Happy New Year!!

a moment of silence

Please Light a candle for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in S. Aisa and Africa.

I'm a busy bee

Here's what I've been working on. I'm using the handspun yarn that I made and blogged about a couple of weeks (??) ago.



I have it all pinned out so you can see the pattern. Right now I have 257 stitches on the needle and have 7 and 1/2 repeats before starting the border. Maybe I can get this finished before I start back to school. *fingers crossed*

Here's what it looks like not pinned out.


Big yarny mess??

This is the Cobweb pattern from Magknits designed by the lovely and wonderful Emma. When I grow up and become a real knitter, I'll knit lace like she does...eyep.

Oh..well.. in the spirit of thinking that I can knit lace, I treated myself to this for yule.


(better photo here)

Ambitious ain't I??

*yawns and stretches*

*peeks out from under the piles of wrapping paper*

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I'll post more tomorrow....with photos!!

umm..if you say so...

Your Christmas is Most Like: A Very Brady Christmas

For you, it's all about sharing times with family. Even if you all get a bit cheesy at times.

What Movie Is Your Christmas Most Like?

---

Here's the stocking I was talking about.


For some reason I was unable to find Liam's christmas stocking this year. I whipped this one out of some cheap acrylic I had laying around.

Our stockings look horrible anyway and I've been planning to make us new ones, so I ordered this Evergreen Stocking Kit with the Gift Certificate my sister sent. Says theres enough to make two stockings. So, I'll be well on the way.

I also ordered Sock Hop. Do we see a theme here?

*does a happy dance*

I just found out I have a 4.0!! *doesahappy4.0dance*

Ok..I'm sure you're tired of me talking about school. How about some knitting???



iiiity bitty sweaters. Pattern can be found HERE. All I can say is, FUN, FAST & EASY. (and they use up those lil bits of leftover sock yarn)

I was gifted with this yesterday.



*squeee* This was from my good friend (and Laurel) in our SCA group. She and the other peers have been watching other non-peer members of the group and every so often are going to recognize people for doing good things. She recognized ME!! She said that she noticed that I was always promoting the fiber arts and that I always had a project with me to work on. (well DUH!) I can't wait to start the sampler. I just have to get a size 7 or 8 - 16" circ. (the cord that makes the 16" length in my denise set broke *sob*)

I think I have created a monster.



Did you notice how many needles she's got? Yes, miss fuzzy scarf is trying knitting in the round. She's using the spiral sock pattern from the Sweater Workshop book posted above.

Tomorrow: Hopefully I'll have a Christmas stocking to show you.

Merry Xmas

Get Your Own Christmas BlogCard Here!

Waiting on grades...

Well as I stated before, I have an A in my Government class. I found out Thursday that I have an A in my english class *dances* I think I have an A in my Psych class but won't know til Monday on that one. The page on campus connect where I can check my grades is down so I can't check on that one and my Geog grade. I had a high B going into the last test for Geog and I did the two extra bonus papers that he assigned us. I'm hoping I can pull off an A in there too. *fingers crossed*

I don't have any knitting photos at the moment. Nothing new's been finished. I got myself a ball of regia sock yarn on Thursday, but I'm not letting myself cast on with it until I finish the last christmas pressie. Oh..the agony. LOL I'm working on a scarf to match the black hat in the last post. I didn't have enough of the black homespun to make a whole scarf, so I went to find some more. Wouldn't you know that there was not a single solid black skein of homespun to be found. *sigh* I got some charcoal grey colored and making a striped scarf.

I found this neat little calendar today. Print one off...you know you want to.

My son (Topher - the 7 year old) has to go into the hospital for some outpatient surgery on his teeth next Wed. Please think about us that day. It's supposed to be simple stuff, but I always worry when they have to put people under.


Here are the kids decorating the xmas tree the day before Thanksgiving.

EDIT: I just got a $40 gift certificate in the mail from patternworks from my sister!! Yippee!!

