Finally Over

Christmas is finally over, luckily, this year, nothing to return!!

but gift cards to spend is a super duper thing, i got a JoAnn's card from my dad, yay /dance

I'm glad all my hand knit gifts were well received this year, i'm not sure i'll do it again next year though, working on a deadline is good, because then i don't hibernate the wips, but working on a deadline is also stressful.

Now i get to look forward to Ravelympics

My Mother In Law got me a pattern and all the fiber to make a LionBrand afghan. the Mayfield Afghan actually. it's pretty, and the Spice colored Wool-Ease is fantastic, not a color i'd have normally purchased for myself, but it's great in person.

So i think i'll do this Afghan for the Ravelympics, i was going to do a sampler blanket, with each square a different stitch pattern, but this was dependant on my getting the 365 Stitch Patterns calendar. Which i didn't get. I may work on it anyway on my own time.

My mom got me a drop Spindle, and my husband got me Respect the Spindle...but i didn't get any fiber.../sigh after the new year i'll get to look into getting some. But i love the book, the pictures are great, and there are even Patterns in the back! (me likey patterns). i haven't seen the spindle yet, it didn't arrive in time.

Kaeley got her 3 Musketeer's Barbie, Bumblebee (the Transformer), a Cupcake kit, and more plastic animals than she knows what to do with. She also got an 18 inch baby doll and has already asked me to make her clothes. I like knitting for Kaeley, she appreciates it. So also got 4 FurReal Friends, and I've been requested to knit a cat bed and a dog leash for two of them. and a blankie for her Puppy and Panda.

All in all christmas was fun and good, it was nice to see family (especially my Grandpa Frank) and my youngest brother. And for the first time...well...ever, i actually got along with my Mother In Law! it's a good way to end 2009. Let's hope 2010 goes better!

Grrrrrr

The company my husband works for blows big nasty chunks.

He has to work on Christmas Eve

He has to work on Christmas DAY

I AM NOT GOING TO HIS MOTHER'S HOUSE WITHOUT HIM.

yes, i'm yelling. i'm pissed.

He had it all worked out, and then one of his employees decided to have a suicidal nervous breakdown almost two weeks ago, and then quit. (not to be insensitive, i know she's got issues, but the timing just sucks)


On a lighter note.

for the 52 books in 52 weeks group on Ravelry i'm doing the 200+ book in 52 weeks challenge. (i read almost 200 this year, i think, if i try, i can beat my own record). I made my list of TBR books based on my Shelfari and my Paperback Book Swap lists. and i'm close to 300, so all i have to do is get my hands on all of said books...I need to find my Library card.

Finished mom's poncho, but i forgot to grab a picture, so i'll get one on Christmas. Still working on Great-Grandpa Frank's scarf. and Debating on casting on for a Cowl for myself because we're going through a FREAK cold front and i'm SOOO cold brr!

Knowing my luck as soon as i finish the cowl the weather will have passed and it'll just SIT there.

I'm hoping the 50 Projects for 50 States charity group will take my daughter's old knit hats, she grew out of them and rather than let them go to waste and get pitched i'd rather give them to someone who can use them.

random picture goodness

I took this of one of my mother's white Orchids and messed with it in Painbrush, it's my Ravatar atm.

Resolution #9

i got pretty mad at my mom the other day. it's standard, she shows up at my house, gives me a hard time about everything, and then wanders off with me in a bad mood for my husband, brother, and daughter to deal with.

so i decided her poncho went to the end of the list (it's blocking atm actually).

this is what i did instead!


My VERY first handspun...yeah, it's super super bulky...i didn't do justice to the roving, i know that, but i'm very happy that i at least attempted. I'm fairly certain Kaeley thinks it's a pet. Ross sings "Weasel Stomping Day" every time I mention it.

On to other things..New Years Resolutions anyone?!

This year i actually accomplished one major goal i had. I quit smoking, it was my Resolution last year, and in the beginning of October i finally accomplished it. I actually didn't start TRYING to quit until about two weeks before i actually did. I've been smoke free for 2 months, going on 3. /cheer

This years resolutions are a bit different. as for Personal Resolutions, i'd like to lose some weight, the American Heart Association Diabetic Diet is what i was on for Gestational Diabetes, and that seemed to work really well, i think i'll go back on that. Clean more, piddle on the computer less, Read more, play less video games. (I made my To Read List yesterday, i'm approching 300 books, DH thinks i'm a freak)

As for my Knitting Resolutions, I'm going to make a sweater in 2010, I'm also going to do my first Lace project, and Make a Pair of Socks. And i'm going to make them all for me. That's it, Those are my Resolutions, but the biggest one is FOR ME! More knitting for myself and less for people who don't appreciate it. I'm also going to start my Christmas knitting for next year in July!

