Clubs Galore!

These first two are from Three Irish Girls Clubs. The first is from Stash Menagerie, called Chocolate Orchid and it will be this when it grows up. And this is Lady Slipper from the Sock Yarnista Club. Pretty......... I live in the same town that Snoopy was born and raised, so it only makes sense I would love The Woolgirl's Joe Cool kit. Jen is awesome and puts together the greatest packages! I signed up to get the Peanuts Falls kit too.

The bag is perfect for a sock project from Stuck in Illinois. They are a great deal and the cost includes shipping ($10). This is one of my favorite yarns and you may remember it from my Romantic Comedies club I was in.
Isn't this the cutest stitch marker?
And the last club shipment this month was my Seven Deadly S(p)ins -- SLOTH.
The hat pattern, even though is is sloth-like, is a litle over-my-head, so it may be something I work on later when I am feeling adventurous. The black ball is angora to line the ear flaps.
So many projects, so little time!

Sock Update

These are the Baby Backward Rib socks I have been working on. My friend Patty gave me this Misti Alpaca Sock yarn for my birthday. My Mom loves them and too bad they are too small for her. I have some Unique Sheep yarn that is very similar so I will make her some for her birthday in October.

My Law and Order Rerun socks are hibernating because when I went to go a pedicure (see below), I sat on the needles and they broke. Now waiting for replacements from Knit Picks. I was almost finished, too! I had to frog my Wendy's Summer of Socks Pattern. It was just too lacy and big for me so thanks to Joansie I am doing Blueberry Waffle socks and I love it! Thanks Joansie!

Found a new indie dyer -- Colorplay! Very nice! Featured here is Clark's Pool. Her colors and rich and vibrant and the fiber is soft and squishy.I also got a hank of Plucky Kniiter's Sock in "The Gang's All Here"

Here's what I'm wearing on my feet now (not the shoes -- there from my sister's wedding!) Very sparkly!

Wedding Photos

I am tired. Happy, but tired. The last 5 days have been a whirlwind of wedding related activites. I think my sister and her husband are a beautiful couple, don't you?
Here are my sons, the ushers, who were so great that day. When you have teenage boys, you don't get to see them in their social environment. They were so polite, helpful, funny, and charming. Yes! They will be able to go out into the world and communicate beyond grunts and look at people in the eye when they talk to you.....
Now that we are at home, its back to usual! Ah, boys!

Lots of Socks!

I have so many sock patterns/yarns in the queue its hard to decide what to knit first. Here's my "Law and Order Rerun" sock that is mindless. Vesper Wee Skein Sock Yarn #1. This is so fun to see how the colors will play out and I'm really enjoying it. The second sock is cast on already.
Here's Shadow showing you my Primavera Sock in MadelineTosh Sock yarn in Nightengale. It was the first shipment for The Magnolia Society. An out-of-the box colorway for me, but that's good!
And you may remember this from a post recently -- its High Fidelity from my TV Sock Yarn Club shipment #3. It's Wendy's Summer of Socks pattern and my first lace sock. The SSKs are killing me! Again, the black in the background it the cat! The wedding is next week, and I am going down to do some last minute prep with my Mom and sister and won't be around much. Have a Happy 4th USA friends!

Yes, I Do Knit Yarn -- Not Just Buy It!

Well it took me a while, but they are finished. These were written for cuff-down, but I think toe-up is just as nice. It was an easy pattern to memorize -my first pattern I followed by chart so I learned something new and built up my confidence some. I would definitely do this one again!

I have blogged about these before and if you want specifcs here the Raverly link. The gal who wrote this pattern wrote the one for my Chickadee Cowl as well. You can see her great patterns and blog here. I also finished the second installment of The Seven Deadly S(p)ins with was anti-Wrath = Peace. I am in 5 yarn clubs now and I am really trying to do the projects and knit up the yarn before the next month arrives. Yikes!

Cowls Galore

First, my Blueberry Picking cowl is finished. Pretty happy with the colorway.


I had my other Chickadee Cowl I knit out for comparison and Shadow decided he needed to nap on it!

I have 4 socks OTN ...knitting ADD. Maybe all the smoke from our 840+ fires here in California is gettin' to me!

Berry Picking

First here's another close-up of the stitch pattern for another Chickadee Cowl. The yarn is from The Plucky Knitter (again) but in her new Bulky Merino. The colorway is more "me" and it's called Blueberry Picking. On a side note, I was also able to snag a spot in her Sock Club!

Speaking of berries, my July/August issue of "Everyday Food" came and I made this salad, which is now my new favorite summer recipe.
Mixed Berry Salad With Mint
Ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered if large
1 cup raspberries (4 ounces)
1 cup blackberries (4 ounces)
1 cup blueberries (5 ounces)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and liqueur. Gently fold in strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and mint. Serve immediately (or cover and refrigerate, up to 4 hours).

ENJOY!

Where I Have Been

Been away -- June 1st was my sister's birthday and so we made the trip down south (1 1/2 hours) to spend the day with our whole family. I bowled 3 games and the next day I couldn't lift my arm! Getting old ain't for sissy's!

Then the following week was filled with work, laundry, and meetings. .The next 2 days were filled with cooking, cleaning, and decorating at my Mom's for my sister's tea-party bridal shower. The Ginger Honey Muffins and Lavender Cookies were a hit, along with the chocolate dipped strawberries, tea sandwiches, stuffed mushrooms and cupcakes! She loved it! Pretty bride-to be and me poring tea! (see the cupcakes?!)
I decided to spend Saturday night as well because I was pooped and then I could drive back up in the light Sunday AM traffic. When I came home I found these waiting for me:

I just found her yarn on someone's blog I can't remember, but the yarn is heavenly. I think they will be cowls when they grow up

TV Yarn Romantic Comedies 3

This is the final installment of this club -- I have really enjoyed the yarn and goodies! Not a well known movie, High Fidelity is one of my all-time favorites. John Cuscack, his sister Joan, and Jack Black is hysterical. If you have never seen this, you must!


