Tag: Christmas

2020

Christmas Countdown

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Ten days until Christmas and while I’m definitely in hurry up and get these projects finished mode, I’m not panicking. I am, however, hyperfocused and am determined to be finished by Christmas Eve. No photos as these projects are destined to be gifts, but here is a photo of the grandkids to ooooh and ahhhh over.

Susannah, Harper, Annabelle, Charlee and Emma

Shepherd

After a long dry knitting spell I think I’ve gotten my knitting mojo back and have finished several projects that were started pre-covid. I keep forgetting that one of the biggest reasons my knitting/pottery projects were in limbo was because I broke my arm in March. It’s impossible to knit with a casted arm!

My First Go at Arm Knitting

Trieste Hat

These two FOs aren’t gifts so I decided to go ahead and show them off. The arm knitting experiment was interesting and easy so I ordered 12 skeins of jumbo yarn to knit up into one of those ginormous squishy throws that keep showing up in my Pinterest feed. The Trieste hat is for me to wear when I walk Dixie. My ball cap just hasn’t cut it warmth-wise on our last couple of walks!

Details on these projects can be found here and here.

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows. Epictetus

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Christmas in Bangkok

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Hi all!

So, what did you think of the changes in my About Me page? It took me a long time to get the new content from my head to WordPress!  As for my 2020 Intentions, one of my main one is to start and stick to a blogging schedule.  I haven’t quite gotten that one settled in my mind but just getting started feels like a big step in the right direction! 👟👟

I hope you had a great holiday!  Mr. iknead and I went to Bangkok for Christmas with the Bangkok Bunch.  So good to see them…..even with Facetime, etc., sometimes I crave being able to hug them in person, hold their hands and hear their voices in person. Unfortunately, I was sick the. whole. time. with bronchitis. I went to the doctor and he gave me antibiotics and cough medicine.  They helped a little and at least got me through the long, long flight home.😷🤒👨‍⚕️💊

Best gift ever?  The Bangkok bunch is coming home! 🏠🏠🏠 The excitement and the relief of having them close by again is overwhelming!  🎇🎇🎇🤸‍♂️😍

 

I’m still plugging away at Gray Day.  I’ve had to rip the entire cable pattern out and start it again twice.🤬but it’s progressing slowly!

I plan to do an  update of my Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery, in the next day or so, keep an eye on it – you don’t want to miss a thing!  Here’s a preview –

Knitting

Mixed Media, Whew, Precious Ones

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WHEW!!!!

I’m a tiny bit late posting for Mixed Media Monday, the Iknead family has been on the go since a few days before the Christmas holiday until today, such a blessed, busy time.  We had a wonderful Christmas; but with the grands and the kids, I’m not sure it could have been anything else!  Santa was extra nice, apparently we’ve all been very good this year and I have the pictures to prove it!

 

My son in law is the only person I’ve ever known to ask for cheese for Christmas.  Really.  If you’re wondering, it’s a Stilton he’s so excited about.

 

 

 

Happy Elf!

Sorry Babydiva!  No pics because you have your back turned on them all.  Every. Single. One.

MY OWN MIXED MEDIA

 

Book paper, fabric, stains, card stock, die cuts, wood heart doodad

 Ooh, ooh, ooh!  I scored a Big Shot die cutter at half price at Michael’s yesterday!!

He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.  Lao Tzu


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Knitting

Whatcha Workin’ On? Wednesday 12/24/14

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ON MY NEEDLES

After a bit of drama last night, finding that Big Mac had discovered the Tulip Socks and the ball of yarn that was birthing them, after he apparently went zooming around the den with the yarn trailing behind and getting wound around table legs and chairs, I salvaged what I could and frogged what was left of the socks and started over.  I wasn’t really pleased with the toe and the heel also left something to be desired anyway.  Actually, this was right on the heels of another wip incident regarding the Mini Mania Cowl I started on Friday.  Overcome with the excitement of getting a treat, Josie leaped off the couch and tore into the kitchen with the cowl yarn looped around one of her back feet and the rest, as they say, is history. The needles were pulled nearly all the way out and I decided it would be more efficient time-wise to just finish what she started and cast on again.  Oh, and for the record, the cowl called for a cast on of 555 stitches….sigh.