Busy Little Bee

I had my last final yesterday. *whew* I go tomorrow and pick up my English portfolio and find out my grade in that class. I got an A in Government. yay!!

So..in between all the studying and blog troubles, I've been a busy girl.

Whatcha want to see first?? Ok..I'll go with the boring stuff.



Simple black hat with ribbed bottom brim from Lion Brand Homespun. This will have a scarf to match. I'm using cheap washable stuff because this is for my neice's 21 year old boyfriend who would probably felt anything made of wool.



This is the hat to match my irish hiking scarf. This will go to my 26 year old neice. I spent more time and did something more complex for her because she will care for it more. :)



The Hooray for Me Gloves! I made these for my neice. I kind of want to keep them myself. They are from Lion Brand Magic Stripes yarn. It was neat that one pattern repeat made one glove. When I started the second glove I was at the same place in the repeat as when I started the first glove. I think I may do some more of these.

---

On the spinning front....



350 yards superwash wool singles. (I'm not going to ply this one and see what happens when I knit it) I have about the same amount left to spin. This was given to me by the lovelyVerna. (she sent me cashmere to spin too..ooo)

Here's a closeup.

Joy of Joys!! (not)

I have had to move my blog to blogspot for now. My webhost is acting all screwy and not accepting my blog posts. So..I'm here for now.

I think I'm going to be buying a domain in the next week or so. I need ideas for a name. I'm going to use KnitSteph as a subdomain and want a different name for the main one. I'm so uncreative with this stuff. *sigh*

Gimme ideas people!!

Yeah...right

My fortune cookie says....

"Time heals all wounds. Keep your chin up."

*dies laughing*

(I'm hating blogger right now)

Busy week over with.

*whew* This has been one busy week. I had one final, two quizzes, three revisions and a final paper due. I managed to get it all done and only have my Geography final next Tuesday. I went to the school bookstore and sold my textbooks back and treated myself to a little 'Yay! You finished the Semester" present.

First I went to eat at a Mexican place that I love called Gilbert's El Charro. I then proceeded to Barnes and Noble and procured myself Eats, Shoots & Leaves and the winter issue of Interweave Knits.

Later I treated myself to a copy of Moulin Rouge.

It feels good to be pretty much done with school for a month or so. I hope I can concentrate on my crafts more. I have been spinning lately. I have spun about 350 yards of some lavendar superwash wool that Verna sent me ages ago. I have about the same amount left to spin. Its coming about somewhere near sock weight I guess. I really need to get a wpi tool. Guess I'll ask santa.

On the knitting front..I finished a hat to go with my Irish Hiking Scarf, I'm working on "Hurray for me Gloves" for a Christmas gift. I have way too many things on the needles. (as usual) I don't have the camera right now so no pictures til next week probably.

Today's Santa



This is an old Santa cookie jar and cups. I'm not sure exactly how old it is, but it's pretty old.

Sunday Santa

Well...since I haven't finished anything kntted..and I don't have the camera right now to take a photo if I did, I'll just post a little Santa stuff.



My mom gave me this guy last year. I love love love his plaid pants. I also love how his fur trim isn't snow white. Just gives him a little more realistic touch I think.

What I would really love for my collection is a La Befana.

La Befana is one of Italy's oldest and most celebrated legends. Each year on January 6 the children of Italy awaken in hopes that La Befana has made a visit to their house. This is a significant day to Italians because it marks the end of the Christmas season and the day that the three Wise Men arrived at the manger of the Christ child. Over the years the Epiphany has been a more celebrated holiday for the children of Italy than even Christmas.

(read more)

or...

In Italy there remains, a legend or tradition involving a Witch named Befana. On the night of January 6th (Twelfth Night or the Eve of the Epiphany or Little Christmas), Befana leaves presents in children's stockings hung upon the hearth or in their shoes placed at the door, a tradition very much like Santa Claus associated with Christmas in America. The children write notes and hide them up the chimney for La Befana.

