Month: May 2013

Knitting

FO Finally!

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OFF THE NEEDLES AND INTO THE SOCK DRAWER

Crocus Vernus in Shibui Sock

I had several setbacks with this project, but am glad I stuck with it.  They turned out really well, I think!  The Shibui color is mystery pink, found two skeins in the sale bin at Yarn Mart which had lost their bands.  Excellent find!  Will be making another LYS run sometime this afternoon, probably on my way to the Art Center for some clay play.  With the holiday Monday, I’ve not been able to get to the pottery studio in a week, I’m having a little bit of withdrawal.  I had a couple of things that were ready to fire.  Hopefully, they were included in the kiln and since with clay and glazes, what you see is not usually what you get, the suspense is killing me.  I might even remember to take some pictures!

Don’t forget to drop in on Tami’s FO Friday blog to catch some amazing FOs.

Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction. Pablo Picasso

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Knitting

Not Your Mama’s Banana Bread

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IN THE OVEN

Just a quick post to share a new take on an old favorite:  Nutella Swirled Banana Bread.  Moist, nutty, with chocolate and banana hints, it tempted me, a dyed in the wool unfan of bananas.  Thanks to Girl Versus Dough for blogging this!

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Each day provides its own gifts.  Marcus Aurelius

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Knitting

WIPW 5/29/13 w/ Yarn Along

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ON THE NEEDLES

After the needle crisis last week, complete frogging and after starting the Crocus Vernus socks one more time, all was peachy keen.  I was loving my new metal needles, how smooth they were and the way the socks nearly FLEW off them – until it all came to a screeching halt Monday evening. Actually, the screeching was me after finding the cable on my new needles had apparently gotten mixed up with something sharp resulting in microdamage to the cable.  Nothing slid any more.  Can’t see it, can barely feel it, but it’s there.  There to the point of not being able to move the sock past that point in the cable.  Frustratus maximus*.  I tried to smooth it with an emery board, tried to paint over it with clear nail polish, nothing worked.  So, see ya later nice metal circs that I’d been so excited about.  Changed needles out, back on the old, reliable Knitpicks Harmonies.  At least, no frogging was involved.  I think that might have completely driven me ’round the knitting bend – which may be closer than I ever thought, according to my daughter, a really, really dedicated non-knitter person who has never turned down a knitted gift.  (I’m just sayin’…….)

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Yarn Along/WIPW with Crocus Vernus

I’m linking up today with Tami’s WIPW blog and Ginny’s Yarn Along, pay them a visit, will you?  They’re always a midweek treat!

The secret of success is constancy to purpose.  Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield

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*Frustratus maximus – a term I just made up to describe the feeling I get when I want to chuck the whole knitting project and move on to something else.

Knitting

Socks, Suits and Swimming

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OFF THE NEEDLES

The first Crocus Vernus sock is (finally) off the needles and I’m pretty happy about the way it turned out.  If you remember, this was the project that inadvertantly was left behind after the Papoose’s birthday party and had one of the needles pulled out before I could reclaim it.  I gave putting it back on the needle a quick try but then decided to suck it up and frog.  I made a change or two, mainly deciding to just do three pattern repeats for the leg instead of eight, making it shorter and hopefully not quite so hot on the feet this summer.

I started the second sock yesterday and am on the second of the three pattern repeats on the leg.  A FO Friday post seems possible.

JUST ADD WATER AND PLEASE PASS THE SUNSCREEN

Mr. Iknead and I are joining kids and the grands today for a swim and then a cookout.  Babydaddy is smoking some ribs and my contribution will probably be something sweet and maybe some deviled eggs.

Saturday afternoon, I began the much dreaded, once every two or three years, search for the perfect swimsuit.  You know the one – it gives me the same body that I had 30 years ago, when I could laugh in the face of gravity, and shows off the perfect tan that I slaved over, beginning in March, shivering in a bathing suit but sure it would all be worth it when I heard the gasps, ooohs and ahhhs of envy around the pool.  Never happened, never will but I did get two new bathing suits without too much damage to my self esteem.  Still, could someone just tell me why the lighting in dressing rooms invariably makes my skin look like cottage cheese?

