing 3 of her favorite things -

Orange
The Illini
Horses

It's made with cascade superwash wool (so it can be washed) -

Too bad it didn't arrive when it was supposed to - she could have used it during the awfully cold weather they had!

Spumoni anyone?

2009-02-09T11:16:00.004-06:00

I'm working on my 1st pair of socks for February - I have decided to 'limit' my sock knitting to 2 pair a month - I know - blasphemy... but it does allow me more time for knitting other projects too!

So, my Feb 1 start sock is a design by Charlene Schurch called Welt Fantastic - it's along a chevron line of pattern - the yarn is Socks That Rock - Lightweight - Color - Rare Gems and everyone who sees it says it reminds them of Spumoni Ice Cream - it has rich milk chocolate color, along with the pink strawberry flavoring and a neat mint green thrown in for good measure. Yesterday, I swear some of the gals were stopping at Baskin Robbins on the way home. Decide for yourself: (pics do not do the color justice, however)

So, the first sock is completed and I'm almost to the heel flap on no 2. I figure I can 'stretch' these out to the 15th so I can start pair no 2 for the month - it's nice that Feb is a short month too.. yippee..

On another good note, Bree's Michigan State basketball team won again on Saturday - 14-8 they played Northwestern. Bree had 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 knockaways and 2 shots off the rim. Not bad.

Wingspan.. Jan 31 - They WON!

2009-02-07T08:43:00.004-06:00

I figured I better get the info out on last Saturday's game before today's game is played - sorry - my bad...

Well they WON! 12-10. This was exciting! Because last year, this team rolled over our team!

The girls played tough, came from behind and pulled it out within the last 45 seconds!

When I saw this picture (let me explain first), I had to laugh. It is all about 'wingspan'. I didn't realize how 'wide' of a wingspan Bree actually has. You have to understand that Bill is about 6'1". But, for his height, he is short armed. You know how they say that your arm (wingspan) from fingertip to fingertip should be the same as your height (less for those of us who don't always stand up the straightest)? Well, Bill must be the exception to the rule as it doesn't work out mathematically for him. He only wears a 32-33 inch length shirt.

Looking at this picture, Bree's arms seem to grow out of her sides forever - I never realized that - I've seen her play BBall and taken shots like this before, but maybe its the angle or lighting - I don't know..

Anyway, here's the picture:

And one on offense for good measure.

Their game today is a 1pm - they have team pictures this morning at 10am!

In Accordance with

2009-02-02T13:04:00.000-06:00

In accordance with the 'over-analyzing', 'spreadsheet queen' (named by Paige), and the curious side of me, I like to do jigsaw puzzles. Seems like every year around December - I start to get the urge to do puzzles - usually they are between 1,000 and 1,500 pieces. Maybe its the cold weather - I don't know. But, I do.

In 2007, when the group of us went to Indian Creek (Cason's place), her Mom was working on one - I asked first (because some folks do NOT want you helping with their puzzles) and we spent some time working on it together. Paige laughed her arse off because naturally like any good analytical (ok, obsessive) mind works, I lined up ALL the pieces in rows and columns all facing the same way just like a spreadsheet. She thought this was just hysterical coupled with her knowledge already of my spreadsheet obsession-ess. I think she even took a picture.

Bree starts out helping me, but, then moves on to something else.

I finished this puzzle around the 20th of January, started the 2nd one, finished that one today (no pics yet), and am going to start the next one - hmm.. maybe when I'm done posting this, or tonight - we'll see.

I like the quiet thinking searching for that ONE piece that looks like no other, looking at the connector tips and divets, trying to match colors and seeing if it can beat me.

If you notice in the puzzle, a piece is missing. No, it's not really missing, Bree took it out AFTER I finished the puzzle and hid it - so that she could say SHE finished the puzzle... LOL! I think its evenier funnier because I think I used to do this too.

So, here's the puzzle pic - gotta run to start the 3rd one (after I take pics of course before I destroy this one).

Wow.. No knitting pictures in 2009...

2009-01-30T19:33:00.000-06:00

I just realized looking back that I have not posted any knitting pictures since Christmas. How could that be? I have knit!

So, this post is dedicated to getting caught up showing the finished objects (all but one that is, since the recipient has not yet received even after mailing 1 week ago today)

So, let's start with socks! We all know I love knitting socks - so MUCH so, that I decided to limit myself to 2 pair a month. I don't think that will kill me - but we'll see. I had my 2 pair done in January before the 15th - so I am very anxiously awaiting Feb 1 to start my first pair for February.

The first pair I made was from Zen Garden Yarn "Squooshy" in the Evergreen color which was the yarn club shipment for the month of December. It was such nice yarn that Mom liked, that I got an extra one for her - which she received in a care package this month.

The pattern is Traveling Vine by Charlene Schurch out of the book "More Sensational Knitted Socks". I love this yarn and the pattern was fun to do as well.

Then I moved on to a Sundara yarn color called "Spiced" - it's a cross between pumpkin pie filling and a golden mustard. The pattern is Ribbed Lace, another by Charlene Schurch but out of her Sensational Knitted Socks book. I was amazed with the yarn listed at only 350 yards (compared to others that are 400+) how this yarn just seemed to grow as I knit. I like these too! >

I had made my Mom a scarf I think 2 years ago and when my folks were here for Christmas, I noticed the scarf was starting to look a little ratty, worn, pilly, etc.. So I decided to knit her a new one! This is called The Prismatic Scarf by Huan-Hua Chye and I used a Mountain Colors Twizzle yarn which is a combination of Silk and Wool! Very soft and nice to work with! Mom received it in her goodie package back on Monday. With the ice storm and cold they are experiencing this week, it was just in time.

I knit this second scarf for myself - it is made with Zen Garden Sock Yarn with cashmere - it is to die for - the brown is called Coffee Bean and the pink is It's a Girl - The pink is really a real, real, real hot pink and I think the brown tones it a bit otherwise you'd need sunglasses! It is the Chevron pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. It's near 85 inches long so it'll wrap around pretty nice!

Then I made a silly, fun project - for those who have seen or actually have a pair of my felted clogs - this is a summer style - these are felted flip flops! They're 'ok' - a little floppy - no pun intended! They are of course, for me - as you can tell by your blue jean yarn.

As one of my knitting new year resolutions, I decided to knit at least one 'charity' project per quarter. So, a group of us are working with Project Linus to knit blankets. Here's a picture of the 'boy' blanket I made. I'm hoping to make another with girl colors! Project Linus is having a "make a blanket" day on Feb 21st - so that's the deadline. Here is a link to their information, if you're interested! http://www.projectlinus.org/

And, I continue to work on my jacket - picture in a previous post - I have finished the bottom charted designs and now am up to around the waistline. It's pretty and I'm really liking it and I am taking my time, enjoying it and making it sure it is done correctly!

Well, that's my January 'stuff' - I have put aside my thrum mittens for the moment, trying to get the guage right so they are not either to big or too small is causing me headaches, so it is 'resting' at the moment.. LOL!

It's BB Time!!!

2009-01-28T13:57:00.000-06:00

Well, Bree's 5th grade girls Basketball team started a week ago! She's very excited this year and has been practicing getting "tougher".

She is tougher than last year - she proved it in this game! She was NOT going to allow the other team's best player to get by her, she was NOT going to allow someone to steal the ball from her and when she got a rebound, she was NOT going to let anyone else grab it away! And she didn't!

She played the best I've seen her play.....yet! And she had fun and she enjoys her teammates. They played their first game on Saturday. They are Michigan State this year (last year they were NC). Duke (the team they played on Sat) beat them by 2 points... It was a good game!

Here are a few pics I took -

Bree did a fantastic job in defending this girl. They bumped and pushed and did all the basketball things on defense one should do!

Bree has been practicing dribbling with both hands and without watching the ball. This year the coaches also instituted 'plays' which he calls out when they cross the half court line.

Keep in mind that you cannot defend on the players until they cross half court (that's why you don't see anyone defending her).

She plays each saturday thru March 21 with practice during the week.

No School = Fun Day!

2009-01-22T14:11:00.000-06:00

On Friday, the kids were out of school (for some silly reason - like "building accomplishments day" - don't ask me what it is - I have no idea - and yes, it is absolutely ridiculous!)

So, Bree and I and her friend, Lexi and her Mom went to Esther's Place out in Big Rock (about 1/2 hour from us). Link here: http://www.esthersplacefibers.com/ (I have to link it this way as for some reason the hyperlink function does not work for me)

One (of many) unique things about Esther's Place is that it is a Co-op of Illinois Fiber producers - or friends of Illinois - there are a group of sheep, alpaca, angora rabbit, mohair and pygora goat farmers that joined together to educate folks about fibers here in Illinois as well as take advantage of group milling, advertising and they have a wonderful retail home (think old farm style house- but updated) that they sell their wares.

They offer spinning, weaving, felting, knitting and all the learning you can absorb about so many different breeds of sheep, various fibers and the like. Two officers of the co-op who also founded it are a Mother-Daughter team (Donna and Natasha) are the nicest, warmest, friendliest, most helpful fiber folks around!

Bree selected a dry needle felted project, Lexi a 'wet' felted scarf project, Kathy a 'wet' felted table runner and I selected a knitted (I know -surprise, surprise) Thrummed Mitten project.

We all gathered our materials and Natasha led the way in assisting in the teaching all the processes. Bree did 2 flowers

And had seen what she had named "Quackers" the duck around the shop and decided she wanted to make one as well. Time ran out while there so we purchased supplies for her to make at home - and she did. Quackers no 2 is darling (even though Bree thinks it is an ugly duckling) and she did this from 'remembering' what the original Quackers looked like - no instructions or pattern or such - just a visual in that artistic, creative mind of hers.. I think he (or she) is awesome!

My Mittens are in progress - they are kind of cumbersome to do as they are made using pieces of roving (thing washed, brushed sheep wool - in my case from a Romney Sheepie) and knit along with your yarn every now and again - so it is like putting your hand into a big bag of sheep's wool and will be OH SO WARM! The 'dots' you see on the knitted part of the mitten are actually roving bits from the big ball of roving also in the picture.

I am still waiting for Kathy to send me pics of Lexi and her projects (as neither of us brought a camera with).

During our project work, Donna supplied us with Hot Cocoa, Tea, Coffee and made absolutely delicious Chocolate Chip Scones which the girls just loved!

The girls (and Kathy) had never been to Esther's before and were so overwhelmed by the kindness and the selection of projects that we are making plans to go again in February!

It was such a fun Day! I wish they were all like that!

Who knew?

2009-01-13T09:09:00.000-06:00

Bree loves to build rooms for her pets. Her Breyers occupy a bookshelf in her bedroom and they are all lined up in stalls with name plates, blankets (made from fabric scraps), halters made from elastic hair ties and leg wraps (on the show horses - LOL).

She then got interested in "Littlest Pet Shops" and has a collection of 25 or so. So, she started using index cards (as they are about 1 maybe 1-1/2 inches tall or thereabouts) and build what I call a townhouse with rooms for each. She made beds, tables, chairs, cars, tv's - you name it - she's found some craft supply of some sort and basically furnished this 25 or more room townhouse.

I was talking to Joy from my knitting group and Joy mentioned that there is this WHOLE world of 'miniatures'. People do this for a profession and it is a big deal. Joy made some demo's and displays of 'room boxes' for a company in Ohio. She started telling me all about it. I was floored.

So, last week, she gave me this newspaper clipping for a 'miniature show' - as in trade show with vendors, displays, etc.. Much of this room box stuff centers around miniature doll houses and people who put them together.

They come in scales of 1/4", 1/2" and 1" - yes, they have furniture that is made/created at 1/4 of an inch to scale.

I told Bree about this and we looked up some websites on the internet. OH MY GOODNESS. Looking at some of these pictures you would think you're looking at a 10 million dollar model home at full scale. It is amazing! Here are a few pics from random websites:

The Art Institute of Chicago has a display of 68 rooms by this man. Here's the info: The 68 Thorne Miniature Rooms enable one to glimpse elements of European interiors from the late 13th century to the 1930s and American furnishings from the 17th century to the 1930s. Painstakingly constructed on a scale of one inch to one foot, these fascinating models were conceived by Mrs. James Ward Thorne of Chicago and constructed between 1932 and 1940 by master craftsmen according to her specifications.

Here's the URL if you want to see more... http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/thorne

So, Saturday among the yucky, snowy weather we drove up to Schaumburg for this show. It was amazing. The people were SO nice and helpful after we explained this was our first initiation into all this. Bree picked out some supplies, listened intensely to the suggestions by the vendors on how to 'make' things with common household items, etc..

She is thrilled. Bill and I were just in awe! She is so creative and imaginative that this will be right up her alley. She just needs to take her time, have pride in her work and patience - she wants to get it all done NOW, (I do NOT know where that comes from - nope, don't have a clue!)

It was a neat Saturday to spend together as a family. Bree also got to top off her night at a Chicago Wolves hockey game - her first 'live' hockey game as she was invited by a friend of hers. Their seats were behind the net, right next to the guy in the glass box that sets of the lights and sounds when a goal is scored. She came home hoarse from yelling but had a fantastic time! Thanks Bartz's!

Is there such a thing of 'never enough'..

2009-01-08T22:03:00.000-06:00

Yarn, that is.

I went to a yarn store today that I had not been to before.ever. It was filled to the brim. More yarn in a yarn store than I've seen.

I bought 3 skeins. All three were purchased to make Bree things. All primary rainbow colored. One will be socks, and the other 2 skeins will be used for felted FLIP FLOPS. These should be fun!

You would think I would have enough yarn. But, I do not think there is any such thing of 'enough' yarn. You never know just when that one project, that one cool, special, gift or such that might come up at the last minute and you need to have the yarn at your fingertips. Kind of like people from the depression era stock up on canned food. Not me. I stock up on yarn. That way, I may not be able to eat, but I'll be knitting. Or like horse people having that extra saddle pad, extra headstall, extra brush. Just like that! (wait, that's me too - I see a pattern here)

I finished my 2nd stealth project since Jan 1. Pictures can not be shown until the recipient receives, though. And I did cast on my jacket. (Jacket pictured in previous post). That is going to take a while.

Question is what to cast on next.. I have to have a smaller project to carry around. The jacket is not going to fit in my purse - ha! Socks? maybe. Felted flip flops is a good possibility as I really want to see how these turn out. Perhaps, another stealth knitting project - another illusion scarf - looks like piano keys. Socks, maybe. probably. then a scarf or flip flops.

Ooooh, and I saw these cool mittens today. They were "nordic", "latvian", "fair isle" type mittens with colorwork. Pretty cool. I see something like this getting added to my list to knit. Hmm.. I wonder if I have any yarn for something like this? I bet I don't. Looks like I'll have to go yarn shopping. oh darn.

My Mom puts me to shame...

2009-01-06T10:44:00.000-06:00

About a year and a half ago, we saw this pattern at a quiliting store. I've done some basic quilting as in actually making like small crib size quilts, but it is not my strength. I don't like that it is not portable.