(read more)

I think a female santa would be a good addition to the collection *grin*

More llama and santa's and a christmas parade

This is what I turned the llama yarn into.



Well, I actually made two of them and an earwarmer/headband thingy, but the camera batteries died when taking photos at the Christmas parade last night. I wore the mitts and the earwarmer in the parade last night and they were very warm.


My son and a couple of other cub scouts on their float. He's the one in the santa hat.



My Daughter, The Liam and my sister on their float. (yes..that's a real fire...they roasted hot dogs and marshmallows while they road in the parade) Liam looks like a demon with the red eye stuff. LOL

Santa of the Day:



This is actually a candleholder, but I hate putting a candle in it. I love the look of this. Its wood and carved and it has three faces around it. One of my very favorites.

Llama and Santa

Presenting 180 yards of llama yarn



I still have more to spin. It's fun stuff and I'm going to be asking for more.


Today's Santa...


This Santa was at my parents house as long as I can remember. He's a little worse for wear (a little dingy and missing his pom pom from the top of his hat) but I still love him. He is a music box (there;s a pull string in the bottom) and he plays a strange variation of the song Silent Night. I have looked around trying to find who made this Santa, but have had no luck in researching it. The only markings on it are a tag that reads "Made in Japan". I think he may be from around the time I was born. (I was born in 1969..so late 60's early 70's)

I have startitis

I have on the needles...

second of fingerless glove from noro
one "hurray for me glove" second hurray for me glove
purple top down raglan
red cabled hat
black scarf
green scarf
red chenille and fun fur hat
un-biased bag
second mitten for the 7 year old

I think I have a problem.

I found this neat little site. 43 Things. I've started my list, you can read it Here.

I thought that I might share with you some of my favorite Santas from my collection. I'll post one maybe every time I post.



The Christmas gift bringers of Norway and Denmark are household elves, or gnomes, called the Julenisser. In Sweden they are called the Jultomtes. The name ‘Nisse’ may have come from ‘Nicls’ or ‘Niclsen’, a Scandinavian rendering of the German name ‘Nicolaus’ or ‘Niclas’.

The Julenisse has been part of Danish folklore and legend for many centuries. The belief in these small people stems from pagan times when spirits were said to come out during the winter solstice. The ghostly procession was headed by the winter god Odin and accompanied by the small ancestors of the Nisser. Nowadays, however, the Nisser are associated entirely with Christmas.

Only a foot high, the Julenisse has the face of an old man, with white hair and a long white beard. With his pointed red cap, he can be easily spotted in the snow.

During the year Julenisser live in attics and stables, attaching themselves to a particular family and caring for their stable and cattle. They are particularly kind to household pets, which is why the Julenisse is often pictured with a cat on Danish Christmas cards. They are also good to children, although they are careful never to be seen.

The Julenisser like to be helpful around the farm and take special care of the hearth, where they sometimes like to sleep. As long as the family is good to them, they will continue to help; but if they are in any way mistreated, they can sometimes play spiteful and mischievous pranks.

On Christmas Eve a bowl of porridge is ceremoniously set out for the Julenisser. After everyone has gone to bed they emerge with a large sack to hide present. all around the house. One of the presents is certain to be a Julklapp. This is a large package which, when opened, is found to contain another package inside. This second, smaller package is addressed to a different member of the family. The next person opens it, only to find that it is really meant for yet another member of the family. The package gets smaller and smaller, until the true recipient is left with a very small package. The Julklapp gift is always a surprise.

from this site

Gobble Gobble

um..yeah...I've been busy

School and stuff and trying to get the house ready to get out the christmas decorations. I kind of have to re-arrange things around here because I have a 10 foot tree. I'll be sure to take photos of it so that everyone can see. It's usually georgous, though it's taking me time to get enough ornaments to fill it up, so sometimes it looks a bit bare. I had another idea also. I'm going to put a santa suit on my dress form. *grin* I think it will be pretty cute. Since I collect santas it will fit right in.

Here's a shot of my santa collection that I took last year.



