Knitting

September 29, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

THE GRANDS

Mr. Iknead and I had the pleasure of some two on one time yesterday with Babydiva while Babymama and Babydaddy caught a matinee (did I spell that right?) of Wicked and it’s hard to tell who had the better time. We went on a field trip to Good Earth Garden Center and we had a blast. I took lots of pictures of the back of Babydiva’s head, since she never quits moving and her philosophy is “why sit when you can walk and why walk when you can run?” Note to self – wear running shoes next time. See what I mean?

Look at that sweet hand!

I got it, Pawpaw.

Then, there’s the Papoose and Sprout.

Precious Sprout

The Papoose and cookie dough love.

What did we do before we had grands?

Patience and perseverence have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish. John Adams

Knitting

Looky here, Grands and Cookies

September 20, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

LOOK WHAT I MADE!

A very kind friend donated some fabric scraps a couple of weeks ago when she found out I was doing some crafty sewing – we’re talking high end stuff. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I’d forgotten all about them, which happens a lot around here. It doesn’t help that I have fabric and yarn and quite a bit of found stuff that I found intriguing and brought home from who knows where. Really, I do know where, I find stuff on my walks all.the.time. Stuff I can’t resist picking up and examining, always wondering about the backstory. My children keep reminding me that this is how hoarders get started. But I digress. Backing it up… I started digging around in some fabric that I had laid aside a while ago and found this really cool upholstery fabric. Thanks Jean! Look what I made!

A new needle roll to corral at least a few of the (knitting) needles I have at any given time close to hand.

Here’s a look at the outside

A peek inside

I put a big pocket on the end to hold circulars

Rolled up

I like it!

THE GRANDS

I had the joy of one on one time with a couple of the grands yesterday – The Sprout and I, along with Babymama and Babydiva, visited the library for Book Babies and a good time was had by all. Books, babies, songs, rhymes, it was so fun! I probably had more fun than anyone else. Sometimes, my enthusiam embarrasses my kids, but my grands love it and I have no plans to scale back any time soon.

After lunch, I put the Sprout down for a nap and the Papoose and I made chocolate chip cookies, best I’d ever tasted! I took pictures:

Just getting started – modeling her apron

Making sure the sugar is still sweet

Ready to scrape the bowl

Pretty close to perfect, Susie says.

One more scrape

The Closing Ceremonies

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is. Albert Einstein

Knitting

HBD!!

December 4, 2012 mud&stringLeave a comment

WHAT’S UP

Happy birthday Mr. Iknead! I love you!

THE GRANDS

Mr. Iknead and I got to spend some quality time with all three of the grands this morning. Bigdaddy, Bigmommy and Babymama all had business here in Little Rock and so naturally, we jumped at the chance to be able to hog the babies for a couple of hours without parental supervision. It was heaven. We learned that 1)Babydiva loves dry cinnamon toast crunch cereal, 2) The Papoose never turns down chocolate milk and 3) Babysis smiles at ceiling fans. I told you it was heaven, didn’t I?

The Papoose

Babysis with her Elvis ‘do

Babydiva

CURRENT EVENTS OR NONEVENTS WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE

I’m still on medical leave, coming up on 2 1/2 weeks tomorrow and it’s been harder than I ever imagined it would be. Not the not working part, totally into that, but I’m having a hard time remembering that I don’t have to go at a dead run all the time, trying to fit a week’s worth of stuff into a couple of days. I have real, live free time (though I seem to stay busy), so have been doing a lot of cooking, knitting, reading, walking and whatever else strikes my fancy at any particular moment. Right now, I’ve got Mr. Iknead’s requested birthday supper on the stove, homemade spaghetti sauce, simmering nicely and am engaged in obsessively checking to see if the UPS man has brought my new Kitchenaid mixer so I can begin my holiday baking and Mr. Iknead’s birthday dessert. Since we live on a fairly busy street and I’m compelled to run and check every time I hear what sounds like a big vehicle, I’ve probably covered a couple of miles 40 feet or so at a time.