Mom has been quilting for about 4 or so years now and she has gotten to be VERY good at it (despite what she tells everyone). She has a group down in TN that get together and help each other, etc..

I thought this pattern was awesome and immediately thought of Bree. We selected some fabrics - since it is all pieced - I gave Mom a close up head shot of Bree's mare, Tess and told Mom to try to make it look like Tess.

She continued to work on this for over a year going thru multiple revisions and revisions and tearing it apart and redoing, and redoing and redoing.

I think she did a fantastic job and she gave it to Bree who was thrilled! It is hanging prominently in Bree's room by her ribbons and such from showing. (Now all she needs is the Buckle case that Poppa was/is supposed to be making for her).

I love it and for 76 years old with pretty rotten bad RA and her fingers being pretty gnarly - she rocks. I hope when I'm 50 (not so far away) I have half her energy, determination, skills, persistence, eagerness to learn new things and desire to do some really cool stuff and be able to keep up with my daugher as she does me.

Mom, I bow to you! You decide how awesome she did...

The Christmas Holidays are officially over..

2009-01-05T17:33:00.000-06:00

Or winter break or whatever politically correct term is being used...

How do I know this you may ask?

It's not because We've taken down any Christmas decorations - because that has not happened. (I actually have to take photos so I know how to set up the village next year - LOL).

It's not because the weather has broke. Eventhough we have no snow on the ground - thanks to the 60 degrees we had last week.

It's not because the stores aren't offering sales.

It IS because my house was QUIET today. The Kids went back to school today. It was nice and quiet (minus the dogs barking from time to time for absolutely NO reason).

I spent the day reorganizing and moving furniture, etc around in my studio. I had broken down my studio for the holidays to put the 2nd spare bed back up for the guests we had.

Bill put up 4 shelves (2 on each side of the windows) yesterday. So, I had to fill them with cool stuff. Not quite done with that yet as I need to get some extra easels for the little picture frame type stitching stuff. And I combined my sewing machine tables into one.. it looks cool. I rearranged my knitting yarn bins.

Bree gave me her 'decorating' stamp of approval - which is HUGE! LOL!!!

One of my knitting resolutions is to inventory my yarns. So, this will be a big help in accomplishing that goal.

When it is complete, I will take pics and post. I also need to find some cool - not prim - but country type curtains with SHEEPIES on them. The theme throughout the room is definitely my lambie/sheepie collection. I love me my sheep (as Paige would say).

So, by the end of this week, my goal is to have the house decorations down and boxed - save the 2 Christmas trees which will be dismantled over the weekend.

One step at a time! Baby steps - but at least moving in the right direction!

(And, I've been good about posting this year TOO!)

Ok, Someone talk some sense into me!!!

2009-01-04T17:41:00.000-06:00

As I posted below, while at The Fold on Thursday, I was so serious about thinking about deciding on getting a spinning wheel. I've been looking online, emailing with some folks about ideas and the like.

Then today, in my New Year notebook (started a new one to kick off 2009), I started listing the things I need/want to knit. Things I already have yarn for. Things I already have 'planned' for gifts coming up in the next 3 months. Things I have patterns for. I am up to 10. And ONLY ONE of these is socks.

So, I shouldn't even be daydreaming about spinning. My list is extensive (well, kind of simplistic, but a project or two - like the jacket I posted about are complex). But, I am STILL daydreaming about spinning. What is it about the mystique of spinning that has me captured? I honestly do not know. Could it be something new? Perhaps the idea of making something from beginning to end (as in spin the yarn, dye it then knit it and finally gift it)? Is it because it is the natural progression of a knitter / fiber addict? Is it because it is just something different - craft wise - for me to add to my forte'? Do I REALLY need another thing to add to my forte?

I wish I could rent a wheel for say 2 weeks. Let me play, see if it is really something I want to do. If it is, then fine. If not, then I get this all out of my system.

I like the things on my KNIT TO DO list. They will be fun, different and challenging projects (ok, some).

I need to start thinking of the balance of the year and starting the gifts I need to complete NOW.

So, I shouldn't think any further about spinning...

Yea, right.

AH... The world is right again...

2009-01-02T23:21:00.000-06:00

I posted back a day or two how I missed knitting socks and that I had to wait until other Christmas gifts were completed.

I cast on last Friday a pair of socks. They are done. They are pretty. I love the yarn (Zen Garden Squooshy) and love the pattern Traveling Vines by Charlene Church.

Here's a pic of the work in progress, I will get a completed picture tomorrow on my model's feet (Bree's feet are in most of my sock pics) - it works great as at 11 years old, her foot size is ONLY 1/2 size smaller than mine.

The Color is called Evergreen and was December's yarn club shipment. It is SWEEEEEEEETTTTT..

The world is right again.. (Did I say that out loud - again?)

We went to the barn today. It was freeeeeezin. (Literally lower than 32 degrees). My sinus / head cold that is on again off again - it cannot make up its mind if it is going to take hold of me is "on-again" today. What the heck is that all about. I sure wish it would make up its mind. If I'm going to get a cold, let's get on with it. If not, take a freaking hike.

Starting the New Year off right...

2009-01-01T21:49:00.001-06:00

I won! I won! I won!

What a great way to start off the new year!

Val, Lisa, Becky, Rachel and I (from the knitting group) all went to The Fold (Marengo, IL) today for their New Year's Day sale / open house. I can't think of a better way to kick off 2009, great friends, lots of sweeet yarn, a peek at some spinning wheels (I am SO jonesing) and on top of it all, I won a book as a door prize. It is called "Crocheting on the Edge" by Nicky Epstein and it is even SIGNED by her! How cool is that?!

We all did some serious credit card damage! And I think over the 6 hours we were there, I looked and looked and looked and looked some more and at a couple of spinning wheels. I do NOT know how I walked out of there without buying one. Sheer will is all I can think of! And, maybe the fact that I purchased yarn and was inspired to knit up some things and getting a spinning wheel would have prevented that from happend.

I purchased some yarn (Cascade Ecological Wool to be double stranded) for this jacket:

The yarn is Charcoal and a medium shade of gray.

I also purchased some Easter Pastel sock yarn for socks for Bree and of course, it wouldn't be me, if I didn't purchase some blue jean colored sock yarn - LOL! Ok, I confess, somehow, someway, some blue jean color wool yarn made it into my basket to make some felted flip flops.

And one skein of Rare Gems, Sock That Rock seemed to call my name. (ok, I KNOW I do not need any more sock yarn, but it is a cool colorway)!

I'm in a mad dash to finish the Traveing Vine socks I started on Saturday. I have 49 more rows. I am holding myself back for jumping right into the jacket!

I've decided I need to make a list of what I have in the 'que' to knit, then prioritize them and then start knocking them off one by one. I think that will be a task for tomorrow.

Other than that, not much is happening. Bree and I went to the barn yesterday and delivered Christmas gifts. That's always fun.

Last night some idiots (read this as teenagers who need to be shot) decided it would be funny to open gates on all the fenced yards. This morning, I was up early to get ready to go and let the dogs out. Well, after 20 minutes of Bailey (the Goldendoodle) not returning I went out in the yard. Imagine the heart stoppage when I see the side gate wide open. (It was not open at 11pm last night, when we let the dogs out for the final time). I yelled to Bree to get Bill, hopped in my truck and started driving around - knowing that she runs like a gazelle and had a 20 minute head start - hell, she could have been a county over or worse - dead on the busy street near our house. THANKFULLY... She was 3 doors down. Apparently, she walked down, saw THEIR gate open and thought it was her yard and was in their fenced yard. Talk about taking 10 years off your life. We walked down our street around the park area (where there are about 6 other houses with fenced yards and ALL gates were open). I swear if I ever find out who did this stupid-ass stunt, you all will have to send bail money as I will be in jail on an assault and battery charge.

PS - See, I am starting off the new year with a post. Yay me!

Ending the Year with a post..

2008-12-30T21:55:00.000-06:00

I know I've been absolutely awful about keeping up my blog. If you search my blog, you will read that I say over and over and over that my life just isn't exciting or has much happening that is blog-worthy. I'll make a public resolution that in 2009 that I will blog AT LEAST once per week and NO less (maybe more than once per week) but, at least once per week.

Thru the months of Nov and Dec up until Christmas, I was doing a bunch of stealth knitting for Christmas gifts..

Here's what I ended up with: (picture heavy from here down)

I made 2 pair for my SIL because I couldn't decide which one I liked better for her, wrapped them and let her choose - She chose this first pair called "Tron".

This was the other pair. These did not fit her as nice - seemed a little big for her. But, I liked the colorway.

These were little sport socks for my Niece. Seems like the kids like the little ankle socks these days. Bree even wears hers in her cowboy boots!

I made this illusion scarf for Bree's French Horn Student Teacher (She's a Sophomore) and her room is hot pink and black. It's a scarf that if you hold it up looks like a striped scarf but then when you look at it again, it has the hidden picture of music notes. (kind of like a hologram). Anyway, Kelsey loved it.

This is another illusion scarf only a horse head - these are really cool to do! I see more in my future!

These are fingerless gloves that has the flap to come up over the top which changes them from gloves to mittens for my Brother - done in a camo sock yarn (called Broadstreet mittens). I hated this pattern. It sucked - pure and simple as far as directions go. I made a few modifications - as in making a buttonhole for the thumb as what good is having 4 fingers popping out, but not being able to use your thumb?

This is Mom's Vest (looks better on her - which I'm hoping when she takes it on Jan 7th to show off to her friends, that she'll have them take a picture). I originally was going to make Mom something else, but it didn't 'hit' me right, so the Wed before Christmas I decided to knit her a vest. So, Thursday, out I went, found a pattern and then yarn and started that evening. It was done and wrapped (except the shoulder seams, which I waited on to insure it would fit). It was then completely finished and she took it home with her. There are no buttons but where the V-Neck meets, the pattern shows it being held closed with a pin. This is perfect for Mom because she has a vast collection of pins and can use them! It's lightweight enough for their temperatures in TN, yet, warm enough to even wear as a light jacket and the blue tweed colorway will go with anything!

These are for my friend who is helping me rehab my horse, Jessie. Her feet are always cold (I made her a pair of Alpaca socks earlier this year and she LOVES them and wears them all the time - I probably need to knit her a 2nd pair!)

So, It's not like I haven't been doing anything. Just things I couldn't necessarily post about.

But, more to come in the future!!!

The Sound Of Music...

2008-10-29T13:57:00.001-05:00

Our house is filled with the 'sounds of music' - no not Julie Andrews - instead it is the sounds of Bree learning to play the French Horn.

I played French Horn in grade school and high school and when she was going thru the various instruments in band to choose - I kept telling her - choose what you like, not because I played it.. But, in the end she liked the French Horn the best.

And it fits her. It suits her. And she is doing awesome with it!

Our local high school has a program for their better upper level band students whereby they take a course and have to pass a test on 'teaching beginners' how to play and the things to teach, how to teach and the like.

Bree takes lessons from Kelsey. She has had 4 lessons and Kelsey thinks she's doing fantastic. Kelsey's Mom, Shelley plays piano and we sit and have coffee and chat during Bree's lessons at their house on Sunday mornings. Shelley comments often on how Bree's 'sound' is getting so much better and how she can tune to Kelsey playing her horn.

Kelsey is a great role model for Bree. Besides being one of the youngest band members to make the senior symphonic orchestra, she is on the swim team and the high school has over 3,000 students - so competition is quite stiff and she's in 'honor' classes and just a great, great kid.

Bree always practices before going to her lesson even though its 'early' because she wants Kelsey to see how good she's doing and she always seems to be uplifted when she's done.

They also have a cool cat named 'Stretch' because he lays on his side and stretches completely out and pulls himself around in circles with his front legs - like stretching across the carpeting. Bree also gets to play laser light with him and she thinks it is hysterical when he climbs the wall (literally) to try to catch the light.

They have a samoid, named Snowball, which fits him perfectly. He is such a puff ball!

Bree's first concert is December 4th - so stay tuned! (no pun intended!)

It's the time of year...

2008-10-09T22:43:00.000-05:00

And I don't mean getting ready for Christmas! I mean cool enough to wear my cozy knit socks... Since we ALL know I love to knit socks...

I'm working on these:

The yarn is called Brown Sugar and it is such an accurate description of the color!

The pattern is another from Cookie A (I think this is my 4th Cookie A pattern - I love her stuff!)

And in the spirit of Halloween.. I knit one of these...

These photos are my friend Lisa's - I haven't taken photos of the one I made yet.. But, as you can tell they are BATS - halloween bats and what makes them really special is that I knit the wings with Bernat's Glow in the Dark yarn - which after putting them by the light - the wings GLOW in the dark.. And they DO!!!

I hate making little critters and Lisa is just so damn good at it (see her etsy site here: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=77364 )so, I bribed her to make Bree one... Then I felt like it was a challenge so then I knit one - although Lisa did her phenom method of mattress stitching on my wings and ears for me.. LOL! I'll try to get pics tomorrow of mine (it's GREEN..)

Ever Feel Like a Rat??

2008-10-08T08:15:00.000-05:00

This is what Bill, Bree and I did on Saturday... But, unfortunately, there was no "cheese" at the end... We went to Jonamac Orchard in Malta, IL (Out by NIU)!

It is a 10 acre cornfield with 3 acres of winding paths... a couple of bridges to see where you're at.. It was fun - ALL of our feet were tired when finished - I think it took us like a hour plus to get thru the whole thing. At night, it is a "haunted" maze - and they only allow glow lights - I think that would be a blast to do (only if a bunch of high-school kids were NOT allowed in)

Our feet were already tired before we entered the maze from walking out to the orchard and picking our own apples: We picked: Jonathans, Jonagolds, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious and Crispins. This was Bree's first time of actually doing the "pick your own" and we had alot of fun. Reminded me of growing up and my Mom taking us! There's just nothing like a gorgeous day with your family, walking thru an orchard, popping an apple off a tree, shining it on your jeans and biting in to a fresh, juicy red delicious (my fav) apple!

From apple picking, we walked over to the 8 acre pumpkin patch - holy moley - do you know how many pumpkins (of all breeds) can grow on 8 acres - trust me ALOT! You can see the pumpkins we picked in my previous blog post - It's nice to pick them off the vine - you get such nice 'handles' on them - the ones at the farm stands don't have them!

Then, the big nasty's favorite part - the country store... He snacked on 5 berry pie (rasp, straw, rhubarb, blackberry and I don't remember the other berry) - I had peach! Then we bought 4 different kinds of handmade fudge - mint chocolate, reg chocolate, cookies and cream and peanut butter - 1/4lb of each - after the big nasty polished off an ENTIRE 1/4lb in less than an hour, Bree and I put a limit on how much he could eat - so there was some left for us! We also brought home their apple cider- oh my - awesome! and a 1/2 dozen apple donuts with cinn-sugar.. My favorite for sure!