They sit on a piece of fake snow fabric on my grandmother's antique buffet and I weave in Christmas lights around them. Actually..you can't see all of the santas in the photo..last year some spilled over into the entertainment center area and there's a couple of big ones on the floor. And I have a santa punch bowl and cups that sits in the dining room.

I'm a big collector...I've also started a snowman collection too. (no photos of it yet..maybe I'll take some this year)

So..with the Noro yarn...I've made one fingerless glove and started the second one and I'll probably make a hat or something with the rest.

From the purple aran yarn I started a top down raglan in the round ala glampyre. The only thing I'm worried about with this one is getting it to fit over my ample chest. Maybe some short rows are in order, but I'll have to ask some of the other knitting goddesses what I should do first.

Any ideas knitting goddesses??

I need an idea...

Please tell me what to do with 4 skeins of Noro Kuryeon (besides felted bag).

oh...and 16 balls of aran wieght wool (77 yds per ball)

FINALLY!!

I finished the aran sweater for The Liam.



Here is the proud owner.



I just have to get two buttons to go here...


(back neck opening)

Now if it would just get cold enough for him to wear it.

I'm Back

The event went well, we all had a good time and I'm exhausted. I haven't gottent the photos uploaded yet, but I didn't get to take too many. I'll post some in a few days.

I'm achy and tired, but it's a good tired.

I may not be around much for the next couple of days. My house is a wreck and I've decided that I really need to get things in order around her ASAP. I'll be checking my email and stuff, but I may not be surfing as many blogs. I will be back shortly, I just need to get a few things done.

For those of us feeling a bit down and maybe a bit of a failure...(bonus if you can name that movie *wink*)

The Roses of Success


Every bursted bubble has a glory
Each abysmal failure makes a point
Every glowing path that goes astray
Shows you how to find a better way
So every time you stumble, Never grumble
Next time you'll bumble even less
For up from the ashes, up from the ashes, grow the roses of success

Grow the roses
Grow the roses
Grow the roses of success
O yes!
Grow the roses
Those rosy roses
From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success

For every big mistake you make be grateful
(Hear, hear!)
That mistake you'll never make again
(No sir)
Every shiny dream that fades and dies
Generates the steam for two more tries
So there's magic in the wake of a fiasco!
(Correct)
It gives you that chance to second guess
(O yes!)
Then up from the ashes, up from the ashes grow the roses of success

Grow the roses
Grow the roses
Grow the roses of success
Grow the roses
Those rosy roses
From the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success

Disaster didn't styme Louis Pasteur
(No sir)
Edison took years to see the light
(Right)
Alexander Graham knew failure well. He took a lot of knocks to ring that bell
So when it gets distressing it's a blessing
Onward and upward you must press
Yes! Yes!
Til up from the ashes, up from the ashes grow the roses of success

Grow the ro
Grow the ro
Grow the roses!
Grow the ro
Grow the ro
Grow the roses!
Grow the roses of success

Grow the ro
Grow the ro
Grow the roses!
Those rosy ro
Those rosy ro
Those rosy roses!
From the ashes of disaster, grow the roses of success

Start the engines
Success
Batten the hatches
Success
Man the shrouds
Lift the anchor
Success!

I'm outta here for the weekend.

Tomorrow morning I will be leaving to go here. (It's only about 30 minutes away.) The event I am going to is called Three Kings. Our SCA group puts on this event every year. (ehem..I did the website *grin*)

I will be seeing things like


(morning court at last year's event)

and this


(an archer at last years event)

and this


(some heavy fighters from another event)

and also pretty stuff like this


(reproduction of one of the panels of the Bayeaux Tapestry)

I will be camping.

Here's the forecast.

Fri
Nov 12 Mostly Cloudy 59°/46° 0 %
Sat
Nov 13 Cloudy 58°/43° 20 %
Sun
Nov 14 Mostly Cloudy 58°/48° 20 %

I'll take plenty of photos if you want to see them.

