spring could it be here??????

The sun is shinning and the flowers are starting to come out could it be is spring here??????

I love this time of year so many new things coming out and a fresh look on everything. The occasional rain keeps it looking pretty. I am excited to see what the yard will look like with new stuff planted up and growing. I know it s not my house but no reason for it not to look good.

We have made a good start by getting the patio furniture to a more useable place rather than where the movers dumped it. I liek the space it has created and hope to spend lots of time out there I need to get a rug for the lower deck level. And of course the planters need filling. I want some tall frondy plants for the 2 big ones and lots of flowers trailing for the mounted baskets. Hanging baskets top get put up and some new lights for the upper level and it will be great.

As for kntting a productive few weeks. Rosies shrug came off the needles. A beauiful pale pink reminscent of strawbeery icecream swirled with vanilla. and in a worsted cotton so not to hot for her but warm enough for the chilly mornings. I decided to shorten the sleeves to 3/4 length and she loves it. Caitlin got new fingerless gloves in wild colors from lornas laces. Not a color i would have chosen but she is thrilled. I am almost done with simons socks and i have cast on a pir for me. From the eclectic sole i chose the nordic lights pattern and so far so good.

I am sooo excited tobe traveling home to see all in PA this week no one has any idea we are coming and all be very surprised. Britt for for her birthday, Denise and Kylie just because so many people and so few days. Will miss my family desperately but cant wait to go. and just to make it better Jason Aldean tickets for thursday nite denise will flip out. He is on tour with another of my fav singers Luke Bryan. shoudl be a great nite.

Off to bed post again soon.

monday oh monday

Did I ever mention I hate mondays. I hate the cleaning up from the weekend and I hate all the laundry that needs to be done. I get up hoping to achieve but it never seems to happen on mondays.

I have finished and blocked my lake placid jacket. i love love love it and cant wait for it to be dry so i can wear it. It shoud eb done for later today and then i can take pics and enjoy. It has been a long time in the works, but looks to be very worth it.

I have finished the second sock clue 1 for the mystery sock knit along and so far am loving the pattern and am keen to see whats next we wait till jan 15th for the next clue i think. I have cast on a apir of grape vine socks i am hoping will be for me though they do nto look that big so maybe not. Think I will go ahead and cast ont he debblie bliss scout sweater for charlotte later today. I have been patiently waiting till i got this jacket done and the yarn keeps calling to me . It is so soft and a pretty , i chose a raspberry color for it and think it will knit up great. Simon and the kids are away this weekend so i may even be able to finish it for her to wear next week we shall see.

off for more cleaning I guess.

sole food swap

What weight of sock yarn do you generally prefer (fingering, sport, or DK?) either is great i love to the fine gauge of fingering but the quickness of sport and dk
What is your favorite type of yarn to knit with? for socks i love hand painted it is so much fun to see what each different yarn will do
Are there any brands of sock yarn that you have wanted to work with but have not had the chance? as a brand i have not tried trekking xxl or socks that rock. but for me i am all about trying something new and am very intrigued by all the new fibers coming on the market. justthis week i saw sugar cane and banana
What colors do you like? for socks i find anything goes
What colors do you not like? as above i love them all for socks
What type of recipes do you usually cook with? i lean toward mexican and thai and idian inspired things but i just love to cook
What type of recipes do you usually bake with? i love to bake cookies and cupcakes and bars things like that
What is your favorite food? all of it.... no i really do not have a food preference it is a mood thing
Are you a tea or coffee drinker? both though more coffee than tea
What type of sweets do you like? i have th worst passion for gummy candy anything at all
Does your kitchen have a theme? coffee
Do you have any allergies (to food, fibers, pets, etc) or diet restrictions? unfortunately i am allergic to nuts
Is there anything else you would like your pal to know? i do not think so though i may change my mind a little later will think on it a little

Monarch knitting store.

We went to monterey bay on saturday to enjoy the huge surf that had rolled in and also fly the kites. However once we got there I noticed this yarn store I had heard grea things about I did not realise it was down that way. We drove past and whilst I knwo the family would have sat in the car and waited for me it did not seem fair as they were hungry and wanting to play on the beach. So i vowed to drive down on monday.

Rosie and I got up and made the trip down and it did not dissapoint. It was a beautiful store filled with all things fibery. Knitting spinning and weaving abounded. I loved the store and think this one is definately my fav of all the ones i have found here so far.

Here is a pic of what rosie and i bought. Bison fiber delicous, 3 skiens of noro kureyon. 2 to make a hot water bottle cover for me and 1 for a project in last months interweave magazine. I bought a debbie bliss sublime book and the yarn to make the front cover sweater for charlotte rose. I got it in the cutest raspberry color, so cute. I also bought the book socks from the toe uphttp://www.amazon.com/Socks-Toe-Up-Essential-Techniques/dp/0307449440/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259684041&sr=8-1

along with all of this I also bought suede bottoms for the girls slippers. I have rosies done and waiting to be felted and I hope to start caitlins today. I just have to finish the quilt for MIL and really do not want to . but i have to get it in the mail this week or it will not be there for xmas.

New home and new life

Well things have been somewhat up in the air for a while but seem to be back on a more even keel now.

we have moved from PA to CA and settled the kids well. we have a great home and I really like the town we are living in. IT has loads going on and always something to do. The area is just beautiful. very different from PA but the desert seems to hold its own charm.

Now that we are settled I want to get back into swapping and so have madea vow to write here at least once a week. wil try and post pics of things going on in my knitting life.

It has been very productive in the last few weeks. a wonderful fall coat for my daughter charlotte. a hot water bottle cover in entrelac, something i have finally mastered... and i have nearly finsished a pair of socks for my father in law for xmas. t he hot water bottle is for my mom.

i have a huge list of xmas knits i want to finish but can only do when ia ma lone as they should not be seen by the small people.

Must get to it i guess. more to come.....

phewwwwww

wow. we are 2 days into a week long Girl scout camp and all seems to be going well. we have not lost any kids or damaged any we have had just one scrape and 2 twisted ankles. all is well. tomorow is green day and they will be taking part in a recycling relay at the end of the day. hopefully that will go well.

simon is in california for his interview. not sure how i feel about it but we shall see how it goes. the main thing is to do what is right for everyone. does california hold the key to our future or will we stay here in pa.

spinning has not gone at all to plan and what i have had a chance to do iam not thrilled with. i found the romney very hard to spin. love the colors just hate the fiber. i did however get some amazing fiber from spinning bunny and cannot wait to give the soft and smooshy stuff a go.

off to bed to listen to podcasts only chance i have when hubby is away.

tour de fleece

I have joined the Tour de Fleece group on ravelry. I have comitted to spinning fiber everday during the race except for the 2 off days. I will also take on the challenge day as the racers do. I have decided my challenge fiber will be the beautiful shades of blue fiber I purchased at Rhinebeck last year. It is a silk bamboo blend and has always sat in the basket daunting me. I was never sure i was able todo justice to it. But I think the time has come and I am ready.

I also have lost of other things I want o spin during the race. The only down side to the whole thing is that day camp falls in the middle of it and I am not sure if I will make all the days. But it is my mission so I will do my best.