The place was clean, neat, people really nice, no one looking over your shoulder at what apple you're eating, and a perfect fall day!!!

They're Creepy and they're Kookie...

2008-10-04T20:11:00.000-05:00

They're mysterious and spooky - they're all together "hookie"

Well, we're not the Adams Family - but, we do enjoy decorating for Halloween. Bree LOVES the scarey stuff - forget the 'cutesy' - the scarier the better, the more kids scared off by it, the better. She doesn't get 'spooked' by it - she just laughs...

Here's some pics! The front porch:

The front flowerbeds:

Over the Garage:

I'm so bad about taking photos...

2008-09-30T09:29:00.000-05:00

Half the time I don't update my blog, because it is such a hassle to take photos, download them to my computer, edit them, load them into flickr or such then add them.

So, this blog post is catching up on completed knitting pieces...

First and longest back is Bree's Messenger Bag. It is a Noni pattern and made with 2 strands of Lamb's Pride Nature's Spun Wool and then felted - one strand was purple and the other mallard green. I wanted to "snaz" it up a bit but Bree wanted it just plain - oh well, a mother can dream.. haahha

It turned out really nice - the handle was a 'biatch' - because I wanted it to be sturdy and the pattern just wanted you to connect it up by the flap and I thought it would eventually rip out - so, in the vain of Tim the Tool Man Taylor.. oh, oh, oh... I knit the strap longer. Then hot glued it to the INSIDE of the bag - ALL the way around (provides extra support for the bottom and sides of the bag to stay square/rectangle-ish) and then hand stitched all the edges around the entire strap - so it should be like freaking cement! (My Dad would be proud - hahaha)

She's already used it by taking it to her friend's house to do homework together... Glad she likes it!

It needs a 'shaving' as the felting gave it a little case of the fuzzies!

And anyone who knows me knows that I ALWAYS have socks on my needles. Infact, I cannot remember a time when I didn't. They go everywhere with me, just in case, you never know, when you'll have that 5 minutes!

I picked up this new way of dyeing sock yarn - called "sock blank" - they knit a flat piece of yarn (like a tshirt if you will) and then dye it while its flat (versus a skein of yarn that's in a circle for dyeing) - then to knit it you unravel it (just like a tshirt will unravel if it is snagged) - it was fun to do! And of course, Bree snatched these socks up right off the bat! She loved the colors and wanted knee socks for winter riding - so viola' she has them.

This is what the yarn looked like in the flat and you can see when I finished one sock how the sock turned out compared to how the yarn looked when it was flat.

I wanted to start and the "other" end of the 2nd length but it does not let you as I thought the colors would match up a bit better starting at that end - but they are close - the oranges just started a bit sooner! The pattern is Ruth Greenwald's "Escalator" and it is an easy, nice knit - I love the spiral look!

They should last her a while (ok maybe 6 months they way she is growing). I am still in shock that at 10 (ok in 30 days she'll be 11) that she is wearing a women's size 7 shoe. Holey Schnikes!

And then I wanted to do something nice for my friend who has been helping me rehab Jessie's suspensory ligament injury (which we go back tomorrow for her follow-up - keep your fingers crossed). Stace has just about everything 'horsey' you could imagine and she's not a fan of doing chores in the Chicago WINTER weather...

So, I made her these Alpaca/Wool socks - using a pattern called Thermal Socks by Audrey Paquin - which is an awesome winter looking pattern - It reminds me of the thermal/waffle weave you see in long underwear or those waffle henley type shirts - nice thick and warm!

She normally wears the fat baby boots and these are high enough to work just right! Bree and Stace wear the same size- so measuring works out perfectly! The yarn is a mix of Alpaca and Wool for warmth and yet washable - while having some nylon in it for strength. They are actually pretty soft. It is called "Paca-Peds" by The Alpaca Yarn Company.

And I got to knit socks for someone instead of nding up with a drawer full for myself which always makes me happy! I enjoy making socks for people, just is a tad difficult since they are made to 'specification' and what's worse than getting a great pair of homemade socks that don't fit???

Stace is going with me tomorrow to Purdue with Jessie and since the weather has turned cool here (40's at night and only high of 60 during the day) she is getting these tomorrow in prep for what's to come.

I am now working on a great pair of socks called Mona, by Cookie A with some absolutely wonderful yarn (it's "fierce") from Zen Garden! It's in this rich brown tone on tone. My knitting friends are drooling! Don't you wish you could see a picture? Well, I forgot. And as the first sentence says - you may not see it for a while! LOL!

They're not fuzzy and cute.. Get it?

2008-09-10T10:59:00.000-05:00

We like the comedian, Jeff Dunham... He is a ventriloquist and has one guy named "Walter" - I think he created Walter in the image of my Dad - a grumpy crumudgeon with a big heart - LOL!

Well, one of Walter's favorite lines is "Dumbass" - said in kind of growling, raspy voice...

Walter would tell the yuppyville folks around us that they are King Dumbasses for thinking that the wild bunnies are "cute, fuzzie and adorable". If I hear "awww - look at the baby bunny" one more time, I swear I'm going to assault someone.

They need a slap to the head that these varmints are nothing but destructive, pain in the ass, disease carrying, overpopulated nuisances... And I have the damage pictures to prove it!

This is a picture of our JUST one year old cedar (not cheap) fence. These rats with fur have CHEWED the pickets to widen the gap so they can more easily access our yard.. Now, we have two domestic pet bunnies in the house - that Bree got for 4H. They can squish themselves down to basically shimmy under a door - so WHY do these rats with fur need to chew my new, expensive fence? Because they are freaking LAZY (and born in yuppyville and think they are entitled) and when I sick the 3 dogs on them they feel they might need to get thru the pickets quicker? Then stay out of my freaking yard - you dumbasses.

This is a non-chewed picket - it isn't THAT narrow that they can't get thru..

I thought about spraying the chewed area with the bunny repellant (when I would REALLY like to sit at my porch door and blast the little suckers to oblivion) but, then because I am NOT a dumbass realize if I close up that chewed picket to them, they'll chew elsewhere ruining my fence even further...

I'm going to have to get a stealth door for Bailey - she points those bunnies in a nanosecond like a radar and is as stealth like as a big cat (as in tiger, panther and the like) to "release the beast" in her to catch just one of these little varmints.

I have to figure out a way that the yuppyville (a friend refers to this town as "hoo-ville - from Horton hears a hoo - because it's just not "real" - hahah) joneses won't figure out if I'm zapping these guys with a pellet gun, pump bb gun or something of the like - I'd have to find a silencer for it - otherwise I'm sure I'd be arrested...

If you agree with me that these rats with fur are nuisances and should be dealt with, send bail money...

The Man is Bree's Life...

2008-09-09T09:22:00.001-05:00

Bree is an avid Indianapolis Colts fan! She also hates and despises the Bears.. (Weird being a chicagoland family) -

A few times a week, on his way home from work, Bill stops in the 7-11 store about a half mile from our house... In the beginning of August, they put up a display.. He thought Bree would go NUTS over the display...

So, Bill asked the guy who he sees most days when he stops and he told Bill that they would be "done" with the display at the end of the month - he took our phone number down.. Well, sure enough right around Labor Day they called.

Bill picked it up last weekend and set it in the garage and told Bree that one of her "friends" had stopped by and was out in the garage.. She about died when she saw it. She moved furniture around in her room - just to find the "right" place for it.

So, Sunday night's football game was the Indianapolis Colts vs the Chicago Bears. Now, Bree has been talking smack with my Mom (who is an avid Bears fan) all week and they even made a $3 bet... So, Sunday night she brought down her "man" and put her team spirit on and called my Mom and was talking even MORE trash as the game started..

Here's her good friend... Life size,(about 6 feet tall) mind you..

Yeup, It's Peyton Manning - the COOL thing is that if you turn it around, Eli Manning is on the other side - there were points in time during the game that she would "talk" to Peyton, turn it around and tell Eli to tell his Brother to get his act together...

She's eating crow this week since the Bears beat her man and her team...

-sorry for the flash "white-out" in the middle of Peyton the glare was awful!

Jessie's Day...

2008-09-03T12:24:00.000-05:00

Well, Jessie finally had her day at Purdue University Large Vet School/Hospital for her lameness exam. It was a long day to say the least! When I made the appointment for 10am - I completely forgot (or didn't realize - take your pick) that West Lafayette Indiana is an hour ahead of us (east coast time) - uggh.. So, up at 3:30am..

She was a champ. The Vet school is top notch in my book. They take their time, evaluate everything, explain things to you explicitly and you can tell they like what they do.

We have a DVM, a DVM Resident, (2) 4th year vet students and a tech all assigned to us - We were there for no less than 8 hours.

They poked and prodded and watched and poked and prodded and watched some more, did ultrasounds and xrays and and and - it was amazing and thru it all Jess was a Champ. Oh my goodness, was she a champ - she even earned more brownie points and rose higher in my mind than I thought possible about how good, smart, willing and just lovable she is.

The bottom line is... her right front lameness issue was not navicular (very good news) but, an unbalance in her hoof / shoeing - and the farrier who works with the vet school re-shoed her and set her foot back, lowered her heel, squared her off in the toe and it was nothing short of amazing how much better she walked in front. Wow.

The left hind issue which all sorts of horse people had varying opinions on - turned out to be something no one had suspected - she has a minor (level 1 of 5) lesion in her suspensory ligament (main ligament that runs up the back of her lower leg). Here's a picture of the ultrasound - the upper left hand shot shows it outlined -

Ultrasounds reflect light - that's the light gray coloring you see in the picture - if there is not tissue there - then the ultrasound doesn't reflect and the signal / pulse goes thru - thus making a 'black' color on the screen. If you look inside the outlined circle-ish area - it is a darker gray than the surrounding area which shows not a complete hole in the ligament but, more like thinning - like fabric gets when it is really worn. You can see where fluid or joint spaces are by the black areas.

The top right picture is a view of the tissue from a different angle - the tissue striations are showing left to right - horizontally - except in the area of the thinned ligament - they call that 'disruption of the tissue' -

As this heals, unfortunately, tissue unlike bone does not heal as naturally as it was originally, it usually heals with scar tissue (just like cuts on humans can leave a scar). Being a level 1, and how I do and will be riding her - it should not affect her in the future..

So, she is on stall rest for 4 weeks with being hand walked 2x a day for 10 minutes. Poor thing - it is amazing she is not nuts when she does get out of her stall for those 10 minutes. But, again, she is a champ and being so good!

We will be taking another trip back to Purdue at the end of September for an update on the healing progress. If things look like they are healing correctly and timewise as to where they think the healing should be after 4 weeks, then I'm guessing they'll step her up to maybe 20 min of small turnout (in a round pen) or something like that. It will take a few more months I'm sure before she is allowed back into work again.

This is the type of injury that can be "nagging" and if not healed well, can cause future issues. So, better to be safe and take the long route (in the short term) then be dealing with this again and again and again..

I'm glad this is something fixable as I just think she is a good one!

Bree's Tennessee Trip...

2008-08-26T12:58:00.000-05:00

After the 4H Fair was over and we recuperated - and got everything put away - which seems to take 2x as long as dragging it all out - my parents came to town -

They spent a long weekend here and then took Bree back with them to Tennessee - it's an annual thing - Bree and my Mom do all sorts of stuff together. This year I went down to get her on Thursday, we spent Friday antiquing and then Sat went North towards home 2 hours to my Brothers' Family house, spent the night there and then started home on Sunday while stopping off to visit the Strawns and see all the babies (including Boce Boy) and then headed home.

In years past (this dates back to 2003) - My Dad used to tease Bree about his FIFTY horses vs her ONE horse - (his 4 wheeler) - he built a box on the back and would take her for rides out in their woods and such. This year, he "tested" Bree to see if she was strong enough and had long enough legs to drive it herself! Well... Here you go:

My Dad (Bree calls him "Poppa") - surveying her technique!

My Mom and Bree - Bree loved being the "limo" driver and shuttling us all over the place - Notice the box on the back and keep in mind she USED to fit in there - infact both Bree and my Niece would fit in there together (arrggh, I'm getting old!)

Bree showing Poppa how "strong" she is (She is going to kill me for posting this one - but oh well - too bad - so sad)

And of course, her threatening to run me over since I told her I was going to post that picture...

She had a blast - She is getting so grown up!

While at my Brother's house, it is our "annual" go out on his boat on the Lake of Egypt - it is a power plant lake which is nice because it is pretty darn clean and the average temperature is around 83 degrees - delightful!

The kids (including my Brother) had a great time swimming - (notice Bree without the life vest on IN the water?) another first -

On the way back in, my Brother always lets Bree drive at some point - this first picture is from 2003 (the first year out on the boat) - look how little - she has to sit on his lap to see - Look how short her hair is -

This year driving, she's too TALL to sit on his lap, her knees hit the dash!
I love her concentration!

Sunday morning, we got up and headed again North towards home and stopped an hour later at Paige and Barry's - we got to see how big Boce has gotten, said hello to Thor, Teq, Twist and Sly - Fonzie was hiding - I think he saw Bree's size and said "unt uh, no way, I'm not getting roped into that again and hightailed it off somewhere to hide!)

Then we went to the farm to see this year's babies and all the Strawn kids out there - they are looking SO good! I still say I'm stealing Radar one of these days!

After a lunch to which Bree drank 4 full Chili's sized glasses of Dr Pepper (it was hot out at the farm) which caused us to stop what seemed like every 20 minutes for her - (reminds me of Paige's story about BS and going to Canada) we got home around 6:30 Sunday night -

We all had a great time and have a ton of memories!

2008 4H Fair... Last week of July

2008-08-19T08:57:00.000-05:00

Thankfully this year the 4H Fair wasn't as hot as years past! The Grundy County 4H Fair is held separate from the regular county fair as the fairgrounds are just not big enough to house both at the same time.

Bree shows horses. That is her only project (despite prompting from me) -

This year the plan was for Bree to ride Jessie (my filly) in the 'slow' events (pleasure classes, etc..) and to show Tess in the gaming.

Well, you know the saying about 'plans' - Jessie came up lame in her left rear that even after getting injectable bute (in the vein) 2x a day for 3 days leading up to the fair. So, like any good 4H'er, must improvise. Bree used Jess for the Halter and Showmanship classes (Sr Halter Mares - as "sr" in our 4H world means 2 and over) - and placed 7th out of 21 - not bad... considering the filly is SO lazy and just wasn't going to trot to the judge even with the ring steward throwing sand at her from behind. (It IS nice however, to know, hauling her somewhere for the first time that she is as laid back and non-caring about her surroundings elsewhere as she is at the farm).

The riding classes were all about Tess - can you say "zoom, zoom, zoom"? ha! Bree did trail with her and WON - LOL. She took her in English Pleasure and English Eq (as Tess can do an extended trot not like any other - from all her games trotting) and won Eng Eq! Reserve in Eng Pleasure.

Bree didn't ride in the WP classes as that would have been too funny - also she wanted to "save" her for the gaming classes - no problem - she could have ridden all day long and that mare wouldn't have run out of gas.