I have not failed.  I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.  Thomas Edison

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Knitting

Yum

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IN THE OVEN

I’ve gotten a little bit out of the habit of blogging my baking adventures, but rest assured, they continue.  I’m trying to keep my cooking/baking obsession somewhat under control but so far, I’ve not been very successful.  I made a new cinnamon raisin swirl bread the end of last week which I had every intention of taking to Stuttgart and sharing but, naturally, it got left on the counter in the kitchen.  So, we’ve been enjoying it ourselves.  The only real rub is that Mr. Iknead and I just can’t eat the baked goodies fast enough and sometimes they go stale or even moldy.  I think I might start sharing with the neighbors, would that be too weird nowadays?  Growing up, we always shared back and forth with neighbors, but that was then and we knew our neighbors well.  Now, though, we don’t, really, just mostly to wave when we see them outside.  Could this be a sign to break out of my cocoon and reach out?  I think it might be just that.  I’m thinking of banana bread today, that would be a good start.

Anyway, I wanted to share this recipe I tried last night that was so good – it was comfort food and crazy easy – Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak.  Here’s the link.  I fixed mashed potatoes to go with it and it was divine!  Real potatoes, too.  I know what my lunch is going to be!

THE GRANDS

Can you stand a few more pics of the smartest, most beautiful grandbabies in the universe?  I thought you could!

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The Sprout and Me

That’s the Karma sweater I’m wearing.  Turned out well, don’t you think?

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The Papoose and a Cupcake

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Babydiva in her Tutu – How Cute Is That?

Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous mind.  Samuel Johnson

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Knitting

WIPW 05/22/13, Yarn Along

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ON THE NEEDLES

No, this isn’t the second Crocus Vernus sock.  😦  In the hustle and bustle of the Papoose’s birthday Saturday afternoon, when it came time to go home, the Crocus project bag was left behind.  No problem.  Texted Bigmommy, she’d found it and since she was coming to Little Rock Monday, she’d bring it.  Still no problem.  Got project back.  Tiny issue.  Looking to make sure that the sock in progress was in the bag, she accidently pulled one of the needles out.  Wahhhhh.  So, nearly finished Crocus Vernus sock totally frogged and restarted.  You can bet I’ll be a lot more careful about getting all my projects in the knitting bag before I leave next time.  It’s OK Bigmommy, I know it was an accident.

Still loving the Grrlfriend Market Bag so much I started another.

Still rolling on Granny’s Grab Bag Blanket using my left over sock yarn.

THE GRANDS

Happy birthday, Papoose.  You’re three!

Papoose Playhouse

I’m linking up with Tami’s WIPW blog and Ginny’s Yarn Along, so head on over there for more WIPW and book love.

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.  Mother Teresa

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Knitting

Finally FO Friday

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OFF THE NEEDLES

If you read my Saturday post, you know my Yahoo e-mail account was hacked, I was locked out of my account and then things snowballed when anything that remotely connected with my Yahoo was locked and by the time I finally was able to get things up and going again, I was pretty close to crazy.  No matter, it was fixed and I’m up and rolling again.  So, it’s a couple of days late but the Karma sweater is finished and turned out like this:

Karma

Neckline Detail

This sweater was truly a joy to knit, with no seaming (which I hate to do) and super clear instructions.  I’m so happy that the yarn is now a sweater that I really love and will probably wear until it falls apart instead of having to avert my eyes every time I open my closet door.

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I’m linking up with Frontier Dreams’ Keep Calm Craft On today, so along with Karma, I’m showing and telling this sweet wooden ladder that I found at a garage sale for about 5 bucks, brought home, sponge painted and upcycled into a plant stand.

My morning glories are a little peaked this morning.  They look thirsty.

It feels wonderful to post again!

In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life:  it goes on.  Robert Frost

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday and HBD To You

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WHO’S ON FIRST

Leading off is the Karma sweater, which I’ve made progress on even since taking this photo.  One sleeve is finished, left to do is the other sleeve and a bit of stockinette around the neckline to make is roll even more –

This sweater has been a joy to knit!

Next up – A huge granny square using leftover sock yarn, with no particular effort to match yarn color or even coordination.  I’m calling it Granny’s Grab Bag Blanket.

On third base – Crocus Vernus Socks, with heel flap begun, from The Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet:

You’ll just have to trust me regarding the heel flap.

Last up is another granny square, trying to coordinate colors this time, that may end up as a scarf.  Who knows?

