It finally arrived...

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?

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!

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

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...

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!!!

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!

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!