She placed reserve in the reining as Tess just won't flatspin for Bree - (Bree's leg are long for a 10 yo but not quite long enough to convince Tess that she MUST flatspin)

Then, the gaming - Bree's forte' - She won all 5 classes - (barrels, poles, fig 8, plug and keyhole) - There was some pretty riding going on - the fastest I've seen them go and controlled with some beautiful turns (not all - but flashes of awesome). She won some neat class prizes and also the gaming highpoint award which she'll get at the awards dinner in November.

Skeeter (B/O) got creative and spray painted the gamers.. ha - like the flames shooting out? The pictures look black and white - but they're not - its just that games were at night and getting dark - so I had to do what I could to lighten them up - also that's why there is not alot of them!

I love the focus on Bree's face here - Tess ran a perfect and I mean perfect figure 8 pattern - it was just beautiful!

During the Poles, Tess has developed a "bad" habit of wanting to dart in between poles 5 and 6 instead of turning the end pole (I think she's so smart that she figures she'll get a better time - hahaha) - anyway, Bree has to direct her forward and a scoish OUT so Tess gets the picture that Bree is the driver - but, this is one of my favorite "butt" pictures - look at how Tess is using her hind end - which may not seem like a big thing - but, (no pun intended) the fact that for 3 years she was working off her front end almost exclusively and now transitioning to use her big bum, this is what we're looking to see.

I like to see Tess hunting the turns -

As usual, Tess, sleeps between classes and walks in and out quietly of the arena - which I like most of all - no hyperness, no antsy-dantsy, rearing, geared up behavior -

Bree has her room decorated with her purple ribbons and even though didn't get to show much in the performance classes had a good show!

Tweener Time....

2008-08-11T22:08:00.000-05:00

I had to take a short hiatus from the "summer in review" series as my SIL and Niece arrived here last Wednesday and Mom and Dad arrived last Thursday. Mom and Dad AND Bree left today to go back to Tennessee. Every year they come to visit and take Bree back with them for 5 days-ish and then I drive down and pick her up.

So, that's why there was no new continued posts.. So this one is a "tweener" post - between the county fair (last blog post) and the 4H Fair - next blog post..

Of course, there was knitting between the Fairs!

I just don't know why it is, but I just like knitting socks. How many socks does a person need? I can't answer that, yet, as I just keep knitting more! I have Bree even well stocked!

But, I knit these 2 in the 'tweener' time..

These are called "Embossed Leaves" by Mona Schmidt. I used a yarn called "Pagewood Farms - Yukon" in the Fabulous Fall colorway (get it - Fall Leaves?) - The yarn is SO SO SO soft (has bamboo in it!) They are comfy.

Then I made a Cookie A pattern called "Mingus" and I used a yarn I had not used before called "Zen Garden Bamboolicious" - think it has Bamboo in it - ha! It is the Blue Lagoon colorway. This pattern is not as complex as you think when you first start it. I enjoy the challenge. It's getting harder and harder for me to knit "plain" socks anymore (socks without a lace pattern or something challenging). I guess this is a good thing showing my advancement in knitting, but, kind of excludes lots of patterns to knit!

Been watching the Olympics alot this weekend, and it seems like the faster and more exciting they swim, the faster I knit. I should get alot done in the next 10 days - LOL!

Holiday Horse Show...

2008-08-06T08:07:00.000-05:00

Ah, Fourth of July, BBQ's, Fireworks, Picnics, and Horse Show? Not necessarily what you think of - but, Bree rode in one on the 5th... It was the Grundy County Fair -

The GCF Grounds are small so they do not combine the county fair with the 4H fair (not enough room) and we usually do not get to go to this fair/show because in the past we have always been in Oklahoma City at the Appaloosa Youth World Show. This year since Bree has been working diligently on transitioning Tess to "running" we didn't want to confuse the mare by making her trot at the Worlds.

So, we instead went to the County Fair and she got the chance to "debut" Tess running. Bree likes to run - she has that need for speed. Tess LOVES to run. I am amazed how much this mare who you would NOT think has gas - has the gas! The thing I like best is that she is NOT one of those horses that when it goes in the gate gets all "antsy-dancey" or hyper or uncontrollable - calmly walks in, calmly walks out and when out and Bree stops her, promptly goes to sleep and stands nice and still.

The entry fees for the classes were steep ($20 per) and payouts were 1st place 50 and then decrease by $5 out to 8th place. They only had ONE Youth class (18 and under) and that was barrels. I didn't have high hopes being that on this first show 'venture' running against adults, that placing was going to occur.

What can I say. I was wrong. Bree participated in 3 "team" events (Pony Express 2x - 2 different partners) and the Toilet Paper race (not the typical tp race - a timed event doing a lap around a barrel as fast as you can without breaking the tp)

Drumroll please.... The results:

Not the most perfect of form on barrel no 2 but a cool picture!

I love the look and focus and concentration on her face in this picture coming home and giving Tess the "gas" signal!

She placed 4th in Barrels in the 18 and under!

The next event is the Pony Express which is a team ride - the first rider holds the 'baton' - in this case a rolled up towel with tape around it and runs a lap around the arena as fast as they can and then they have to hand off (within a designated stretch) the 'baton' to the next rider who does the same thing. Bree rode in this class twice - Once with Skeeter (barn owner) and the other with Madison another gal from the barn. Bree and Skeeter placed FIRST and Bree and Madison placed third - ALMOST 2nd. Their time was 29.65 - second place was 29.6

4 Again against all riders!

There was also the typical "Bribe Your Horse" class - which we knew Bree had better run as fast she could as her mare is a chow hound... No issues with her chasing food! The "sad" part was that they had just for this show put 5 loads of SAND in the arena and it was over your ankle deep - the kids could hardly get thru it - but it was funny to watch... The Chow Hound and the kid took 2nd....

Can you all read Tess' mind? It goes something like this, "Give me the food, food I say, I'll run you over to get the food, give me the "dang" food!!!" hahaha

Ok - Now I just LOVE this picture... It's like one of those where you have to play - "find the 'x' in the picture" - In this one, it is "find the KID" in the picture..

Poles we had a touch of an issue - Tess has decided that when going down the lane toward the end pole on the opening stretch that to save time she is going to try to dart between the LAST 2 end poles instead of turning around the actual end pole - silly mare - but she's trying to get a better time - so who can fault her? Yea, right. Anyway - so they took 8th with Bree having to correct her on that - but, still in the money..

The other team event was the speed toilet paper race - in the past this was more like a pleasure class whereby 2 people hold opposite ends of a strip of tp and walk, jog, pleasure horse lope, etc.. until some break their strip and the one team left wins - but this time you had to race down and around the barrel and back with your team member without breaking the strip of tp! Bree and Skeeter competed in this race together and took 3rd.

Somehow I missed getting a photo of Bree in the Keyhole event - and she took 5th. It was good to see that even running Tess can put the breaks on to make a turn like that!

It was a great first outing for the two of them.. They brought home a $232 paycheck and after entry fees - Bree netted $125 - That was REALLY cool! I think they are going to make a great running team with some fine tuning and time!

The week between the horse show and July 4th

2008-08-04T22:01:00.000-05:00

So, it was a quiet weekend - ok, not quiet but more quiet... We were getting prepared for a July 5th speed show - the first show that Bree was going to be running Tess.

So, I tried to get caught up on my knitting endeavors. The gals and I (Jill, Becky, Lisa, Val and I) went to the big sale at "The Fold" - a cool knitting and SPINNING store out in Marengo. About an hour plus away. Since they were having their sale, I contacted the owner and killed two birds with one stone. We took a "drop-spindle" class and then shopped and took advantage of the sale.

A drop-spindle is a hand held twirly (think of the old-fashioned tops that you spin on the floor) all decorated and made from cool different types of wood. You use roving (raw animal fiber) and attach it to the hook on the spindle and spin the top with one hand and hold the roving in the other to make yarn. If you spin it "thick", then you have a one ply yarn and if you make it really thin, then you make several of them and twist them together to make a plied yarn (lots of sock yarn is either 2 or 3 ply).

So, I like sock yarn, yes I do - so I practiced the thin. It's hard to do with my shoulder as I hold the spindle with my right hand to spin and use my left arm to hold the roving and spread it thin to get really fine yarn. My left arm is the 'bad' one and it just aches after a while. But, I do like doing it - yea, like I need ANOTHER addiction. A forsee a regular spinning wheel in my future. I've actually found internet plans for my oh so woodworking Dad to maybe make.. LOL! Something else for him to shake his head at me about!!! (More about spinning wheels in the future!)

So, bought the spindle and the roving and only played with it once since (something you need to take time to do and I'll do more when Bree is back in school) -

Lisa has taken off on hers - she's an over-achiever for sure!

Also, we shopped. I picked up this yarn called "knitters without borders" and basically a percentage of the cost of the yarn is used for charity. So, by purchasing it I helped someone. I knit the new pattern called "Spring Forward" by Linda Welch with it. The yarn is made by Socks That Rock. Unfortunately, the pattern doesn't show too well - but, I think the color striping is way cool.

I haven't used anything close in this colorway - it is pretty cool and it was a pretty easy "knit" - I like them, they're comfy!

I'll have to take a picture of my spindle and what I've spun so far for a future post!

First Horse Show of the Season...

2008-08-03T17:11:00.001-05:00

The weekend after we were home from Wisconsin Dells and after I finished my socks.. Bree was invited to show with my most favorite horse trainer (specifically pleasure horses) in the whole world!

Back in the fall, Bree and I took my friend, Stacy, (not "vet" stacey - but trainer stacy- notice the difference in the spellings of their name.. LOL) - to a sale in Veedersburg, IN (just across the IL line from Danville, IL). I have been to other sales with Stacy and she just has this "knack" - for lack of better word - of picking out young diamonds in the rough (horses that is) - She has done it many times and makes them into these phenomenal, wonderful western and english pleasure horses!

Well, there was this Appaloosa. He was a youngster - probably 3 or 4, poor thing had been hauled probably from sale to sale. He was SKINNY with a capital SKINNY, he was beat up from being trailered, and he was spotted! (Stacy has a soft spot for Appaloosas). He was sweet, kind and she just saw a light in him that no one else noticed. She liked the way he "moved", she liked the way he "carried" himself. She just "liked" him. She bought him for nearly nothing. That was in September.

In the fall and into the winter she worked with him some, but mainly gave him some needed and deserved TLC and lots of food. She STILL liked him!

Towards the end of April this year, she started training him and working with him and took him to a show or two just to see how he would react, get him worldly, and in general give him a test ride. She liked him even more!

So, she asked if Bree would like to show him in June. Well, that's like asking if a horse likes apples. OF COURSE!!!!

Since we have not shown WP and EP (western and english pleasure) in several years - Stacy fit Bree up with all her show needs: Chaps, shirt, saddle, english attire right down to the boots - Stacy is a "wee" thing and Bree fit into all her goods nicely. Bree practiced with Kelo for several days before the show and the day of the show she practiced some more...

And... And... Introducing Bree and Kelo

This is Bree and Kelo riding in the Youth class to which she WON the class! It was so cool. She won a payout of $8.40 for her placing - which even paid for her class. Don't they look good together?

I love this picture of them walking out to get their prize after winning the class - the way she is looking at Kelo just sums up what a fantastic job Stacy has done with him and what a great horse he is..

And can you say "happy kid" - this was toward the end of the day - she did NOT want to get down.. LOL! She asked repeatedly if we could "buy" him... Smart kid!

The next 2 classes are English classes. She took 2nd in both (behind an Arabian who goes more typically english - which is ok)

Look at the nice extension in his legs - can you say "wow"! For a 3 or 4 year old, not cared for diamond in the rough... "wow"!

Look at the little effort it takes to ride him.

And a gratitious shot of the super person who made all this possible - Miss Stacy...

Thanks Stacy for a great show and more in the future!!!!

I have found that I .....

2008-08-02T09:46:00.000-05:00

I have found that I can knit in the car. This is HUGE, BIG, GI-NORMOUS... Because I am probably one of the most car sick type of people out there.. I cannot even read a MAP while driving... So, imagine my amazement when I found I can knit while in a car (and to clarify - I DON'T mean when I'm driving... LOL)

But, here's the PROBLEM... I seem to be the one doing the driving.. So, even though I CAN knit in a car, I don't get the chance.. bummer..

I have knit this summer - socks, socks and more socks.. who doesn't need socks? One might get a hole in it and then the other is either relegated to the back of the drawer to someday possibly get matched up with another loner or it gets tossed because it is one of a kind.. So, by knitting socks.. I'm making sure come fall/winter/spring I have every color, kind, yarn, pattern, etc.. of socks available to me..

One of my knitting group friends, Joy, asked me just how many socks I have knit for myself... Umm.. I counted. 8 or 9 - that's not too many - one per day with an extra (or two) - what's wrong with that? I do knit lots of "footie" socks for Bree - as she doesn't like the taller ones - but, being that her foot is nearly as big as mine now (in length - not girth), she has been known to steal my socks on the needles and claim them as her own..

It's hard to knit socks for others who do not live "closeby" to try on.. I did a pair for my brother for last Christmas - but, had him around when I started them to get a feel for sizing.

I know - I think I should create a "plaster mold" to sell to have someone who you want to knit socks for use for a model of their foot. I'll be RICH I tell you RICH! hahahaa

So, I did finish these: I LOVE them.. one of my favorites - both in yarn and pattern - (unfinished picture is in a previous blog post) and then when we were in Wisc Dells - I wanted to have some knitting with me that wasn't real complicated that I could just toodle away on - so I made myself a pair of the sorbet coolers (like those I make for Bree) - just a tad taller up on the ankle..

Waving Lace by Evelyn Clark and Jen's Knitting Like Crazy - Crazy Soft yarn...

And my Sorbet Coolers - using Knit 1, Crochet 2 Soxx Appeal which I really, really, really, like this yarn - with the wool and a touch of elastic - it is actually nicer to work with than the fixation (in my opinion) and softer I do believe - at least that's what my feet tell me...

Thanks to my model, Miss Bree, for use of her legs while photographing all the neat socks!

Summer in Review...

2008-08-01T10:05:00.000-05:00

I feel like I am writing the typical back to school, "What I did on my summer vacation" paper.. LOL.. So, instead of trying to jam what seems like a year into one blog post - I'm going to do one a day until I get caught up.. Then again there might be some "random" musings along the way as well..

Bree got out of school on June 7th (I think - seems like years ago - hhahahaha)

There was alot of rain here in June - a ton, so much in fact, that the Tommy Bartlett water show lake was completely wiped out when the road bordering it gave out and drained the lake everywhere else than where it was supposed to be. Those poor people. I didn't know until the news reports that that lake was a man-made one -and thus was going to take a long time to basically rebuild. It is also the same lake that the Wisconsin Dells "Ducks" uses. Why is this all important and what does this have to do with our summer in review?