Tulip Sock 2.0

 

This is Big Mac.  He’s not a bit sorry.

BOOKLOVE 12/24/14

I’m still reading Jodi Piccoult’s The Storyteller; I’ve not had a lot of reading time this past week, but I hoping for an hour or two of uninterrupted quiet the next few days, mostly while the grands are napping, or at least pretending to nap. 💤

At Christmas play and make good cheer,/ For Christmas comes but once a year.  Thomas Tusser, A Hundred Good Points


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Knitting

Cray Cray Christmas, Life Change

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WHEW!

Our (usual) cray cray Christmas has come and gone and from the pics, we were all very very good the past year.  What was the best part?  The Iknead/Coleman/Vaughan family had not one, but two Christmases, The Iknead/Vaughans in the morning and the Iknead/Coleman/Vaughans in the evening.

We went to the Christmas Eve Candlelight Service:

Where I learned that hearing a precious three year old grand singing “Oh Come Let Us Adore Him” will move me to tears, then and now; reminding me of the joy of the real gifts of Christmas, past, present and future.  (Excuse me, I need a tissue).

  Bigdaddy, as always, set a beautiful table for us Christmas morning:

Again, the food was delish and the company, delightful!

We had a visit from Santa:

and were able to squeeze in a Christmas snuggle or two:

Babydaddy was gracious enough to play Santa for Round 2:

I finally can post a Christmas knitting FO:

Babydaddy’s Handknit Socks

Santa made another stop at Babydiva’s house:

and found that Babydiva had also been very good!

What’s the over the top, greatest thing ever, long time coming and more than well deserved gift for all of the family this Christmas season?  Are you sitting down?

(Cue the fanfare)

Mr. Iknead is retired as of December 19, 2013!  Retired as in the ceremonial turning off of the alarm clock, sitting around, reading the newspaper and drinking coffee in the morning and what shall I do today retired.

Congratulations, sweetie!  You’ve more than earned it!  I can’t wait to get started on this new life chapter with you!

More to follow………

When the solution is simple, God is answering.  Albert Einstein

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Knitting

WIP Wednesday 11/27/13

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ON THE NEEDLES

Quince&Co Scapula Scarf done in Lark, colorway Bird’s Egg

Tina Martinez’s Fascine Socks, done in Fiesta Baby Boom, colorway Sweet Pea, started last night

Last, Jennifer L. Jones’ Easy Leaves Scarf, in black mystery yarn from stash

You have to use your imagination on this one!

Iknead fam, don’t get your hopes up – I’m doing these for ME!  You don’t really think I’d post any Christmas knitting, now, do you??

BY THE BOOK

I just finished this book and loved it!  I never wanted it to end!

The Sisters

Linking with Tami, Frontier Dreams KCCO and Ginny’s Yarn A Long.

I have done my plowing: I have sown my seed.  Again I have time to sit and read my books.  T’ao Chien

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Knitting

Winding Down/Looking Back/Moving Forward

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AS PROMISED

Here are the promised photos of the grands.  I hadn’t forgotten to post, in fact, I thought about it a lot, several times a day but was just too freakin’ lazy to put down my knitting, get up out of my comfy, warm by the fire chair and log on.  I kept telling myself that “no I’m not procrastinating, I’m building anticipation”.  See, I can rationalize anything.

CHRISTMAS WITH THE GRANDS

Babymama, Babydaddy, Bigmommy and Bigdaddy conspired, booked a photographer and surprised Mr. Iknead and me with a words fail me photo collage of the grands.  Here are just a few of the pics.  Get ready, you might not be able to handle the sweetness –

Left to Right – Annabelle, Susannah and Harper

Harper in Charge

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Every Day Should Be Christmas

And one more just because I love the excitement and innocence captured.  They look like they’ve seen Santa!