A dream

I don't know if many of you watch HGTV or not. Every year they pick a location and do a "dream home" giveaway. The 2005 house is located on Lake Tyler, Texas which is about an hour from me.



Not a very good photo. There's a video about it on the local TV station here. You can also check out the story at the HGTV website.

Check out the veiw over the lake.



So yeah..when the contest starts January 1, 2005 you better bet I'll be entering. Check the different links out above...the boat house is a fully funtional guest house, kitchen and all.

I promise, if I win this house we will have FIBER RETREATS!! Knitters and Crocheters and Spinners OH MY!!

So..just think good thoughts and maybe I'll get lucky and win the house.

Busy busy busy...

Lots of pictures today...

First..I made a little felted bag out of some of the fisherman's wool I dyed with Kool-Aid a few months ago.



pre felted with The Liam for size comparison.


blocking on an ice cream bucket.



Voila!! Finito!

I also got my mittens from a mitten swap that I was involved in. This was a "spin your own yarn and make mittens swap"

Here's what I got.



Ellen from WI sent me purple mittens!! And a bonus hat!!


Check out the cute cables!!

Last, but certainly not least!! I got RAOK'd yesterday. Tama sent me a lovely candle and a tiny little 2005 calendar. The card is adorable too!



A lovely day all around.

Well well well, I seem to be a spinner too

*grin* I took some photos of the Llama fiber that I'm spinning.



Here it is on the bobbin of my trusty babe wheel. The colors in the llama fleece(?) vary from a very deep black to a grey color and they look really neat as they are spinning up. I have noticed that the llama fiber wants A LOT of twist. It's kind of like silk in that regard.



Here is what I've done on my drop spindle. I took this with me to The Topher's speech therapy on Thursday and one of the other patients (its a big general therapy place) was fascinated with it. I wished I'd had another spindle with me and I would have let her give it a go. She said that she thought that yarn was made by machines. *grin* I told her that yes, most commercial yarns now adays are made by machine, but this is the way that yarn was made before the invention of machines. She thought it was cool. This lady was, I would guess, in her mid 60's.

A friend of mine gave me a bag of silk noil. I'll probably start spinning that when I get done with this llama. (if I don't call the llama lady and ask for more)

My daughter's FO

Here it is in all it's glory.



I'm really proud of her. It took her forever, but she did a good job. We'll see what she decides to do next.

(oh..and I don't know why her eye looks all funky and what that round dot is on the photo - ghost maybe?? LOL)

Yeah..you can tell me I suck.

Sorry for the lack of posting. Been a tad bit depressed the past couple of days *coughcoughbuckfushcoughcough* Not to mention I have a geograpy paper due on Tuesday AND an english paper. I also registered for the spring semester on Tuesday. Subject to change: Intro to Art, Literary Appreciation, Statistics, US History II (I think that's everything after the civl war).

I am excited about one thing. My daughter had her first FO this week!! She knitted a scarf from fun fur. She even wore it to school today. I didn't have time to take a photo of her this morning so hopefully I'll take one of her this afternoon when she gets home.

I have decided that I love spinning Llama fiber. It's so soft and yummy. I know I'll be sad when this fiber is all gone, but at least I know where to get some more. :)

Things are a bit bleak on the money front, so I won't be able to send out any RAOK's other than ecards for a few weeks. I hate being broke. I think that I would love to open a yarn store here. There is one, but it is waaaaaaaay north of the town on the outside of town. I think that if there was one more centrally located it would do well. I love the ladies at the other store, but it's just so far to get there. Another pipe dream I 'spose.

Dear Texas Republican Party

Please quit calling me.



I did it already, calling me 6 times over the weekend will do no good. No matter who I voted for, I can't go back again. Thank you.

Weekend recap

Here are my little goblins.



Three Musketeer, Frog, Grumpy Teenager (oh..wait...is that a costume??) *snicker*

We carved punkins.





And I knitted a shawl.



I wish that it wasn't rainy and gross outside, because this photo doesn't do the colors justice.