Well, because. Bree and I were invited by one of her friends along with another Mom and her twin girls to go to the Chula Vista Waterpark at the Wisconsin Dells 5 days later - free of charge. (Dad got free passes for rooms, park fees, etc..) What a nice thing to share.

So, 3 Moms and 4 Girls (all who just finished 4th grade) headed for the flooded area of the Wisconsin Dells.

We had a great time, the water park was fun and very nice. The rooms were spacious and well kept. The company was great too! Us Moms floated around the lazy river and Kathy (the host Mom) and I went down a giant drop slide - it was fun. (Lisa - the other Mom took some pics - but I don't have those to PROVE I did it) - And then Kathy and Bree (the bravest ones) went down this bizarre, U-shaped waterslide that dropped you down one side - and you went up the other side, back down BACKWARDS, and so on and so forth (kind of like those U-shaped skate board ramps) - I thought they were going to die from screaming. They only did that ONCE.

We didn't get to ride the Ducks, but, still had a great time!

We were planning to check out on the last day and spend the afternoon at the waterpark before heading home, but, I spotted in the newspaper some possible road closings (as in the one we would be driving to come home) and did some research and sure enough so much rain was falling (we didn't realize being indoors) that the I-94 main Hwy was being threatened.

So, we changed our plans and headed out earlier. We hit 2 MAJOR rain, thunder, wind storms and then pulled off to refuel - and just as we were walking into the gas station they were telling us the radio had just announced the road being closed - 15 minutes PAST where we had just come thru. Whew... (I had my big rig so wasn't worried too much - but Lisa had her van and that could have been trouble)

Then we hit another REALLY nasty storm at Rockford and finally made it back home. It was amazing that there was a 30 degree difference in temperatur (hotter) in roughly a 2-1/2 hour drive.

This is a picture of the girls.... near our patio at the resort. In the evenings at the resort they do a campfire where you can roast marshmallows and make smores - YUM!

So, that was the first week of summer vaca.

An anniversary of sorts...

2008-06-09T09:25:00.000-05:00

Yes, an anniversary - the 2 year anniversary of me getting busted up coming off a horse at a team penning - oh around, 9pm at night... Funny how the minute I woke up this morning I thought that - I'm not even that conscious about the days/dates now that Bree is out of school (just 2 days out) - but, it immediately came to my mind. Maybe because with the weather, my shoulder has been aching a bit? who knows..

But, life marches on...

And just to prove I have been doing something - here are a few pictures of what has been accomplished!

These socks are called "Monkeys" - you can see the beginning photo on my previous blog post - Bree claimed them (which is a good thing since as I knit them the colorway didn't do anything for me) - but, I do love the yarn - Socks That Rock - Lightweight in the Foofaraw color - Foofaraw, Foofaraw, Foofaraw - I just love SAYING that color name!

The next is a pair of socks just for me! They are by Evelyn Clark - called Waving Lace and the yarn is from Jen and Knitting Like Crazy in the Crazy soft color called Mint Julip - and I must say, this combination of yarn and pattern has to be one of my all time favorites!!!! It is so soft and delicate looking and just lets you see the pattern with adding some dimension with the soft varigation! I can't wait to do another of her patterns...

The next is a project that I like the finished object, but the pattern as written - well is less than to be desired - and I shouldn't be surprised - I did 2 others (see other modular scarf patterns in my blog) by the same designer, in the same book - I am really amazed at how poorly written and edited this book is and the cost of the book on top of it - it should be PERFECT. This scarf calls for 60 yards of 4 colors. Ok, I bought yarn that comes in a 105yard ball. I used ALL 4 skeins COMPLETELY up and had to buy 4 MORE skeins for about 5 yards more of each color - talk about ticking you off! This is the Mirrored Angles Scarf from the Modular Knits book and I used Classic Elite Waterlily yarn in 4 colors - it is a really nice yarn to work with and it has a soft tone on tone color to it - fades and then gets darker.

And of course, Bree decided that the yarn I bought for me was to be "hers" - This is getting to be a common theme... This is Knit1, Crochet2 Soxx Appeal yarn and it is the "wool" version of Cascade Fixation - but, I must admit, I like it better, it is softer, not as "bumpy" and is just nicer in general to work with! I do have a 2nd color for ME and she's not getting that one! LOL! I will definitely be purchasing MORE of this yarn!

And I am in the beginning stages of making this for Bree - she decided going into 5th grade next year should warrant a "real" book bag instead of just a backpack.. I think it iwll be pretty when done!

We leave tomorrow morning for 3 days to the Wisconsin Dells (be back on Thursday) - one of Bree's friend's Dad got 4 free rooms/waterpark passes/etc.. up at the Chula Vista Waterpark Resort and there are 4 Moms and Daughters going - should be fun! I'm trying to figure out what knitting to bring of course - can't take any Cookie A as I want something kind of mindless as I'm sure we'll be visiting, etc..

And, I'm freaking as I ONLY have Bree's Messenger bag on needles - how did I let that happen? I better get cracking!

Finished Projects...

2008-05-19T16:59:00.000-05:00

I needed to get some photos of some finished objects (which I finally did now that I can stand up without falling down...) and just to show that I have actually finished some things of recent.. This is just a pictorial (not much else going on...)

So, first is a pair of socks called "Raindrop Lace" by Fiber Trends - love the pattern and am actually going to be starting another pattern by the same designer. The yarn is Pagewood Farms with bamboo in it - it is SO soft! in a neat blue-ish, green-ish, brown-ish color way...

Next is a "modular" scarf called Diamond Blossom - this is a whole new "technique" that I've now completed 3 different designs - I LOVE this technique it is SO SO SO "me" as in being "precise", "right-brained" and all that! I need to find some other designers who do similar stuff as this particular designer does not write patterns well nor has them "test" knit before publishing (or at least it doesn't seem so as all 3 have had numerous errors in them which makes for very frustrating knitting) - Too bad this designer doesn't hire me to test knit - smartest thing she could do knowing how "particular" I am on instructions!

It is made with Mountain Colors Wool in some nice gold fall tones and it is actually a pretty neat design. I didn't make it with anyone in mind, so... You'll never know who might end up with it... Another photo close up of the pattern...

Next up is 2 items to be sent (should be mailed tomorrow) to my favorite newest American Citizen... Can you guess whom? Every "cuddler" should have a "cuddle blanket and cuddle bunny"!!!! The blanket is actuall crocheted kind of using the log cabin principle or per Miss Sarah - the "golden rectangle" theory - It is using Bernat's Cotton Tots in a white varigated and 3 solids that are actually yellow, pink and lavendar - colors in the picture are not accurate. It is a fast, fast, fast project (2-1/2 days) and is roughly 36x44". The bunny is by Farmhouse yarns - Dixie Cotton in a bumpy and is SO soft and little bunny is in a peach color! (Pattern free via Lion Brand)!

And the most current pair of socks - Called Pomatomus - Paige - you should know what that means.. being the under water lover you are.. do you know? This is probably the most complex design of socks I've done to date and I absolutely LOVED doing them!!! They are made with yarn called "Socks That Rock" in the Bleeding Heart (like the flower) colorway - they are awesome!!! There's a previous picture in a below post of when I started them!

And lastly, since I loved the socks above - I immediately started another pattern from the same designer named "Cookie A" and the sock pattern is titled "Monkeys" - I am using Socks That Rock yarn again in a colorway called Foofaraw - which I love saying.. Bree spied them today and she has stated she is claiming them for herself.. We shall see....

Bridget who owns Peggy's made me the most adorable stitch markers (for my birthday) with pretty blue jean/ denim like stones and horse charms! They are fantastic! And I'll be eating good at Applebee's thanks to Jilly Willy and Becky and the gang brought a "too die for cake" (marble with FUDGE inside and chocolate icing) and all sorts of snacks, appetizers and the like yesterday and I think I'm still stuffed! It was fun!

Well, that's all to report for now!

The Wheels on the bus...

2008-05-14T07:40:00.000-05:00

Ok, so it's not the wheels on the bus that go round and round - but, instead, for me, the ROOM, HOUSE and WORLD go round and round - Oy, I am a dizzy blonde!

A sinus infection that led to an inner ear infection that led to vertigo have my world and everything in it going round and round -

Like drunken bed spins (without the benefit of having tasted alcohol)
Like being on an airplane in turbulence
Like being on a boat in the middle of a storm
Like being on one of those spin round and up and down amusement park rides
Like everytime you stand up you kind of fall back down...
Like... Like.... Like.... (excuse me while put my stomach right side up)

Well, it was SO bad, I had to have Bill drive me to the Dr's (the thought of moving in a car caused me to take a Jewel bag with me JUST IN CASE)

Now I have some good drugs (Cipro, a Decon and Anti-vert) and hopefully I will not be a dizzy blonde much longer (ditzy maybe, but not dizzy) :)

One of Each...

2008-05-05T13:29:00.000-05:00

Something simple, for now..

I had a bad weekend... (or at least bad Saturday)...

I had A vet out on Friday to review a continuous issue with my filly's front leg(s) - take your pick - on any given day she is either as sound as a dollar or lame as a three legged table... On Wed, lame, and of course, on Friday am when vet was there, sound as anything else in the barn and was lunged for over 40 minutes...

So, Saturday, 15 min into my ride with our trainer, at a NICE, SOFT, EASY trot her leg collapses and we go DOWN.. I swear to GOD and all that is Holy, that I thought when she got up and was holding the right leg straight out and it quivering and shaking like a leaf that she had broke her leg.. and that my Barn Owner/Buddy who is a cop was going to have to shoot her right then and there on the spot...

It's not broke. I'm bumped and bruised (thought I had cut my archille's tendon, however) but it is not.

So, back to the freaking drawing board... Xrays to come SOON to see if there is ANYTHING at all going on or she is just messing with my head.

In the meantime, I started a pair of socks, tried them on 2" down and they fit - get 3/4ths the way done and can't get them over my heel, ripped em out and am now on my 6th rendition of same sock trying to get the sizing to work.. Am NOT happy about that. I feel I have knit this pattern 3 whole socks already..

So, a group of us were thinking of knitting this one complex sock pattern by a designer named "Cookie A" - call Pomatomus - I affectionately refer to them as the "Potty socks" - So, to remove the bad spirits hanging over me, I have started working on this! And I like it. I like it alot. The Yarn is Socks That Rock in the Bleeding Hearts Colorway... Here's a pic of it started... And a closeup

And, to show that Spring is STILL here in Northern Illinois and that the bad storms this past week didn't A) kill the buds nor B) Blow them ALL off the tree is a picture of our beautiful white crab tree in our backyard... I have been after my dear, dear, dear hubby to make the area under the tree a NICE, LANDSCAPED, flower bed type location instead of some Day Lilly's stuck in the grass back there looking like well, use your imagination... And this has yet to happen... So, be sure to check back.. I'm in just one of those moods that I need to take out some aggression.... and get er done!

I know it is Spring, because...

2008-04-26T09:46:00.000-05:00

For the first time in several years, our Magnolia tree BLOOMED.. In the past it wold start to bloom and then we'd get another cold snap and it would freeze all the buds and then they would die... This year, we had enough warm days in a row that it was able to bud AND bloom.. It is SO pretty, and I love the way it is white showing up against our new front door... Take a peek.. It is getting SO huge - when we first bought and planted it, roughly 8 years ago, it was shorter than me. Now it's reaching up to the second story windows!

And I ALSO know it is Spring because we had a hell of a storm last night and there is not one petal left on the tree (rain, hail and winds of 25mph+) will do that to a pretty Magnolia..

Now, we have to wait for the flowering Bradford Pear, the flowering Crab Bush and a beautiful scented flowering Crab Tree to bloom....

Self Cleaning Horses...

2008-04-25T12:37:00.000-05:00

Well, you know there are self cleaning ovens and I'm sure there are other "self-cleaning" things (kids would be a plus - ha) - but, I have proof that there are self cleaning HORSES! Yes, HORSES>..

I was at the barn to take pictures of a new sale string for my buddy whose website I manage and he was tied up so I was just going to help out - so I started to fill the water tubs for the outside horses... In the big outside hose there is this itty bitty pinprick size hole... and it sprays up a little bit.. I had forgotten that.

So, I moved the hose into the mare's tank and the little leak was spraying toward the paddock..

So, Bandi - my buddy's mom's Quarter Horse (who we affectionately refer to as the big black lab - as she is that friendly) - decides to "clean herself" - I hope in these blog photos you can see the stream of water.. It was HYSTERICAL - I'm putting them in order - she stood there for goodness, I don't know how long and washed her face!

It was hysterical!

And speaking of horses.. Here's a gratuitous shot of my filly - Jessie - She NEVER misses a chance for a scritch when she sees me - It's so nice to have one who comes to see you everytime!

The "Me" Knitting...

2008-04-22T20:27:00.000-05:00

Well, I snuck in a few things for myself amongst all the other knitting being done!

First is a modular scarf called "ZigZag" Scarf by Iris Schrier utilizing Jen's most lucious worsted superwash wool yarn died to my perfection and appropriately she named it "Lorna's Blue Jeans" -

Also, a pair of socks titeld Broadripple made out of Cascade Fixation in once again (do you see a pattern here?) the Blue Jean colorway (#9030) - These socks are SO nice and soft - and with the little bit of elastic in them make them nice and stretchy! And Yes, that is Bree modeling the socks (keeping in mind that she is only 1/2 size behind me!)

American Girl Doll Day...

2008-04-20T10:21:00.000-05:00

It's American Girl Doll knit item Sunday. HA!

I knit these items for Bree's Doll and perhaps to teach at Peggy's should anyone sign up - they are just adorable!

This is a cute little lace up V-neck Tunic made from Encore Colorspun Worsted weight (acrylic for throwing in the washing machine!)

Being Spring, prom must be right around the corner, so I made Bree's doll a Prom Dress - this is out of Plymouth's Baby Alpaca Worsted Glow yarn (same as Bree's Bolero - only different color) - It has a little metallic fleck in it and makes it glimmer - I love working with this yarn - very nice! And with a cute hairdo, this AG Girl is ready for prom!

Then when prom is over and its time to sleep, she's already to curl up in a soft, comfy robe! This is made using Plymouth's Heaven yarn in 2 colors (lavendar solid and a multi-white) - It is a fun knit and is so adorable!

Bree's "stuff" - knitting this time!

2008-04-19T20:16:00.000-05:00

It's been a while since I posted pictures of knitted goodies and there are alot of them.. so, I am going to do them in batches...

This one is all Bree's goodies!

These are some soft comfy footies, she just loves this pattern! It's a cotton/elastic yarn in some fun colors!

A cute little top made from some completely lucious baby alpaca with a little metallic fleck in it!

More footwear for Bree (she's growing like a weed and her shoe size in ONLY 1/2 size less than mine - she's 10 for goodnes sake!) This is out of Jen's yarn, a superwash wool!

Again with the cotton/elastic yarn makes for the softest and warm wrist warmers (or arm warmers, elbow warmers, etc..) I converted the Jaywalker sock pattern to fit her arms and it was a great and fun knit!