THE GRANDS

Tell me this is not the cutest baby ever!  The Sprout being her lovely self –

Today is a special day in Pawpaw and BeBe World – The Papoose turns three today!  Look how much she’s grown!

Hot off the presses!

Three years later….

Happy Birthday, Papoose!

I’m linking up, as usual, with Tami Ami’s WIP Wednesday blog.  Come check it out!

Problems are only opportunities with thorns on them.  Hugh Miller

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Knitting

Habit, I Snapped

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IT SEEMS LIKE SO LONG

It feels like weeks since I made my last post, but that can’t really be – my last post was Friday, just a few days ago.  Blogging has become a fixture, I don’t have to remind myself to do it anymore, now, if it’s been more than a day or too, I feel that something is missing or something has been left undone.  I’m happy to be back at my routine, even if it’s been just a few days.

BIRDY UPDATE

Mr. Iknead and I have become somewhat attached to the doves and their chicks nesting on our patio.  Saturday morning, when I did my usual morning walk around, looking at my flowers and checking the feeders, I noticed that neither Mama or Daddy Dove was on the nest and got a good look at the babies.  What did we do before iPhones??

Climbed up on the long disused doghouse and snapped this.

A little bit of research tells me that doves can raise up to six broods a year!  We’re hoping that that’s true for “our” pair and we’ll have more chicks to enjoy.

ON THE NEEDLES

I’m still plugging along on too many projects and have added two more, crochet instead of knit.  Will reveal for WIP Wednesday tomorrow.  I think this brings the grand total up to six – the basket next to my knitting/reading chair runneth over!

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.  Mark Twain

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Knitting

Surprise, Hey Chick!

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LOOK WHAT I FOUND!

In my ongoing organizing, donating, trashing, recycling project, I came across a box that’s been underfoot for a long time but remained uninvestigated in recent memory.  Opened that baby up and look what I found!!!  I vaguely, very vaguely, a brief infatuation with novelty yarn but I’ve no clue why I am the owner of a cone of Sugar and Cream, colorway Potpourri.  I see a lot of dishcloths in my future.  Wait!!  Babymama has recently fallen madly in love with knitting dishcloths and given Babydaddy’s austerity program, this could be right down her alley.  Now I see  lot of dishcloths in HER future.  There were other goodies in the box, two pairs of brand spanking new Clover needles, size 8 and size 13, you can never have too many needles, you know.

DOVE WATCH

We have a chick!!!  It’s pretty good size, probably about a week old or so, and fuzzy.  I spotted it this morning when I went out to check on Mama Dove.  I guess it’s just now getting to the peeking out of the nest phase.  Can you see it’s beady black eyes?  It’s to the right of Mama Dove, just peeking over the big leaf.

ON THE NEEDLES

No FO Friday offering today, but the Karma sweater is humming along nicely, along with the Crocus and Sunday Swing Socks.  Maybe next week……

Persistence is self-discipline in action.  Brian Tracy

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 05/08/13 Short n Sweet

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ON THE NEEDLES

I think I have more WIPs than I ever have, due to a terminal case of startitis over the past month or so.  I’ve been working steadily on each of them and so far project boredom hasn’t set in, which is a good thing, because that’s how my startitis starts.  So, here they are, in no particular order:

Crocus Vernus Socks from Knitter’s Curiosity Cabinet

The yarn is a mystery Shibui Sock that I discovered in the sale bin at Yarn Mart.  I think it’s perfect, don’t you?

Sunday Swing Socks

These are also knitted using Shibui Sock, colorway Poodle Skirt and are sharing the stage with Stephanie Pearl-McPhee‘s newest book.  I’m linking up with Ginny’s Yarn Along this week, so don’t forget to drop by and check out more projects and current reads.

Last, but certainly not least, is a simple, top down sweater I’m calling Karma as it started out as the Imagine Sweater, morphed into the Yarn Formerly Known As Sweater and is now born again.  Instant Karma, anyone??

100% cotton Yarn Formerly Known As Sweater in Periwinkle

Don’t forget to check out Ginny’s Yarn Along and Tami Ami’s WIP Wednesday blog.

Well we all shine on

Like the moon and the stars and the sun

Well we all shine on

Everyone, come on

John Lennon

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