Live Long and Phosphorous, May you Glow in the Dark

Paula

T-Minus 10 Days

and counting!

In our family we have Christmas over the course of like, a week.
Yule on the 21st with my best friend (on Solstice, 21st or 22nd depending)
Christmas Eve with my Mom
Christmas Day - Morning with the In Laws
Christmas Day - Evening with my Dad
If my husband's real dad lived closer we'd have to fit him in too.

We actually make our daughter wait to open her presents from us until Christmas Night. She only gets one present for Yule.

Our tree still isn't decorated, but it's got presents under it, and that's what counts. at least to me.
the box to Colorado is in the mail, i'm not that much of a slacker!

I've been a knitting fool, trying to get everything finished. I keep getting irked with people and deciding their present goes on the end of the list, at the rate some people are going they get their christmas presents next year.

I did managed to finish a couple projects :
Mom's wreath, using Lion Brand Holiday Homespun and Vanna's Choice in Cranberry. I added Poinsettias, tiny Pine Cones and a Brass Bell. i think it turned out really pretty, i hope she likes it!



I also finished a Darkside Cowl, it's the most complicated pattern i've ever done and i'm pretty proud of myself for it. It's a gift for a person i will not name here, juuuuust in case. I used Caron Simply Soft Eco, so not only is is the right warmth for florida "winters" it's GREEN only, it's Wheat.../smile


that's my ugly mug. I did find it could be pulled up as an Earwarmer, so i may have to make one for myself for those cold morning where i have to get up at 6:30am to take David to work.

I started in October with my christmas knitting, so i'm pretty proud of myself for getting as much done as i have, with time to spare!

Terrible, Horrible, No Good..you get the point..

sometimes i wish i could afford to move to Australia /sigh

Mom says some days are just like that, sometimes, she's the cause.

I need me a rich sugar daddy so i can do nothing but play with Kaeley and knit, who won't give me crap about everything. and who's more than happy to pay for my fiber addiction, yeah, don't we all?

It seems like every day i'm making a different christmas list for people, one set of grandparents get one list, another get a different list, and somehow, they ignore the list and just get whatever they want anyway. I make a list for a reason, a 4 year old does not need a drum set!

So, for the sake of my sanity, and to vent, and to feel like someone is paying attention to me (because sometimes you just need it) here is MY christmas list.

Namaste Knitube in Cranberry
Size 6 and 8 Straight needles
siz3 3, 5 and 8 - 9 Inch Circular needles
A new case for my interchangable needle set
pretty stitch markers
a yarn swift
a ball winder
a needle gauge
a retractable tape measure
all size project bags
something fun to keep my patterns organized in
anything with Koi on it
anything with Cherry Blossoms on it
anything with Wolves on it


i wonder how much of this i'll get for Christmas.

i wonder if in my frustration i'll get mom's poncho finished for christmas, in the mood i'm in, who knows.
Fug it, i'll work on spinning this pretty up to make myself something.

Miles and Miles

Of freaking Stockinette Stitch /sigh

working on a present for me Mama, and since i know she'll NEVER see this, it's a Poncho. The pattern is from the ball wrapper on the Caron Simple Soft yarn. Originally i bought this "Victorian Rose" yarn and some really cool wooden buttons to make a tank top for said mother. It's now turning into the first pattern I've actually FOLLOWED...which means

Miles and Miles of freaking Stockinette Stitch!

I finished Kae's scarf - I finished a present for my Dad (Red Heart Earth and Sky - Blanket) - I cast on last night and finished a shawl for myself this morning, we had a small cold front and then...BAM! hot as hell again, I hate Florida, i take up knitting living in a sauna..smooth Paula, real Smooth...and now some pictures!

Hurray!

I thought i was falling behind on my Christmas Knits, but I'm done! well, with everything to be mailed away, all the stuff for Iowa is finished, all the fun stuff for my Father-In-Law in Colorado, all done, now just for local family knits /dance

Kae begged and Begged me to make her a scarf, so i cast on some horrible pink she loves last night to start one for her, we live in florida..does she reallllly need it? nah, will she wear it? nah, will it get this nasty yarn out of my stash? YES!

I got a spindle in the mail the other day, Top Whorl. it's taunting me, i have nothing to SPIN on it. Hopefully for christmas.