And so how did she come up with the color for the movie. It takes place in Chicago and so, the Great Lakes, and she continued with a summer/water theme.
The calculator has a clip to attach you your knitting bag and I love my sea horse stitch marker.

Chickadee Cowl

OMG --2 (really 3, but more about that later) FO in one day! You have seen the Crusoes and now here is my Chickadee Cowl made with a discontinued yarn from the Plucky Knitter. Now these are not colors I usually pick for myself, but it was the last skein she had. I ordered some of her bulky merino in a colorway called "Blueberry Picking," so that's more my style. I love this stitch pattern!
Can't show you my third FO, the Cherry Garcia Cowl, because my kids said that no one outside the house should be exposed to it. The boys said it looks like something from a Dr. Suess book. It is way to big and floppy so it shall be ripped out and reknit with smaller needles. The pattern and yarn are lovely though..........

May Socks are Finished!

OK -- these took too long and if any of you are familiar with Crusoe, then you'll know why! The gauge is wrong, so the first one I did 3 times. The second one took 5 days! I did some research on Raverly and read how many other people had trouble with the gauge so I don't fell so bad. Thank goodness for Raverly! Time for the close -up....
I bought this yarn when I was in Skagway at a lovely yarn store called Changing Threads. It had a sister store next door for quilters. My Mom and I were in heaven! This is Glacier from Rabbit Ridge Designs.
Now I need to get my Ampersand and Spiral socks done!

Birthday Fiberness

Well it has been a busy week. First, the birthday, then 2 days in Stockton at the lacrosse playoffs, the work and meetings, stomach flu, and before you know it another week has gone by.........

It's great when your friends are knitters -- they give the best presents! Here is some Misti Alpaca sock yarn, which is the softest stuff, from my good friend Patti.... As well as the Bulky for a cowl or a scarf -- love the colors. Thanks Patti!

My hubby, inlaws, and parents went in together to subscribe me to The Magnolia Society from Madelinetosh yarns. This is the May shipment called "Nightengale." I had a hard time capturing the color because is really has more lavender and brown in it. I will have to find the perfect sock pattern for this.

Proud Mother Moment

My boys are almost 18 and have not been little for some time. After their lacrosse playoff game today, my camera captured some little boy hidden inside my teenagers.

They were warriors today, and although entered the playoffs in first place, lost their first game. It was over 100 degrees and they are very well padded, and so it could not have been too much fun but they look like they don't mind the bronze medal!

Pretty Woman

This is my second shipment of White Oak Studios TV-Yarn Club. We are watching "Pretty Woman" this month.This colorway is based on the brown and cream dress she wore to the polo match (and the yellow-ish champagne) the red is from the dress she wore to the opera. We also got a tape measure, brown and red candies, a big clear knitting bag, and a sock pattern. Oh, and check out the crystal stitch marker!

This will be a busy weekend -- yesterday was my birthday, today many appointments and the year-end lacrosse party. Our team has made the semi-finals and I am off to beautiful downtown Stockton (not) for a 2 days. I think its funny that we are going 2 1/2 hours to play a team that resides 20 minutes from here. Go figure! If we win, then we are in the State Finals the following weekend and yes, that would be Memorial Weekend which is the weekend before finals. Someones not thinkin'..........

The Second Deadly Sin : Wrath

The powers that be decided to put a "spin" on the whole thing and concentrate on Peace instead. So here's some stuff for peaceful bath: Bath beads, beeswax candle, tea, wee sheep soaps and a larger soap. The chocolate blob was supposed to be a sheep, but it melted.

And then The Unique Sheeps Pima Petite in "Peace" colorway exclusive for the club. This yarn is the nicest cotton I have felt!
Check out the cute 'lil sheep stitchmarker. We are to use this lovely yarn to make a sheep bathcloth and a soap sack! I couln't wait to cast on and I am almost finished with the soap sack!

May Dishcloth Swap Package Arrived!

The theme for this month was "May Flowers" and I loved my package. Thanks so much Jane!
I got 2 lovely cloths, one for bath (Euroflax Linen) and the other for the kitchen, chocolate, hot cocoa, lavender seeds, a cool bookmark and.....
Alpaca Sox yarn -- which is a new brand for me, and so soft and fluffy. I can't wait to cast on! I also got my second package for my "Seven Deadly S(p)ins Club" which was over-the-top as well. Wrath was the sin this time. More to come about that later.............

Happy Mother's Day!

On this day in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation asking Americans to Celebrate Mother's Day. This is from my friend Carol's garden, for Mother's Day. Thank you Carol!
"And so our mothers and grandmother have, more often that not anonymously, handed on the creative spark, the seed of the flower they themselves never hoped to see -- or like a sealed letter they could not plainly read. -- Alice Walker, "In Search of of Mothers' Gardens"

New Dishcloth KAL

OK-- this one had me stumped until the end: 2 hearts, joined together, to make one. Awwwww.....thank goodness my sister is getting married July and I will have someone to gift this too!

Must find the perfect yarn to make this!

Cowl in Progress

This is my Chickadee Cowl from the previous post. Shadow is thrilled (not!) to be the model. I have about 1 1/2 more inches to finish. I am half-way done with my Cherry Garcia Cabled Cowl with Araucania Copihue, and I will finish the Monthly Dishcloth KAL tomorrow. Back to the office now...........