Isn't this awesome? My good friend Bobbi sent me this beautiful Kauni yarn to make a Jeanne Townsend shawl along with her. I haven't started it yet, but I have showed it off a lot and admired it more. :)

This is sort of a blurry picture. But it shows the colors in the yarn ball.

I am displaying it (as per Bobbi's instructions) on my new bookshelf DH made for me recently for my craft room. She also sent me the proper size needles to do the shawl, and in this way got me to try the Knit Picks Harmony interchangeables.

DH lost his job at the end of September - boy this economy really sucks!

But it has given him time to rearrange all the furniture in the house, go through all of our possessions and purge (since he is a minimalist and DD and I are pack rats!), and make me a bookshelf for my craft room!!!!!! Yay!

Happy Thanksgiving !

Contest!

The Nautical Knitter wants your opinion on which project to knit next. Pick a numbered bag, and enter to win. :) http://www.nauticalknitter.com/

Close up of the border

Here is a close up of the border we used on our bedroom walls. Isn't it cool?

I LOVE IT!

Has it really been 2 months?!

OMG! August 13th?

I can't believe it has been that long since my last post here! Geez! It just seems that one thing after the other has come up, and I keep thinking I'll get to it later.

WOW! I didn't expect it to be this much later!



In the last couple of weeks we have been working on finishing the painting of the house and puting stuff up on the walls.






















Our room was the last to get painted - we quit last year after the front living areas and DD's room. I'm glad we got back to it, I love the way it turned out!

I'm outta control!

OK. I can't seem to pass up a craft sale. Even when I really don't have the "extra" money - I squeeze it out of the grocery money . . .

OK . . . Enough guilt. I got ALL of this for under $35!!!!!!!!!!!

Five pattern books and pamphlets, three single pattern leaflets; . . .



'Please Notice' - only one ball of yarn! - be proud of me; four cable needles; four circulars - 2 of them ADDI's TURBO'S!; four sets of double pointed needles; three sets of straight needles; a small bone crochet hook; a needle threader ; . . .

cross stitch cloth; yarn bobs and thread bobbins; book markers to cross stitch; project card for floss control; and embroidery needles.

Whew!

I think this prize was worth eating peanut butter and jelly a few extra days this month!

Taste the Rainbow . . . .

A few of us from my Spinning Guild (OK, the Weaving Guild - those of you involved in one pretty much know that the spinners are the "redheaded step-children" of the guilds) decided to follow a 'Master Spinners Certificate Program', only without the certificate. Someone found something online for us to follow - however loosely.

There are 7 of us, and we got 3 lbs of wool each. Two people each dyed 2 lbs. of one of the three primary colors, and one dyed 2 lbs of black. Then we saved 1 lb of the white to do tones and shading along with the black. (Red, Yellow, and Blue - we debated which color wheel to follow, and actually had chosen Yellow, Magenta, and Cyan before I left for Oregon - but somehow that changed while I was gone, still not sure who or how . . . ?)

Anyhow. . . . I did my dying with my friend Laura, much more fun with a friend!! I had the red and Laura had the blue. Laura is rinsing the red out for me while I took the pictures.

Then we had a meeting where we divided our colors among the group 4.5 oz apiece. (my red is in the chair, it took better than the other lady's for some reason - standing on the right - hers came out sort of pink)

Then we went home with our "stash" and carded our own color wheel, before our next meeting this Saturday. Here is mine. I'm thinking my green is too blue, and maybe my purple too. May re-card those two.

Craft store closing . . . . had to do my part

'The Craft Depot' , our biggest craft store in the area next to Michael's, is closing it's doors. :(

I was able to get a couple of good deals, but geez!, I would rather have them around for the next time I can't find that needle or need a certain color of yarn or beads.

I was able to pick up some yarn for an afghan for my niece - not all of it though, many people got there before me, so I need to get the rest online. Yarn for a sweater for DH's cousin's baby, some gorgeous beads for my wire wrapping and stitch markers, a bucket of foam shapes for our Homeschool Group Christmas party, and a few other odds and ends.

Plus . . . . . Easter egg dying kits! For only 20 cents apiece! I LOVE using these to dye rovings to spin.

Now, I just need a few more hours a day to get all the knitting and spinning I want done!

I'mmm Baaaaaaaack!

Dorothy figured it out . . . "There's no place like home".

I love to visit with my family and friends (I miss my sisters and my BFF Rena -from grade school!- real bad), but it's really sooooooo nice to be home.

I did get a chance to hit FIVE - yes you heard me right! FIVE! yarn shops while in Oregon. Two in Bend and three in Sisters. It was GREAT!!


Here is a picture from my S.E.eX.

The first four on the top left, and the red below them, plus the two bottom corners are sock yarns. Left to right; Regia Multi Effekt Color, Fortissima Colori Socka Color, Plymouth Yarn Rockin' Sox (confused this with "Socks that Rock"), Lane Cervinia Forever Jacquard, Wildfoote in the middle,and on the bottom corners Dream in Color SMOOSHY, AND Araucania Ranco.

The right corner is Blue Face Leicester, blue ball is mixed, pink and black is cotton, and green merino are all rovings.

There are four balls of Sugar and Cream for dishcloths, and in the bottom left (next to the gorgeous burgundy sock yarn) are two bars of felted soap (for gifts).

WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Busy, busy, busy . . . .

