Tag: Harper

Knitting

I Do Redo, WIP Wednesday and Grands

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I DO REDO

Mr. Iknead and I renewed our wedding vows last Friday for our 35th anniversary.  It was surprisingly emotional, both for me and for him.  I’m not a crier at all, so to just break down with happy tears was unusual.  We had Holy Communion – again, surprisingly emotional and just special.  That’s the only word I can find to describe it, special.

Aren’t we beautiful! Seriously!

Trio of Blessings

L to R – The Sprout, Babydiva and The Papoose

 

 After pics, we all went out to dinner and it was just joyous…..until the nasty little incident with Babydiva.

Here’s what happened:  we had to wait for a table, not unusual, we were a big group and it was Friday evening.  Waiting for a table with three hungry children had ugly potential, so Babydaddy and Bigmommy took the big girls outside to wait.  Lots of little girl fun, with hopping, skipping attempts, chattering, laughing, squealing – little girl stuff.  During a round of hopping, Babydiva tripped and faceplanted on the sidewalk.  Lots of blood and little girl hysterics, both from Babydiva and the Papoose.  Luckily, no broken or loose teeth, just a fat lip and we were able to get it iced quickly. I think Babydaddy was more traumatized than Babydiva, luckily for them, I just happened to have a Tide pen in my pocketbook and his bloody shirt was taken care of and Babydiva just happened to have some Barbie stickers and what didn’t come out with the pen, she put stickers over.

Poor Baby

Anyhow, it didn’t affect her appetite and by the end of the meal, all were happy again.   Parenting in the Trenches or Never A Dull Moment. : )

ON THE NEEDLES

Slip Stitch Felted Bag

Irina Poludnenko, Designer

Kureyon #352 and Cascade 220 #7801

Linking with Tami and Frontier Dreams.

Imagination rules the world.  Napoleon Bonaparte

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Knitting

Spoiler Alert, Grands and Other Random Stuff

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SPOILERALERTSPOILERALERTSPOILERALERT

I got my Phat Fiber Sampler box a few days ago and look what was in it!

Luscious Yarn Samples

and some sweet stitch markers, a cool snake button and a Tardis keychain!

Nice, right?

BUT WAIT!  THERE’S MORE!

My new Yarnbox subscription arrived yesterday containing not one, but TWO hanks of this equally luscious yarn!

Yes, as a matter of fact, yarn DOES make me happy!   The colorway is called Anodized and I’m having a difficult time keeping the startitis monkeys off my back.  I’m trying to hold out at least until I finish one of the two pairs of socks that are currently on the needles. At the moment, it could go either way.

Two lovely packages in two days – it doesn’t get much better than that in my world.  Except for this…….

GRANDS

I love how my three grandgirls are BFFs, even at their young ages.  Someday I’m going to be janie on the spot and video the happiness and hugs when they greet each other, whether it’s been an hour or a week since they’ve been together.

2/3 of the Iknead grands

the remaining 1/3

Seriously, could the Sprout be any cuter???

Clearly, the Iknead clan is triple blessed with these three, which will become four this summer.   Babymama and Babydaddy plan a gender reveal for my birthday next week, I’ll keep you posted.

FEET

Mine are really, really ugly and I need a pedicure STAT.  Except that I’ve let them go this winter and am embarrassed for the pedicure people to even see them.  A monthly (at least) pedi makes all the difference in the world and I know they probably see worse feet than mine, but I envision them sounding the alarm and running for the hills when they see my car pull up in the parking lot.  I don’t know though, my embarrassment makes me a really good tipper, maybe they’re running toward the door instead.  Ya think?

Never mistake motion for action.  Ernest Hemingway

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Knitting

Here Goes Nuthin’/V-tine Day

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ANOTHER TRY

Once again I’m trying my hand at snagging a Phat Fiber Sampler Box – me and about a zillion other fiber fanatics this morning.  Down to the last two minutes…… Once again, came up empty handed.  Better luck next time, hope springs eternal and all that.

HEARTSNFLOWERS

Mr. Iknead and I tend to prefer low key celebrations.  We exchanged cards and then went for a nice (early) dinner at Big Orange.  I’m pretty sure I went over my Weight Watchers points for yesterday, given the cheeseburger and fries I consumed, but, I walked on the treadmill yesterday morning and plan to hop on it again here in a few minutes.  The cheeseburger/fries — totally worth it!

Valentine Babydiva

Better than chocolate!

Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination.  Voltaire

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Knitting

Oh No, No FO, Should I MYOB?, Grands

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OFF THE NEEDLES

Nothing, despite a serious case of startitis and my resolve to not start anything new until I get at least one of my current WIPs off the needles.

ON THE NEEDLES

First sleeve of Mariella Cardi

Best Friend Scarf using a ball of Jojoland Melody I found in one of my stash dives.

The second sock of a pair for me; the yarn is a mystery, the pattern is in my head.