So, that's the start!

A whole new look...

2008-04-18T12:37:00.000-05:00

I read some very interesting blogs by folks who have much going on in their lives. I live a simple existence without much "news" on a daily basis. That being said, it just doesn't leave much to blog about.

My days are very similar to the movie "Groundhog Day" - kind of get up and it is the same old same old.

I would like to ask a question though. What the heck is it with me and "tradespeople"???? (scroll back about the great microwave fiasco).

Well, our new front door that we ordered back in OCTOBER (yes, about 6 months ago) has finally been installed rivaling the microwave installation debacle. But, instead of ranting and raving and spewing like a lunatic which I've done already, I'm taking the path of less resistance and am just posting these 2 pictures.

There is SUPPOSED to be a "storm" door in this picture - but said contractor didn't get to it "that" day...

From the inside:

I am quite amazed at how much light in allows in, yet you cannot see thru the leaded glass - it actually has like an 85% privacy rating! I am excited. Except, now I have to deal with ANOTHER tradesman to do the staining/varnishing etc.. all of the new trim work. I'm not good at that type of stuff - ya think I would be with a tradesman for a Dad... Am NOT looking forward to that step!

Checking things off..

2008-02-24T22:26:00.000-06:00

That has been my mantra for this past week:

Finished Beach Bag Class Sample for shop................Check
Finished test knitting Sarah's sock pattern.............Check
Finished 2nd panel for Log Cabin Baby Blanket...........Check
Finished collar for Bree's Little Bolero Jacket.........Check
Finished Designing and knitting water bottle holder.....Check

Finished updating Shop Work Schedule....................Check
Finished updating Shop Class Book.......................Check

Finished and presented 4H Craft Projct..................Check
Took truck to dealer before it completely died..........Check
Met with yarn salesman (and made spreadsheet)...........Check (see Paige someone else who loves my spreadsheets)

Attended Orientation for school gifted program..........Check (Bree has been placed in gifted program now) - I hate the word "gifted" as it has such an odd meaning in my head - I prefer accelerated coursework - but, heck, who am I?

Update Blog (am doing now, so it gets a check)..........Check

Not checked off:

Clean House
Schedule Bailey's Grooming
Clean House
Finish Bree's Socks
Clean House
Schedule Haircut (haven't had one since SEPTEMBER) - Yes, SEPTEMBER..
Clean House

Hmmm.. I see a reoccuring theme here.. Guess I will have to correct that tomorrow

I've had to finish things so quickly for the shop, that I haven't even taken photos - I'll have to steal them from the shop website once they are up!

Doesn't feel like I did much, but Bree was off from school on Monday for the holiday and then home sick on Tuesday (just a touch of stomach flu) and then I filled in at the shop Wed, Thurs and Fri (and today)... So, that really didn't leave time for much else...

The Bus is PARKED... Oh yea!

2008-02-12T16:23:00.001-06:00

Well, the GOOD news is the sock is DONE, DONE, DONE and delivered to Peggy's for photos! Should be up soon on her site - http://www.strandsofheaven.com

The bad and good news is that the stuuuupid freaking microwave installers called last night and (who I now know as the "owner") said they would be here between 9am and 11am today. Can you SEE where this is going?

Well, at 11:12AM they still had NOT arrived.. Insert many, many curse words here.. So, I call the cell phone number of the guy (who I now know as the "owner") and he says - "Oh, they're on their way, be there in 10 minutes" - Uh-huh. .Yea. Sure.

They showed up 20 minutes later. So, now, it's um, 11:30am. They install the micro and the one guy says "gee, look with 5 min to spare" - I originally told the lady that I wanted it installed BEFORE noon. I gave this guy my best damn evil eye and said. Yea, just 17 days and 55 minutes late. Can you believe that shit? So, the OTHER guy fills out the paperwork and prints and signs his name.. I look, I read... SAME last name as the woman I spoke with - want to bet he's her husband?

Want to bet they PURPOSELY were late and made me call and ran over from their shop (which I have since found out is 6 YES 6 miles away from me) once I called as "retribution" for being an "upset" customer to his wife?

Huh. Well, I WILL have the last laugh. I plan on going to Sears ANYHOW with my guns loaded and blasting and plan on getting at least PART of my installation fee refunded. Screw them. Oh, and for anyone in Illinois, Chicagoland area who purchases an appliance from Sears - DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT allow TOP NOTCH QUALITY (isn't that a joke) APPLIANCE installation service install your appliance.

Trust me.

The Wheels on The Bus Go...

2008-02-11T13:59:00.001-06:00

Round and Round, Round and Round.. The wheels on the bus go round and round all thru the day... That's what I am sitting here singing while knitting round and round on the foot of Sarah's new sock pattern that I'm test knitting - 55 rows worth (and on size zero's I'm wondering if I'm half way..) so, let's do some math (one of Sarah's favorite things) - 55 rows x 72 stitches.. um, let's see, carry the one, screw it -hang on - opening up my calculator.. ah, ok 3,960 stitches SO FAR... So FREAKING far.. I feel like I've been knitting this sock forever (when I started it on zeros just last Sunday - but had knit about 2 inches on ones realizing it was too loose)

I will say, however, I LOVE the pattern, I think its her best yet - (my biased opinion since I test knit the other 2 as well). The yarn is Jen's fabulous hand dyed softest stuff (thus the zeros) and its in a super wonderful eye loving colorway and will be kit up in the Peggy's Strands of Heaven sock club release coming later this month (http://strandsofheaven.com) - which Bridget (the owner) had better damn well be updating the site today (as she told me she was when I nagged her this am). The "goodie" along with this sock club release is a really neat Della Q silk drawstring project bag - way cool! I am HOPING beyond HOPE that I have this sock completed by Wednesday (at the latest) so I can move over to finish the other shop sample I'm working on... (and maybe the last sleeve of Bree's Bolero) - saying the "last" sleeve makes it sound like there are 9 of them - ha - ok - the OTHER sleeve may be more grammatically correct- but you know what I meant. I know you do.

Then, I really (unfortunately) need to finish BOTH sleeves (hmm.. I think I have a thing about sleeves these days) of the Gawd AWFUL yarn AG Doll robe. I get the shakes just THINKING about that yarn - maybe, just maybe, I'll have something else come up that I have to knit in a hurry to put that off - yea, that's the ticket..

Brriinnggg, hold on my phone - "Hi Bridget, what you need me to knit the Everlasting Bagstopper for a shop class and sample?" "Why YES, I think I can do that as soon as I finish this sock and other shop sample?"

Well, that just solved that problem, now didn't it.. Today is a good day!

PS - the microwave lady called me on the day of my last post stating that after she spoke with me Wed am - she twisted her ankle in their warehouse and hadn't been "in" since - Hmm.. I guess their business just SHUT DOWN and everyone had to go home because she wasn't there to schedule new customers, get orders ready to go, etc.. I'd hate to see what would happen if she was hit by the "proverbial" bus (not wishing any bad will here folks) - just making a point... Hrumph - Like I believe that stupid ass story.... She's making "so-called" special arrangements for me - to have it installed tomorrow MORNING - "special" - Hurrrmmph - If I ever treated my clients like this (when I had them) - I'd be unemployed - oh, wait, I am... Oh well, it was worth a shot...

Paige-asters? Or not, plus knitting

2008-02-08T08:29:00.001-06:00

I have had a few, what could be classified as, paigeaster days or a week.

My microwave died about 2 weeks ago (thank goodness I have my spare from college - that was my Grandmothers - I'm not telling how old it is as that would be dating myself - suffice it to say I graduated college in 1985). Well we went and picked out a new one and it was scheduled to be installed (under the cabinet type) on Jan 31 - BIG snow storm hit, no install. The guy said he would put me on the schedule for this past Tuesday. No call. No show. So, I call their office. Leave a message. Call again - and talk to the "lady". She says - let me pull your paperwork and call you RIGHT back. Ok, 6 hours later, NO CALL. I call leave a message. 24 hours goes by from when I spoke to her. NO CALL. I call again, leave a message. NO CALL. I'm am freaking p'od at this point so tomorrow am, I'm going BACK to sears and telling them if that microwave isn't where it should be (above my stove) by the end of the day, they can shove it where the sun don't shine. That's BS. Still no reponse - time to call Sears and give them a good chewing.

Then, Wednesday, my poor, dear of a doll hubby broke a tooth off - so bad it could not be saved (to be crowned) and had to have it surgically removed yesterday - he's pretty sore. He'll be getting one of those "implant" type things instead of a bridge once it heals up. I was joking with him, that with the missing tooth, he could pass for a redneck horse person - haha. Poor guy though.

A few weeks ago, he took my Tahoe to wash it and broke my heated, power mirror and we decided that a $590 replacement wasn't worth it (it's still on there - its one of those that spring closes shut) and that we could put a "shimmey" in there to keep it from vibrating. Well, I happen to notice right around a week after that my antenna was snapped off as well.. W T HEck... My poor baby is broken and that makes me sad... It's been such a great vehicle for me (7 years old and 125,000 miles) - never letting me down.

Let's see, my new cell phone would not work in my house. Took it back in and the guy behind the counter and I started talking - turns out he is "horse people" and upgraded me to a phone more than a $100 more than the first one for FREE. Hmm.. am liking that.

I have been knitting, but silly me, mailed off the "goods" without taking photos, what is up with me on that? I did that at Christmas too. I finished my Brother's socks - which he should enjoy with his deer thinning out in the woods in the cold and snow task he has at hand for the IL Dept of Wildlife. And something else, that I can mention here. I also have Bree's little Bolero jacket about 75% done (one sleeve left), but I think I'm going to need one more skein of yarn, so I have to contact Mom's yarn store (With Ewe in Mind - great store if you're in the area) in Paducah about getting that. I also am test knitting a pattern for Sarah (a sock of course) on SIZE ZERO's using Jen's lucious hand paint yarn. I've turned the heel and am working on the gusset decrease. This has given me a new understanding to the number of rows on SIZE ZEROS that it takes to make an inch. I swear I was knitting the leg until the cows came home and THEN SOME. I cannot imagine what the foot is going to be like. I think they will be made for Bree's size - not that that will save me much knitting as NOW her feet are only a half shoe size smaller than mine.

I'm also working on future class project samples, etc. for Peggy's Strands of Heaven (my local LYS and our Sunday meeting place). I don't think I'll get to any knittig for ME anytime soon... But, it's knitting and I like the items I'm knitting, so all is good.

There's more, I know there is, I just can't think of it right now...

Happy Feet.. And in this weather WARM feet

2008-01-24T08:21:00.000-06:00

The following are 2 Christmas presents that I made for my Niece and my SIL. They are the Fiber Trends felted clogs (made from wool then "felted" in the washing machine).

It always cracks me up when you make these as prior to felting they look like Bozo shoes (how many of you remember Bozo Circus)? They're HUGE and then you felt them (like putting a wool sweater in the washing machine and it comes out like a baby sweater - LOL)... They're pretty cool... SO KEWL (as Bree would say) that I made a pair for myself, but have to refelt them as they're not quite shrunk enough...

But, here is my Niece's pair (her favorite color is blue). They are made from the Lamb's Pride swirly and the Lamb's Pride has a touch of mohair in it which makes them have a little "fuzz" to them!

And these are my SIL's which are the same yarn in Purple. I'm not sure that purple was her favorite color, but, well, the purple was pretty cool... Thanks to my Niece for modeling. (My SIL is recovering from surgery)

It's cold today down where they live so I hope they're enjoying them. I have pics somewhere of a "shrug" - kind of a short cardigan style thingie that I originally had started making for myself - but didn't like the fit, but my Niece loved it so it is now hers..... I need to find where I put those...

And if Paige would EVER measure her head, (I don't think she wants a cool firefly hat) we'd have some neat modeling pictures of her as well....

Pictures... At least some of them...

2008-01-16T10:30:00.000-06:00

Well, My dear Mom has complied and sent me some pictures of knitted things -

First is her "Sheep Tote" - basically the pattern calls for you to needlefelt a "sheep" on the side - thus the name - it is simply a nice square tote - which for some reason my dear Mom continues to call a purse. This "purse" is big enough to store 4 purses... Doesn't make sense to me - but, if she likes calling it a purse - it's hers - so be it.

It's made holding 2 strands together of Lamb's Pride (Wool/Mohair - thus the "fuzzy" look) one is a "swirly" (I think they call it varigated - but I like calling it swirly) and the other is a solid blue. It's cute, I have one, they are so so so so functional - this is the "bigger" version of the one I did for Paige back in October.

The next is another pencil vase like I knit for Bree's Teachers - but, I made this one to teach Mom how to felt. I like the colors - I have enough yarn left over to make one for me - which I just might - once I finish all these silly things I have on needles as we speak (way too many for my usual way of conducting knitting business). It's made with 2 strands of Galway - one multi color and one solid. It's from the Plymouth Felted Vase pattern - just made a scoish shorter so pencils don't disappear (that happens enough in my house at least without losing them in a holder).

Then while in TN at Christmas, I taught Mom to make the vase and here's her rendition - it is also in a Galway pink mulit color and one strand of a solid. I don't think she's felted it enough (can see stitches as well as it's HUGE compared to the Turqouise one) - But, it's cute! I like the colors in this one as well. In her vase, is also a flower she knit and felted from a kit she purchased when she was here in April - cute isn't it?

Speaking of on the needles... I made a vase like the above for Peggy's as a shop sample and am making a "jewelry box" one -also a Plymouth Pattern, but have to get more yarn - Am making it out of Malabrigo worsted (yum - still I think my all time favorite multi use - good for anything yarn). So, have to finish that.

I finished my felted clogs last night - have to felt them, THEN, I'll take pics of my "happy feet". I am alos 57 rows of stockinette on size 1 needles away from finishing Bree's KNEE socks - someone please - anyone - remind me NEVER EVER to make KNEE socks again - they take more than a LIFETIME. I also have figured out what I'm going to do (or in this case REDO) on my Brother's Alpaca Hunting socks - so, when I'm finished with the never-ending knee socks - then I'll turn my efforts to those.

I'm also working on an American Girl Doll Bathrobe, and I'm using the most disgusting to use yarn (I'm not a yarn snob, but this stuff is just gawd awful to work with - and yes, it is CHEAP yarn) - But, I couldn't find anything suitable and Bree liked it -Why did I even dream up the idea of letting her pick??? I'm not sure. I keep finding excuses to finish "other" things instead of just biting the bullet and knocking this out - afterall, the back is done, one front is done, and I'm on the 2nd front panel and that leaves the sleeves and collar - How difficult could it be to just "git er done"??? Afterall, it's just for an 18" doll - not like a human - ummm.. apparently VERY difficult. I was even trying to bribe my Wednesday night knitting group to each do a few rows on it and pass it around so that it gets done.. No one has taken me up on that offer - if that gives ANY indication as to how yucky this yarn is!