Do You See What I See???

Told ya they were amazing, beautiful and sweet.

ON THE NEEDLES

The Zigzag Lace socks are toast.  Finished the first sock, decided I didn’t like it and that life’s too short to knit something that I didn’t love, frogged it and started over with the Catnip Sock pattern.  Much, much better.  No documentation yet, probably for WIP Wednesday.  Second first sock completed, first second sock started.

RESOLUTIONS?

I have a couple, one of which is to deliberately set aside 30 minutes a couple of mornings a week for blog housekeeping and updating and Ravelry following.  Funny, I thought when I retired, I’d be doing a lot more of each but I’ve found that not to be the case, probably because I’m not sitting at a computer all day.  I have a few more possible resolutions, I’ll share after I put the finishing touches on them.  Maybe I should call the goals instead of resolutions.  Hmmmm.

What are your goals/resolutions?

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, And the life of the candle will not be shortened.  Happiness never decreases by being shared.  Buddha

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Knitting

All is Calm/WIP Wednesday 12/26/12

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

A day out from Christmas and like I said before, it was the best Christmas ever.  We had the three grands, along with mommies and daddies yesterday and I couldn’t have wished for a better, happier, busier and all around more perfect day.  More on the grands later, Mr. Iknead was chief paparazzi so he’ll have to get the pics loaded onto the computer so I, in turn, can get them to Flickr and then share.

OUTSIDE

Did I mention that we had a real, live, only once in 80 years according to the weatherdude white Christmas?  Just in case I didn’t, it began raining, which in turn changed to freezing rain, then sleet and then finally, snow, starting about 2 p.m. yesterday.  I’m not a great estimator of stuff but I’m pretty sure we have at least 6-8 inches on the ground.  Thank you God that we didn’t lose power like so many others did.  I think Mr. Iknead and I ran ten miles back and forth, looking out various windows, just to watch the snow fall.  Because the snow came in on the heels of an ice storm, I’m sure the streets are very slick, with a sheet of ice under the snow.  Grateful to have a warm house, with lights, hot water and heat; if we really want to feel like we’re roughing it, we build a big fire in the fireplace and take turns rearranging the logs and stuff to get maximum heat.  Used to be a country chick, I guess now I’m more of a city chick.  Still build a mean fire though.  It must be like riding a bicycle, you never forget how.  Here’s a few pics from yesterday and this morning.

12/25/12

Backyard last night

12/26/12 Christmas Blizzard

Front yard this morning

12/26/12 Christmas Blizzard

ON THE NEEDLES

OMG, I’ve been so distracted by the snow that I nearly forgot about WIP Wednesday.  A new pair of socks is in progress, Zigzag Lace from Vogue Knitting Ultimate Sock Book.  Many moons ago I took a photo of the yarn I’m using, it’s called River Rock and I must be living right because here’s a pic –

Denali from Pagewood Farm

Merino Superwash/ Nylon

80/20

Zigzag Lace

Love WIP Wednesdays? Hop over to Tami Amis blog and check them out.

Stay tuned, more to follow.

With self-discipline, most anything is possible.  Theodore Roosevelt

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Knitting

OK, OK, I’m blogging already!

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WHAT’S UP

I been neglecting my blog the past week or so, I’ve been so busy, wrapping up Christmas stuff, attending the grands’ Christmas pageant (more about that in a second) and just acclimating myself to real retirement.  It’s a big change, believe me, but I’m getting into the swing of things.  Even though I can’t seem to sleep past about 6:30 a.m., just taking my time with the newspaper and coffee is a continuing happy.  I’m busy, don’t think I’m sitting around watching soaps and eating bon-bons.  I’m baking (which is different from cooking), cooking, visiting my mom, knitting (lots of it) and reading.  I love retirement – I think more people should try it! ; )

THE GRANDS’ PAGEANT

The Papoose and Babysis were in their first Christmas pageant on Wednesday evening.  The Papoose was an angel (no surprise there) and Babysis stepped up as the Baby Jesus.  The sweetest things ever!  We did have a tiny bump in the performance when Angel Papoose turned around, saw the audience and immediately had a small meltdown,  crying very pitiously until Bigmommy took her down from the stage and she came to sit (on the front row of course) with Grandmary, Pops, Pawpaw and me.  Best. Angel. Ever.