WOW!

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I last wrote. Where does the time go?

I have been busy with the planning of our church's VBS (vacation bible school) - I am in charge this year - and this week we are hosting it. So I have been pretty distracted with details and such. It is going well, and half over.

Then, next Wednesday, we head for Oregon for my dad's memorial service. I am looking forward to seeing my family, and a couple of old friends . . . but I can't say I am ready for the memorial service. Dad wanted it to be a happy event - a CELEBRATION of his life. I understand that concept, but . . . . I don't know how well I can adhere to that. It's still very sad. :( I miss him a lot.

I will try to post while I am in Oregon. If not, it will be the end of July before I get back here on here.

Camping with the "in-laws" - LOL!

We actually stayed next to DD's boyfriend's family. We all had a pretty good time, and may do it again - IN THE FALL! Friday night was nice, Saturday was great, Saturday night after dinner it started getting muggy, and by Sunday morning it was down right WET! Yuck!

We really liked the state park we stayed at, and scoped out other spots - so we can pick a spot by the water online next time. But even with an a/c on our pop-up, I don't want to go out during a Florida summer - cause I can't stay INSIDE all the time!

Only in Florida . . . .

Obligatory critter shot. But check out this one. . . . where's Waldo?

My Discount Store Haul . . . .

I went to my local Big Lots after reading on Ravelry that someone had found quite a selection of yarn there a few weeks back. I found some Lion Brand yarns, and some (no name)brands I never heard of before.

Check out what followed me home!

7 skeins of Lion Brand Chenille Thick N Quick

6 skeins of a blue acrylic

2 skeins of LB Boucle

2 skeins of LB Suede

2 skeins of LB Fancy Fur

2 skeins of turquoise lash

12 skeins of variegated wool, 6 each of two different colorways

The Thick N Quick and the blue acrylic are going to my church stash for our Comfort Shawl Ministry. The rest is going into my personal stash. :)

The day before this haul, I got these at our new 'Tuesday Morning' . . . .

This crazy eyelash yarn, from Trendsetter's (to mix in with something - not sure what yet) and these three books.

Not a bad week for stash enhancement! Not so good for the budget, but . . . . Hey!

Just for Fun

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 630 people with my name in the U.S.A. http://howmanyofme.com">How many have your name?

How can she be THAT old?

OK. Question here.

At what point do you actually feel your age?

I have gone through years when I felt older than I am, due to health issues, old bones, aching joints, the like.

Then there are those times when I think back to 14, 16, 20something, and think . . . that wasn't that long ago. Times like my DD's prom recently, when I think "I am not old enough to have a 17year old". Or times at the doctors office when I am talking with the mother of a 5 year old, and I think "She was that old just . . . a few years ago".

Where does the time go?

??????????????????

Big Sigh . . . .

For a little excitement to your day, and to celebrate the passing of time . . . check out Briley's page. ( http://brileyknits.blogspot.com/) He has a cool contest to commemorate his 1st blogaversary. A name the fiber's contest! Make sure to mention that I sent you over! ;)

OOPS! I did it again! (to borrow a song title - now everyone will be singing Brittany Spears all night!)

In my defense, the shop IS going out of business - and I did get each one at 50% off.

The two balls of multi colored, Plymouth Fantasy Naturale yarn are for DD.

There is also a sport weight skein/ball of Euroflax linen, in a muted purple/lavender color. A skein of Tofutsies sock yarn (yes! another one!) Then 8 skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic in a wine/burgundy shade. I got a few balls of different cottons from a friend before I left San Diego (Thanks again Heather!) and have some black Cotton Classic left. I thought this might go nicely with it. Maybe for a cardigan one of these days. Have to get it all together and see what my total yardage is.

Pretty, but Practical

DD and I went on a field trip last week, with our home school group, to a place called "Bisque It".

They have various pieces of bisque to choose from, that you paint anyway you want. DD chose a fairy and I painted a jar.

Yes, I said a jar. No cute animals, no teapots or serving platters, but a jar. I have seen all those "Shoe Fund" and "Mad Money" jars for ages, and always thought that I wanted one. But I've never found one that called out to me . . . So I made one! :)

Can you guess from the lid what kind of jar I designed?

Yep! I now have an official spot for my "Yarn Fund" to be saved! ;)

First I painted the whole thing with a white, speckled paint. Painted the background for the words in a burgundy shade, then I stenciled the back with shells and seaweed and painted them in - I love it! It is so me!

(Some of the pictures are a little yellow looking, sorry - evening lighting)

Here is my purchase from last night's Meet Up (when I posted earlier blogger wouldn't let me post a picture).

It's a ball of 'Cherry Tree Hill' Supersock, in Turquoise.

And . . . an antenna topper!!!!!!!!!!! (it can also be hung from the rear view, if you choose)

:) Cool, huh?

DD and I went to a Meet-Up last night.

We go to one at this yarn shop "A Yarn Outlet" in Bradenton, once a month. It is about 45 miles north of us, so we don't make their weekly get togethers, but we enjoy going once a month. DH's cousin lives up that way, and she meets us there.

I always think I will just go and JUST knit. You know, not buy anything. Well . . . . we've gone around 4 or 5 times, and it hasn't worked yet.

Here I am!

Well, I decided to try blogger.

Not confident with Yahoo and not real sure about Multiply.

So, here I am.