Well, speaking of which - I see Bree's never ending knee socks giving me the evil eye saying "knit me, knit me" (said in my best - which isn't very good) - Ron White "pick me" puppy voice...

So, I think I will listen to that voice - since it will save me from the gawd awful robe yarn....

Vehicle updates...

2008-01-16T10:25:00.001-06:00

Well, the mirror will not be fixed/replaced on the Tahoe - $590 is just silly. But, we have "shimmied" it to stop it from vibrating. The mechanic assured us it will NOT fall off. Hmmmm...

The Big Rig is also fixed - there allegedly is something LIKE an universal joint in the steering column that was broke. According to my Svc Mgr - happens all the time on the GM "trucks" - at first they weren't breaking they were "something" and GM just had the dealers "oiling-lubing" them - but that lasted about a week - LOL! So, I guess they now have them "fix" it and replace them.. Silly question, but if you FREAKING KNOW it is a design flaw then why don't you either A) change the design or B) issue a recall? I would imagine that a broken steering shaft would be umm.. DANGEROUS?????

Anyway, it has been replaced. So, all is good.

Son of a Beehive....

2008-01-10T09:41:00.001-06:00

Ok, my DEAR HUSBAND, being the sweetheart that he is, decided just over a week ago to take my Tahoe for a bath (since the weather warmed up) to get off all the nasty salt from our winter weather.

Well, when he folded the Driver Side Mirror in to send it through, it must have been frozen, corroded (or just old) as the "hinge" that holds it in place and springs back and forth when you fold it in, broke. It's not hanging off broke and the power to adjust the mirror, etc.. still works - it's loose and vibrates when driving at normal highway speed and is irritating.

So, I made an appointment at the dealership to have it fixed and dropped it off last night. They called bright and early at 8:30am this morning. Um, can't fix it - have to replace it - the PART ALONE is $460 plus labor puts it at $560 plus tax would make it a $590 fix. JIMINIY CHRISTMAS - WHAT THE HECK....

Hubby said NO WAY is he paying $600 for a mirror on a 2001 Tahoe with 123,000 miles on it. I told him, FINE. BUT, I'm NOT driving the thing without a driver side mirror - so if it falls off, he can do whatever he wants with the Tahoe - that I will go buy a NEW one which is just a tad more than $500. Just a scoiosh.

I also told him since HE broke it, it is HIS fault and HE should fix it. I'm sending him on his email at work at list of numerous "used part" links so he can go get a used one CHEAPER. (I'm sure this will NOT happen and it will take the mirror falling OFF - even though HE says that the service guy said it will NOT fall off - uh huh - sure)....

Now, I have to go get the Tahoe and drop off the Big Rig (my diesel crew cab truck) as we have a steering/turning/maybe bearing issue on it BIG TIME that I've been telling him about. Thank goodness this one is under warranty. When it rains, it pours.

WAHOO... She's SOUND as a DOLLAR

2008-01-10T09:36:00.000-06:00

Anyway, my Barn Owner had his track vet out last night to look at another horse and while he was there he had him take a peek at my Filly, Jessie and this whole damn on again, off again foot issue.

They lunged her for 15 minutes then the Barn Owner rode her and pronounced her "Sound as I've ever seen any horse"- They did take an xray of her foot and thru poking and prodding and whatnot saw a itty, bitty, little hole in the bottom of her from (more of a "slice" than "hole") where he think the abcess probably released and she's now fine and dandy. Good news! Yay. Now, naturally, our weather is not cooperating (supposed to be in the low 30's and snowy this weekend) so, don't see riding her until it warms up a hair... But, that's good news.

On our farrier, the update is that he spent 10 days at Loyola Medical Hospital in Maywood and has been released and is home. As my Barn Owner said, he'll live and that's what's important.

A New Year A New Post..

2008-01-07T20:58:00.000-06:00

And I promise to do better, Paige - (does that sound like deja vu)? I think I've said that before...

I had been knitting my fingers off before Christmas in between being sick to get "stuff" done and I'll be damned if I didn't take pics of 5 of the things... So, those will have to wait as I am at the mercy of the recipients to take photos...

But, here are the 2 "pencil vases" I made (slightly adjusted) from the Fiber Trends Vase pattern.. They're cute and Bree wanted them for her 2 favorite teachers. I made a 3rd one which I took down to Mom and Dad's to show Mom how to "felt". And again, I didn't take a picture - so, waiting for that one too! I also at the same time taught her how to make one, which she did while I was there to help. She'll send me a picture (someday) of that one too!

So, here are the 2 cuties:

The blue one is made with 2 strands of Lamb's Pride (one swirly color and one solid) and the red one is 2 strands of a mono-varigated Malabrigo (I love Malabrigo!!!!)....

I snapped this photo of my Brother being a goofball (thus the picture being publicized) of the hat I made using Jen's (Knitting Like Crazy - see link to the right) hand dyed superwash wool in Camouflage that I purchased from Peggy's (www.strandsofheaven.com). This yarn is one of the softest I've ever worked with, it was like my hands were getting lotion added to them as I knit the hat. Just a simple hunting hat which he infact is utilizing as we speak out hunting in Kansas - my SIL said she'd take a better picture of it when he returned.

I also completed this AG Tunic (knit for a future class at Peggy's). It's out of a Encore worsted yarn - fun to knit, fast and Bree loves it. I ended up making her one without the sleeves because it looks just like a tank top - I haven't taken a picture of that one as she has run off with it on her doll.

I still have all the inside Christmas decorations to take down.. which I dread because then it makes you realize that the "long" part of winter is still ahead.

My filly, Jessie, has been "lame" since the week before Christmas with an abcess (so we think/thought) but it has never reared its head yet and somedays she's as sound as a dollar (odd thing to say in this economy - but you know what I mean) and other days she is as lame as a 3 legged table (as my Barn Owner describes it). I'm thinking it was more of an ice bruise - as yesterday she was getting around much, much, much better on it - I was even tempted to ride her - but didn't. I wanted to wait for our farrier to come out to reset her but he was in a very bad accident. We don't know all the details yet, but the words, trampeled, crushed face and lost eye were in the description. How sad. Am thinking of you, Noel and your family.

My sinus' have/are going nuts as these weather swings are miserable. Just when you start getting over a headache, another front comes thru and whacks you again.

I'm working on an American Girl Doll Robe with some very icky yarn - cheap stuff - I hate it - but it is "robe-like" - bleck. Bree says she likes it so there you go.

I'm also working on a pair of Alpaca Boot Socks for my Brother (a Christmas present I started when we were in TN - had to measure him to get it right) and still have Bree's knee socks to finish. I'm to the point on her socks that I'm bored to death. The leg is SO long - all I think of when I work on them is "The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round" - sing along and don't be mad at me that the song gets stuck in your head. Join the club.

No new posts.. because

2007-12-12T16:25:00.000-06:00

I've been fighting the crud. Don't know where I got it, whom from, nor why, but I do - started as a sinus headache, which proceeded to days of constant sneezing, to a runny nose with stuffed up head and sinus headache and now has decided to have coughing jump on the band wagon -

Normally, crud is supposed to "run its course" as my Mom used to say and that when it traveled from one place to another that was a good thing. So, if it's "spreading" like a bad rash to all these places but NOT leaving the places previously occupied, I supposed that this could not be called a "good thing".

I'm sick of it already and it started last Thursday night with the headache. Today is Wednesday - ENUF already... and to top it all off, Bill has his company Christmas dinner this Friday night. Now, it's a small affair as there are only like a dozen people in his office - so if everyone brought a spouse or so, there would be 24 (if my brain is computing math correctly)

It will be the first time meeting all of these people, and I'm going to be looking like Rudolph with a big, red, bulb nose, that's PEELING from being SO dry (even though I have used a box of Puff Plus with the lotion on top of putting on lotion a gazillion times a day) and then as I shake their hands be hacking all over them, with watery, bloodshot eyes that will have them gossiping for weeks as to what drugs I might be imbibing and let's not talk about the voice...

Fun, huh? Just about as fun as washing my damn glasses off after everytime I blow my nose as the lotion from the puffs plus smears on them and trying to actually "see" out of them is an impossibility.

The only thing I have to say is NUF - which my Mom used to say as it is FUN spelled backwards and she would say that when we had to quit playing. I'm done playing with this.

Knitting as promised!

2007-11-29T07:20:00.000-06:00

I finally took pictures of "most" (not all yet) of FINISHED OBJECTS - yippee!

The first (by age) is the Sunburst Sling Purse that Bree selected. While visiting my parents in August, we stopped in a very nice yarn shop in Paducah, KY called With Ewe in Mind. (Very nice shop and the owner was great too!)

Bree wanted a RAINBOW purse and she got a RAINBOW purse from picking out Lorna's Lace Chunky Swirl yarn. The purse was knit to pattern -

Then we have a pair of the Peekaboo Mittens (free pattern here: http://www.magknits.com/Feb07/patterns/peekaboo.htm ) These are made from Cascade 220 Quatro in Pink and I used size 7 needles and followed the cast on of "40" and followed that pattern size (using the larger needle). These are a Christmas gift for a friend of Bree's.

I also finished my MOST FAVORITE sock pattern in the world (ok, so at least so far as I've knit) - I LOVE these.... The girls had fun chuckling at me because I kept saying that the entire time I was knitting them and they didn't believe me. BELIEVE ME! I LOVE these socks (did I say that already?) They are made with scrumptious Koigu in rich green jewel tones (I guess that's a good description) and they are soft and fit nicely and I LOVE them...

Also, shown (barely) is the CHERRY wood sock blocker my Dad made me - He has oak, birch and cherry in his woods and I told him I wanted one, so he cut down the cherry tree (makes us giggle as this reminds me of the George Washington ditty about cutting down the cherry tree) and made one up - I showed them around and people have ORDERED them - so, like an Elf - he's busy in his woodshop making some more up! Go DAD!

I followed the pattern and used size 1 needles.

At the end of October and first week in November, I took at class at Peggy's Strands of Heaven in Plainfield, IL ( http://www.strandsofheaven.com/ ) for this beaded ornament class - Now, I'm hooked. I've completed 4 and am working on the 5th (Great Teacher gifts) - Here are pictures of two of the 4 - (I told you in the beginning I have more pictures to take). They are knit with Plymouth Gold Rush and size 6 seed beads on a size 4 - 40" needle using the Magic Loop lesson (which we learned during the class and isn't nearly as daunting as I thought it was) - These are FUN to do. You knit them, slide them over a glass ornie then "close" them up! Fun, Fun, Fun - Bree loves to pick the colors and beads, too!

So, I'll be taking more pictures of the other finished objects and am knitting my fingers to the bone working on additional Christmas gifts.. So, off the puter I go to knit (ok, to get Bree ready for school THEN knit)

What we did on our Thanksgiving Vacation....

2007-11-28T07:36:00.001-06:00

Does it remind you of your first day at school when you had to write what you did over your summer vacation?

Well, since we had our Thanksgiving dinner 2 weeks previous when my Mom and Dad were in town, with Turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings, there was no cooking that HAD to be done on Thanksgiving - leaving the time to do all sorts of other things.

So, Bree and I baked some cookies. We took down the Thanksgiving decorations (scarecrows, pumpkins, etc..) On Friday, while I worked at my Friend's Yarn Store (http://www.strandsofheaven.com), Bill and Bree worked on setting up the Christmas Tree. (It's a 10 foot tree!) We finished putting ornies on Sat morning, then went to a craft sale, then started the village. In between all of the above, we worked on the rest of the inside of the house. Well, here are the results of our efforts - I took these pictures at night - hoping the lights would show up:

The window shelf over the kitchen sink - the center is a "miniature" tree with all the Hallmark mini ornaments that my Mom has collected for Bree and I over the years - it's so cute. To the left of the tree is a "fiber optic" village and the colors change - it's pretty mesmerizing to watch:

Above the cabinets. When we were house/builder shopping, I saw in a model home, where instead of a soffit above their kitchen cabinets they left it open and had electricity run up there with a light switch in the kitchen in order to put village houses up there.. Thus our area above the cabinets. The evergreens in the background are the limbs from the Christmas tree we don't use.. Works perfect!

I will never own a house again without a fireplace... I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our fireplace, love fires! We will use it from October thru May! My Dad cuts down the wood (oak, birch and cherry) for us from his woods and splits it up and when it burns it smells SO good - So, have to decorate it nice too!

And then the "biggie" - we have 26 Village houses and are to the point where you just can't fit them all under the tree (thus the ones above my cabinets, and now we even have them under the "small" tree in the front of the house - including the train!). So this is the MAIN town... but the others are the "unicorporated" area - haha

And this is the security company we hired to protect our village... (some help they are - infact the "bigger-but younger" one in the picture decided it was "deer" season and has chosen a ceramic deer to destroy.. She's in the dog house these days!

I just realized I need to take photos of the front living room and foyer of the house for the rest of the decorations... Well,I guess I will do that today!

The "Beer Bottle - Puzzle" Song...

2007-11-27T07:57:00.001-06:00

Everyone sing along...

1000 pieces of puzzle on the table,
1000 pieces of puzzle,
Pick one up, find where it goes
999 pieces of puzzle on the table....

--Now don't hate me because you that song stuck in your head...

Here's what it looks like with all 1000 pieces finished....

I love doing puzzles. I got on a kick recently (started on Halloween) and I was in Hobby Lobby one day and they had them on sale - so, I bought a cute Lab Puppy one that was 500 pieces. Well, that took me like 2 days to finish. So, I bought another 550 of an old fashioned looking Santa and that took maybe a week.

So, I figured this is going to cost a fortune so, I upped them to the 1000 piece one with "like" colors so it will slow me down.. It did some - but, this one is now done and I just broke open a new one last night.

There's just something about totally focusing and blocking out everything else that is relaxing to me. Kind of like my knitting. Speaking of knitting, I have a bunch of stuff to put up - but, of course, I have to take pics first and download them and edit them... So, I promise to have a knitting post this week!

In the meantime, I'm off to focus and relax and find one piece that fits...

My Junior Photographer...

2007-11-26T14:03:00.000-06:00

This past year, I purchased a new digital camera and Bree begged for my old one. Well, after I figured out how to use the new one (well, almost), I gave her the old one and she takes a TON of pictures!

She took some of Marigold (who went to her new home this week - see my friend's Sarah's blog - link over on the right) and I wanted to see them, so I downloaded her memory card.

I hadn't realized there were some on the card from our trip to the American Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio back in October..

So, I'm just going to do a "photo" collage of some of the neat photos she's taken! I think she should learn more about photography as with her "artistic" ability, she has a great EYE!

Here's some of the photos I just think are awesome...

Our dogs...

Miss Marigold:

Her other pet... (she gets her "sick" sense of humor from her Dad - just ask Paige)

These are of Stacy Westfall riding BAREBACK and BRIDLESS doing a complete reining routine WHILE speaking (via microphone) to the crowd.. Phenom...

