Knitting

Finally A FO, New MOMMs, Challenge Completed

July 18, 2014July 18, 2014 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES

Yay!!! I finally have a FO! I finished the Crazy Monkey socks and they turned out to be fabulous! I haven’t decided whether they will be a gift or whether they will take up residence in MY sock drawer, even though they’re a tad snug. If you missed the details, you can catch up here.

If you’re new to knitting two at a time toe ups or just want to try the technique, this pattern is a good one, well written with easy to understand instructions.

MOMM*/THE DOCUMENTED LIFE PROJECT UPDATES

I have a couple of mixed media projects to share, along with this week’s TDL completed challenge. The challenge this week was to add a wish list. My list ended up underneath my project layers, with just a word or two showing.

The bubbles on the facing page just sort of happened when I was trying out new markers and pencils, I love how it looks!

You can read more about The Documented Life Project here.

Here are some “freestyle” mixed media projects I’ve been working on.

I usually just start out with a color that appeals to me, then the layers of whatever catch my eye just happen.

Watch the Birdie

I’ve been a little fixated on birds for a while, so they show up pretty regularly. It helps that the bird shape is simple enough for me to sketch freehand.

Drawing flowers is another recent fixation, I found a photo of a gorgeous calla lily on Pinterest and tried to recreate it.

SOON TO BE BIG SISTER

My precious middle granddaughter and soon to be big sister, Babydiva

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Confucius

*My Own Mixed Media

Knitting

FO Friday, Blogs and Monkey Pool

April 5, 2013 mud&stringLeave a comment

OFF THE NEEDLES OR TGIFOF

The Monkey Pool socks are finished as of yesterday. The Parakeet yarn was amazing to work with, unfortunately, the pattern I started out with, Spring Pools, not so much. This was totally my fault. The pretty pattern was lost in the busy colors on the yarn. Of course, I decided this AFTER the first sock was finished. So, I changed canoes so to speak in the middle of the stream and the second sock is a Crazy Monkey, making these a pair of Monkey Pool socks.

FYI – I tried to post a link for the Parakeet yarn but can’t read the name of the web address on the label. Sorry about that. It’s from The Great Adirondack Yarn Company.

L – Spring Pools R- Crazy Monkey

I’m still on the lookout for the perfect buttons for Olivia. I’m going to Goodwill today to search for some I can repurpose and if not, then I’ll continue my stalking. This search has motivated me to start stockpiling buttons that catch my interest and since I’m a diehard collector, the house will be awash in buttons in no time. Besides, I think buttons are cool. Speaking of Olivia, she’s blocked and ready to receive the final touches, an applied I-cord (which I’m going to need help with) and, of course, the buttons. I’ll show her off as soon as she’s officially totally completed, FO Friday or not!

SHAMELESS PLUG

While you’re blog surfing, please check out these two, which are near and dear to my heart, wife.mother.disciple at susiemom.wordpress.com and The Mommy Life 101 at kcoleman1009.wordpress.com. As mentioned in another post, these blogs are Bigmommy and Babymama’s first blogs ever and we all know, especially with blogging, a little encouragement goes a long way! Thanks in advance!

Another blog you don’t want to miss is Tamis Ami’s and since it’s FO Friday, it’s full of FO goodness. You’ll be blown away by the creativity of us fiber freaks, I always am!

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties. Erich Fromm

Knitting

FO Friday 08/31/12

August 31, 2012 mud&stringLeave a comment

They’re done, finally! The Crazy Monkeys are hot off the needles and here they are:

On to the next!

Nobody’s sweetheart is ugly. Dutch proverb

Knitting

A Brisket, A Tasket

August 21, 2012 mud&stringLeave a comment

NEW FOR ME

At last week’s grocery store outing, on a whim I decided to try out a precooked smoked brisket, one of those that just has to be heated, and I’m here to tell you, it. was. awesome. Yeah, this is definitely on the Coleman Kitchen Hit Parade. I’ve been making sandwiches for work all week and it’s so good! I wish I’d tried it sooner, and it doesn’t get much easier than this.

THE GRANDS

The fam descended upon Stuttgart on Saturday and the Papoose was so proud to show off her new big girl bed and her newfound (sometimes) potty skills. I especially like that she can inspect her toes and potty at the same time. A born multitasker just like her bebe.

More toe action.

Babydiva has just discovered her feet and toes.

ON THE NEEDLES

I’m still plugging along on the Crazy Monkeys, with one sock complete and about 1/3 of the way finished on its mate. I caved and went to my lys and splurged on some new yarn, enough for my newest, soon to be started project, Bauble, a First Fall Surprise from Knitty. Two skeins gray and totally out of character for me, two skeins of an orangy, makes you think of Thanksgiving, brown and gold mix. Now, I don’t like orange, I don’t wear orange, I look like I have jaundice when I wear orange, but all the same, it called to me and I marched up to the counter with two skeins of it, deciding to think out of the box a little when it comes to color. I’ll get pictures tonight.

Here are the photos I promised –

Told you it was orange

Colorways and dye lots are posted on Flickr in my notebook.

The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking. John Kenneth Galbraith

BY THE BOOK

Still slogging through Steve Jobs, finishing it come hell or high water. It’s been a very long listen, I think I’m just ready for something new. Before I started the Jobs book, I reread King’s Dark Tower series and like always, I’m mesmerized by the story. Maybe I’m just having a problem switching from fiction to nonfiction.