Two seconds and counting down pre-meltdown!

In the green room before her big entrance

Babysis rocked it out as the Baby Jesus, sleeping through the whole thing and being all the more precious because of it.

Showing off her new smile with Bebe (that’s me)

FUNNY THING ABOUT TIME

It flies.  The holidays are nearly upon us and it feels (at least to me) like we just wrapped up Christmas 2011 a week or so ago, relaxing and telling each other that “this was the best Christmas ever”.  We’ll say it again in about a week, vowing that nothing could top Christmas 2012, what with two babies on their first Christmas and one who’s just getting the hang of presents and Santa.  The wonder never leaves me, I’m blessed.

Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart.  who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.  Carl Jung

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Knitting

It Happened, It really Happened!!

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WHAT’S NEW

As of this morning, I’m officially retired.  It’s come about just a tiny bit before I had originally planned, about seven working days, but after a follow up doctor visit yesterday, he recommended I stay off work at least until 12/20, my original last day at work.  I went in to the office this morning to give my boss the note the doctor wrote regarding my leave and to begin cleaning my office of 15 years worth of accumulated stuff, lots of books, a couple of radios (neither of which work), notes to myself (trashed), stuff I thought was funny or important that went on my bulletin board (mostly trash now) and the odds and ends that just seem to accumulate over time.  It feels really strange to officially be retired, to not have return to work date.  Truthfully, even though plans were made and loose ends tied up, it really didn’t seem real; I guess I didn’t believe it would really happen.

O CHRISTMAS TREE

This must be some sort of Iknead household record – Mr. Iknead and I got our tree up and decorated last Sunday afternoon.  I took a page out of Bigmommy’s book and put some kind of holiday decoration in every room.  Funny, it seems like so much more fun this year, maybe because I’m not on a crazy timetable (see above) to get things done.   Is this how it’s supposed to be??

Even Josie was dragged into the Christmas spirit –

SAY WHAT!?

Weatherdude just said some weather models are predicting a chance of snow next Tuesday.  This after I walked Josie day before yesterday in jeans and a tee shirt.  Arkansas weather is bipolar, to say the least.

Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.  Muhammad Ali

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Knitting

FO Friday 12/7/12

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Adamas shawl, as modeled by Babymama aka Katie

Babymama was such a good sport, standing in the rain and chilly temp to model for me.  Is she a great DIL or what?  BTW, This is a Knitty pattern.  Love Knitty, my go to when I need inspiration.

THE GRANDS

Bigmommy called last evening to give us a heads up that the Papoose is going to be in the church’s Christmas Pageant on December 19.  No surprise, she’s going to be an angel.  Can’t wait to see her with her wings.  All this with proper documentation (read pictures and videos ad nauseam to anyone but family), of course.  NOTE:  Wiki defines ad nauseam as “A Latin term for something that has continued to the point of nausea”.

IN THE OVEN

Today’s the day that I get serious about Christmas baking.  It’s been a tradition for years that I start my holiday baking with pumpkin bread with cream cheese spread for friends, with the recipient list growing longer and longer.  I think I ended up baking about 30 loaves last year.  It goes without saying that that’s a LOT of pumpkin and pecans/walnuts.  Lucky for me, I have a hook up for pecans for about half of what they go for in the grocery store, shelled and ready to use.  If you haven’t bought pecans recently, they cost about $8.00 a pound in the store.  I scored ten pounds for $38.00 and can’t help gloating a little.  Pecan pie, anyone?

For more FO Friday offerings, check out Tami Ami’s blog, it’s loaded with FO goodness.

At Christmas play and make good cheer, for Christmas comes but once a year.  Thomas Tusser

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