BY THE BOOK

This week, I’ve been listening to Running the Books, by Avi Steinberg and enjoying it immensely. I’m totally enjoying time with my books, whether ebooks, audiobooks or paper. Maybe I can finally make some progress on my want to read list, which, by the way, just gets longer and longer. Loving rediscovering leisurely reading!

OFF THE NEEDLES

I finished my Adamas shawl last weekend and finally was able to hook up with Babymama for a picture. I think they’re both lovely-

I also have a pair of socks in progress at Mr. Iknead’s request but I’m saving those for tomorrow, it being WIP Wednesday and all, they’re working up nicely. Gotta love superwash merino. As Martha would say “It’s a good thing”.

The generous and bold have the best lives. Norwegian proverb

Knitting

Experimenting

October 15, 2012 mud&stringLeave a comment

DABBLINGS

I’ve been trying out some different crafts in the past few weeks, mostly jewelry, but also glass dyeing. I’ve for sure not perfected my glass dyeing technique, but it’s fun to try different things, different shapes and different colors. Here’s a sample; this what they look like before they’ve dried –

And this is about 24 hours later, after they’ve had some drying time. I love how they start out opaque and then slowly clear and true colors appear.

Now my challenge is deciding what to do with them, pretty much every horizontal surface in my house is taken. I’m thinking I might take them to the nursing home where my mom lives, I think she’d enjoy them on her windowsill. With the sun shining through, they look like stained glass.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Babymama had a birthday last week, here’s Mr. Iknead’s and my gift.

I finished it about a week before her actual birthday, it was so hard not to give it to her ahead of time! I couldn’t wait to find out if she liked it. She did and has worn it several times since.

Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. Robert Fulghum

Knitting

Gotta love Prince Harry

August 12, 2012August 12, 2012 mud&stringLeave a comment

Prince Harry on the Jumbotron at Olympic closing ceremonies sing and whistle to the Bright Side of Life with the Monty Python guy. Love it a million times.

WHAT I DID

Crafts, I did crafts today. First up, a bracelet and necklace.

I’ve been experimenting with salt dough, molding it and finding different textures, just mostly playing, this little bracelet is one of the results.

I picked up a leaf on my walk yesterday and used it sort of like a stamp. I think it turned out pretty cool. I don’t think Tiffany’s has anything to worry about, but I like it.

I finally got the Wingspan and Summer Flies shawlette’s blocked. Both turned out very nicely.

Wingspan

Summer Flies

Summer Flies Close-up

THE GRANDS

Babymama has to go back to work tomorrow, Babydiva will be with her nanny and we’ll all breathe a little easier when it’s this time tomorrow. I remember when I had to go back to work after being on maternity leave, it was sooooo difficult to tear myself away from my baby the first morning. I expect Babymama and Babydiva to be totally worn out tomorrow evening. Sending them loving thoughts. Tomorrow’s going to be a long one for them.

SO HOW ‘BOUT THOSE OLYMPICS?

Great games, got a little overdosed on women’s beach volleyball, thanks to Mr. Iknead. How come the guys wore tanks and baggy shorts and the women wore bikinis? Would Mr. Iknead have been glued to the TV if the guys wore what the swimmers wore and the girls wore what the guys wore? Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m just sayin….. Seriously, I’m so proud of all the athletes, wherever they were from, all deserved a medal. London, indeed, did it right.

The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win. Roger Bannister

Knitting

The one where we step

April 30, 2012 mud&stringLeave a comment

outside the box a little today. We went to Mass with Babydaddy and Babymama and Harper this morning. Been a long time since I sat through a service and I got a little squirmy, but my heart felt nourished, it was good. We had lunch with Babymama and Babydaddy, not so relaxing, Harper wasn’t a happy camper for most of the time, but it didn’t help that the service was soooooooooo slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Two hours from the time we sat down to the time we settled up our check. Usually, Mr. Iknead and I would have been history had we been by ourselves, but when you’re with a group, it’s more difficult. At least I was on my best behavior and didn’t get too bent out of shape. Maybe the Mass was working or something.

Here’s the official first half of the Leaf Lace Socks and the beginning of the second:ial