Then she brings in a youngster (3 year old) and has trained this horse to perform the same reining routine in sync with her on the other horse - only using the little tap stick you see to cue the horse - (think sychronized swimming). It was truly a "treat" to see - and again, she continued to talk her way thru it to the crowd - amazing!

Then, Bree took these great photos of the girl who won the freestyle reining (which is costumes, free flow pattern and set to music) - think choregraphed horse dancing.. This girl rode to Phantom of the Opera (notice the horse's costume) and she rode the horse thru the entire pattern with a tie-halter on.. She was wonderful and Bree thinks doing a phantom of the opera costume for the 4H Fair next year would be cool!

All these photos were taken with my 4 or 5 year old little sony digital camera - I think she should use the good camera and I'll go back to the "old" one - she obviously has fun and can take super photos!

Basketball season continues...

2007-11-26T12:19:00.000-06:00

It's amazing as the girls have played 3 games now and how much Bree has improved (read more aggressive) in her play.

I think Bill got her motivated (well, I KNOW, Bill got her motivated) as he instituted a "reward" system.

Starting with the 2nd game of the season (which they lost by ONE point in the last minute of the game - after losing a 7 point lead) - he told her for every rebound or steal she got, he would give her $1 that she could spend anyway she liked.

I think she was trying hard as my Mom and Dad were in town from Tennessee and she was certainly trying to play well for her audience. She earned $5!!! She played much better! I love this "evil" eye look while defending her player..

Their third game (I forgot my camera as the game was at 8am on a Saturday morning and I hadn't had enough coffee yet) - She played PHENOMENAL!!!!! She made her FIRST basket! (had a HUGE grin on her face after that) - Had several rebounds, several steals and even slapped the ball away several times - So, Bill added knock aways for $.50 - She ended up with $10 for the day - (which she promptly spent on another webkinz) - LOL!

There was a particular play that both Bill and I were so proud at how TOUGH she is. There was a play where she stole the ball and was going on a fast break down the court - one of the other team's players in order to stop her - basically ran her over - she took a hard tumble. Now this week, they were playing at a school with one of those carpeted gym floors (how absolutely stupid, it is).. Anyway, she got up and continued on with the play for that quarter. The quarter buzzer sounded she went and sat down and grabbed her knee - now NONE OF US noticed it when she fell - but she totally and I mean, totally, tore up her entire knee - cross between a blister and a rug burn along with a goose egg knot - they called me over from the stands to help Dr her up and I was in AWE that she got up and kept playing and waited until there was a timeout to "hurt" -

Bill and I gave her an extra dollar for being tough!!! She was pretty dang sore for this entire past week and the swelling has gone down, but YEOUCH... The big old burn, scab looks nasty (even to me!)

They did win their game! Which was awesome!! So now, North Carolina Tar Heels are 2 and 1! Go TEAM! They play this Saturday at 10am - more to come - and since it is not so early, I'm guessing I'll have my camera along!

She can't be 10 - that makes ME old...

2007-11-13T09:08:00.000-06:00

Bree turned 10 on October 30 - OY.. She just simply CANNOT be this old, because then this means I'm older.. Nope, not double digits - why is it that when she was "single" digits she seemed SO much younger?

She had a great kids birthday party at a local shop called "Paint it Yours" where all the kids were given a "blank" T-Shirt and they got to decorate with fabric paint, stencils, "bling" - just for Paige - and all sorts of goodies - they were ALL so creative - it was amazing to see how different everyone's shirts looked!

They had cake and Bree opened her presents - she got FOUR (yes, FOUR, more Webkinz which put her up to 21!!!) - I told Bill, we missed the boat on buying stock on this company!!!

Here are some photos of the group - and also, as a gift to the birthday girl - the store takes a picture of the "group" and scans it onto a separate shirt and then all sign it and decorate it - it was so much fun.

Bree being excited about basketball was creating her very own North Carolina basketball shirt!

The group shirt being decorated:

And the group:

What a great bunch of friends!!!

The next Michael Jordan??? Just having fun!

2007-11-13T08:56:00.000-06:00

This year, Bree has decided to play basketball thru our local athletic organization (kind of like a park district league). What makes it really fun is that her team is girls she hangs out with and from our subdivision.

She has always liked to "shoot hoops" with Bill and we've been encouraging her to "do" one thing outside of the horses to stay 'balanced' and so basketball was her choice.

The Coaches and Families are great and the Dad's have fun at the practices (The Coaches rope the Dad's in liking making deals with the girls that if they hit "their" shot then ALL the Dad's have to run a lap in the gym...) hahahah - It's amazing how GOOD the girls get with their shooting with a little motivation - Last week the Dad's ran 4 laps (there are 9 girls on the team). The teams are named after colleges and her team is North Carolina and is all 4th Graders.

They've played 2 games (Saturday mornings) and are 1 and 1 - the loss was a HEARTBREAKER!!! They lost by ONE point in the last 30 seconds...

They play 4 - 8 minute quarters!

Here are a few pictures of Bree and her team from the first game:

Bree is the second girl in line closest to you

Deja' Vu - Same Yarn FO Bree's Backpack..

2007-10-18T10:49:00.000-05:00

While utilizing Miss Sarah's advice on the yarn for Paige, I spied the same yarn in a colorway that I knew Bree would just love - so, yeup, bought it too. And again, it was tucked away for her NOT to find (keep the "not" in your mind)

I began a quest for a pattern I thought she would like and that would be fun and good to use with this yarn. Well, I found a great backpack pattern - Cabin Fever's "Easy Felt Pack #704. So, when Bree started back to school, I started secretly knitting this (thus, the before mentioned secret projects in my blog posts - ie - Paige's Sheep Tote and Bree's backpack)

The intention was to have it ready for a birthday present (Bree's birthday is Oct 30). (note the word "intention").

I finished knitting it and had felted it and had it drying out in the sun on the patio one day, while I went about my wifely/motherly housekeeping duties. Then I went and picked Bree up from school, all the while FORGETTING that it was outside on the patio table drying.

We got home from school and Bree was getting a snack and she asked "what was out on the table" - OOPS... I said NOTHING she needed to be concerned about. She went upstairs to change out of her school clothes - so, being the great sneak I am, I grabbed it off the patio table and stuffed it into a cabinet I know she doesn't go into.

2 weeks later.. We're cleaning bunny cages (right before last weekend's trip to Ohio for the Quarter Horse Congress - another birthday present for her) and I asked her to go get some "bags" for garbage. She comes back with an ear to ear grin letting me know she found ONE of her birthday presents.. I laughed. My "sneakiness" and life got past me and I completely forgot I had stuffed the backpack into the cabinet 2 weeks earlier...

So, I told her she could have it as an early present - and she just LOVES it! I am so tickled that she thinks it is rather cool - as it is difficult with a soon turning 10 year old to figure out what she thinks is cool these days... (I'm not looking forward to those teenage years). She liked it so well, she decided NOT to take her regular jeans' purse to Congress, but to take her backpack instead and she took it EVERYWHERE with her!

So, here are some pictures!

This was made with the Queensland Collection Big Wave yarn 90% wool, 10% Cashmere - following the pattern mentioned above

Deja' Vu? Another FO Sheep Tote...

2007-10-18T10:39:00.000-05:00

During the same outing to Sheep's Clothing, Miss Sarah had convinced me to purchase some yarn that was being discontinued by the manufacturer (what a shame, it is awesome stuff)

Well, the color is the most perfect, exact, favorite of my friend, Paige - so, I just had to purchase it not having a CLUE what I was going to do make with it for her - so.. it sat (we went to Sheep's Clothing I think back in May?)

After completing my Sheep Tote and seeing how cool it is and knowing how Miss Paige chides me about my organizational obsession (even though she says she's impressed with it), I thought how perfect for her to have something to always remind her of my organizational mindset.. (ha, ha)

So, off to work I went and made up this for her, of course I had to add some "bling" to it with the button covering the snap closure - which I think will inspire her to whip out her "Bedazzler" and do her thing with it!

And here's a closeup of the "bling" button/closure.. Plus this picture greatly shows the vibrant orange/red/yellow color of the yarn -

The yarn is from Queensland Collection, called "Big Wave" and is a thick and thin 90%Wool, 10% Cashmere and is wonderful to work with and felt with - I am saddened they are/have discontinued it...

Finished Object (FO) Purple/Red Sheep Tote

2007-10-18T10:29:00.000-05:00

As promised, I do have a few finished objects...

My first "real" project (supervised by Miss Kate) was the "Fabulous Felted Tote" by Fiber Trends - and though I love it - it is so DEEP - so, when Miss Kate made herself a Fiber Trends Sheep Tote - I started "jonesing" as it was rectangular and short and had pockets for organization (and you all know how organization is one of my most coveted words).

So, during our outing to Indiana to Sheep's Clothing, I purchased the pattern and yarn (Cascade Quatro in the Red Stripe and Cascade 220 in a purple) and finally made up my very own.

I SO wanted to make it like Miss Kate's (I LOVE the Malabrigo Chunky varigated she used) but, since every LYS I've been to does NOT carry it - and I take this PERSONALLY, I had to substitute. Just for the record - I like mine (although it is quite plain) but still LOVE Miss Kate's.

So, I've been toying with perhaps doing a needle felted "something" on it - but, nothing has hit my fancy as of yet - Maybe I should send it down to my "bedazzler" queen friend, Paige, for some bling?

Anyway, here is a picture - I followed the pattern as is - and used 2 strands of the Cascade yarns mentioned above.

I've been a bit consumed... Poor little kids...

2007-10-16T22:03:00.000-05:00

I got home Sunday evening from Ohio and saw a note my friend posted about an animal confiscation - so, I called her and oh my - I've been a bit consumed ever since.

A 65 year old woman who received some money via an inheritance became an animal "hoarder" - which got way out of control (probably over a couple of years)

Things finally came to a head and animal control and Tails Humane Society ( http://www.tailshumanesociety.org )went in and confiscated over 100 dogs and over 130 cats. Unfortunately, that's not the worst of it. There were over 200 dead animals in the HOUSE. The lady had put them EVERYWHERE (freezer, containers, cabinets, etc.) The lady's first court date was yesterday and the hope was that she would sign over the rights to all the confiscated animals so, the next steps thru the humane society could be taken - but NO, believe it or not (and I still don't) she pleaded NOT-GUILTY to animal cruelty (is being held on 35,000 bond) and would NOT sign over the animals.

So, Monday morning I went out to the airport hanger (temporary shelter) to help do whatever, not knowing what to expect.. It just breaks your heart. The lady had to spend over 50,000 dollars on PUREBRED dogs, numerous breeds, nice animals - Corgi's, Great Pyrenese, Burmese Mtn Dogs, English Bulldogs, Beagles, Bassets, Cocker Spaniels, St Bernards, Huskies, Aussies, Pugs, a couple of Labs, Mastiff, Pekingese, Dachsunds, and the list continues.

They need to be fed, walked, cages cleaned, bathed, nails clipped - you name it they need it - and most of all LOVE and the understanding of life. Many never saw outside - don't know what concrete is let alone grass. Sad doesn't even begin to touch it.

I've spending as much time as possible - time permitting helping do whatever I can - I'm not doing anything special that anyone else who had time would do -

I haven't even had a chance to really see the cats, but they have Hims, Persians, Rag Dolls, Siamese, you name the high level breed, its there.

So many people have donated, come out and dropped supplies off - the overwhelming outpouring of humanity feels good. The media has been everywhere and infact, today, the story made the front page of the Chicago Tribune.

Here are some links: Of the dogs: http://www.thestitchincorral.com/indiancreek.htm

Links to news reports:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-animals_weboct16,0,39260.story

Photo gallery: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-071015animals-photogallery,1,1008614.photogallery?ctrack=4&cset=true

Bree is quite adamant about helping out too and since she only has a 1/2 day at school tomorrow, we will be heading out then.

We are also signed up to "foster" a little Corgi girl named "Marigold" - she's as sweet as can be - and her little ears don't even stand up - here's a few pics of her - this will only happen if the animals are turned over or the court rules this way -

As a last note, I do have 3 finished objects (knitting) to post - that is when I have time...

Hug your pets tonight!

New things around the house...

2007-10-09T13:14:00.000-05:00

It's starting off to be a good month. I FINALLY after 2 years and 1 month, persuaded Bill (my dear husband) to get a NEW tv for our bedroom. Now, I say FINALLY in big, bold capital letters because I actually tried to buy him one for our 10th wedding anniversary (which was just about 2 years and 1 month ago).

He just cracks me up. Thank you ENTOURAGE - the HBO or Showtime (whichever one it is) series that he likes to watch that is on when Bree likes to watch one of her shows - so he used to go up in our bedroom to watch (plus, not a show she should be watching anyhow). Well, to date the tv in our bedroom - it was my Grandmothers then I took it to college with me. I graduated from college in 1985 (you do the math) - but, for sake of an argument - it's at least 22 years old. YIKES.. And it still worked, but, the picture was getting a little fuzzy, yada, yada, yada - and over the past 2 years it was getting more and more fuzzy - So, when he was relegated to watching Entourage upstairs - and I happened to hear him mutter about the picture I though "AH HA!" So, this time, I passed it off as a birthday gift (his is the 17th of this month) - and off we went to Best Buy.

Now, this is an experience in and of itself with my hubby who returns just about anything I've ever bought him because he doesn't "need" it. So, we started looking at the 26" LCD tv's. Then he thought wow, that's alot of money, so we walked around the other side of the wall to look at the traditional tv's, which by the way, are few and far between even Best Buy is discontinuing carrying an old-fashioned tv. There was one (but it was a floor model) that had him kind of iffy - I said NO. Then there was one a bit less than the LCD but bigger screen - when he tried to lift the box (70 pounds) vs (24 on the LCD) I laughed. (Like weight makes a tv better or worse????? - must be a guy thing)

So, he went back to the LCD's - now there was a 26" and a 32" the 32" was only 200 more - NO BRAINER for me... As I hate to shop anyhow - Well, after what seemed an eternity, he did the RIGHT thing and got the 32". Carried it out, brought it home, hooked it up, laid on the bed and promptly fell asleep - (again must be a guy thing)

Then, because he likes to watch 2-1/2 men, which he somehow, someway always seems to be doing something and misses 1/2 of it - I mentioned a DVR to him - hmmm.. he says - after talking with the Best Buy sales guy (who actually knew his stuff and lost a sale for being honest) we decided instead of purchasing a Tivo, that our cable company (for less money per month plus don't have to buy any equipment - thus the lost sale) was the way to go. Bill liked this idea - Huh.. Wonder what this is all about. So, on Thursday morning, the cable guy (cracks me up to say that in my head) will be here to hook up the DVR, etc.. Should be fun.

I'm still in amazement and denial that he actually bought something for himself so to speak - although, Bree has been watching the new tv as much as Bill has - but, that's ok - it'll be there perhaps another 22 years?

BIG KNITTING NEWS...

2007-10-05T16:47:00.000-05:00

I am officially on RAVELRY.. YAY!!! Username LAW07