I need to bust a move on at least one of these projects, I have a pattern and yarn that is calling me like a sideshow barker, “Hurry, hurry, hurry!  Step right this way!  Get ready for the most fabulous project of your life!  Hurry, hurry, hurry!

QUESTION

Should I (diplomatically) point out typos in a friend’s otherwise beautiful website?  They’re nothing serious, nothing that couldn’t be fixed with a simple proofread; wouldn’t you want something that represents you to be perfect?  Should I mention it or should I MYOB?  What would you do?

TUESDAY WITH THE GRANDS

The Sprout and the Slide

Babydiva Daredevil

A thing well said will be wit in all languages

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Knitting

Random Tuesday

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RANDOMLY

We got a new mailbox!  The house siding is finished, yay; but with the new siding, the old mailbox looked very old and sad, so it retired to the great recycle bin in the sky and was replaced by this:

New kid in town.  Isn’t it pretty??

OUT FOR A SPIN

Here’s a look at my newest spinning project:

The roving came from Greenwood Fiberworks.  For more info, see this post.

THE GRANDS

In no particular order:

The Sprout loves Josie Pug’s kennel.  Look at her new teeth!

The Papoose loves G-grandma and G-grandma loves her back, although you can’t tell it in this pic.  Mema looks like she wants to escape!  BTW, Mema is Mr. Iknead’s mommy.

Babydiva visits her minions!

Age is a question of mind over matter.  If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.  Satchel Paige

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Knitting

Passing It On

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AS PROMISED

Like I posted yesterday, I spent pretty much the entire day with the Papoose and the Sprout.  The Papoose is always fascinated by my knitting, she will pick up a piece of yarn and run it through her fingers, saying “I’m knitting”.  She also has a toy that is big wooden beads on a string that can be strung and unstrung and she’ll put them on and take them off, all the while saying, “Look!  I’m knitting!”  In keeping with my belief that you’re never too young or too old to learn something new, I fixed her up a real, live knitting bag with some old, wooden, blunt size 13 needles and three balls of some scrap yarn – pink, green and blue.   She was so proud!  Like I said, never too young.  I cast on a few stitches for her and she played around with “knitting” most of the day.  Here’s my favorite photo from yesterday –

Proud Papoose

Sweet Hands!

and while we weren’t looking –

Another Knitter Is Born

Seriously, I get a warm, fuzzy, lump in the throat feeling looking at these, thinking about sharing my love for knitting and fiber with the grands and then their sharing it and hopefully, loving it as much as I do.  The more (ehem) mature I become, the more I crave continuity and this makes my heart and soul sing.

JUST A COUPLE MORE

Angel

Babydiva And Babydaddy At The Lake

I love that she loves the water, I see a lot more pool/lake time in the future!

I can be changed by what happens to me but I refuse to be reduced by it.  Maya Angelou

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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

DITD, Book Love, Birthday Girl, FO Friday

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WHAT’S UP

I’ve been a tad down in the dumps the last few days or so, nothing spectacular and nothing that makes me want to stay in bed with the covers pulled over my head, just a mild case of long sighs and dysmotivation*.  I should tell you that there’s no real reason for this dumpy mood, except maybe that my calendar says spring, the clothes catalogues say spring and last week one day it was 70 degrees, but the last few days have been cold and windy.  Windy to the point that power was out in some parts of the city.  Thankfully, we didn’t lose power, that might have pushed me right over the edge and I would have been forced to go buy a pair of sandals or a new pocketbook or something.  Dodged that bullet.

BY THE BOOK

I’m continuing my love affair with the writings of John Steinbeck with Travels with Charley. I’m late to the party with this particular one and am thoroughly enjoying this travelogue. This affair all started with East of Eden, first in a Reader’s Digest condensed book, so long ago I can’t remember the year or my age. I’m pretty certain it was junior high, around 1968 or so. Later, I filled in the blanks (it was a condensed book, remember) with a paperback from some school book club, probably Scholastic. Remember the Scholastic book club?  I lived for the days they handed out the new Scholastic book catalogues and would study them for days, making lists of the ones I wanted.  Even so many years ago, it was always “so many books, so little time”.  I got into trouble more than once for hiding a book inside another book in class, just because I needed to finish “just one more page, I promise”.

Travels with Charley in Search of America

YOU BET I’M PROUD

I usually am tooting my own horn over the grands and I will, later in this post, but I want to share how proud I am of my big girls, my daughter and my daughter in law, Bigmommy and Babymama.  They’ve both started blogs and mentioned me as their inspiration.  Teared me right up, it did.  So, pop over to The Mommy Life 101: Welcome to Motherhood and wife*mother*disciple and see why I’m usually awestruck by these two young women and their accomplishments.

IT’S BABYDIVA’S DAY

Three hundred sixty five days ago, Mr. Iknead and I were up in Labor and Delivery, anxiously awaiting the birth of another precious granddaughter.  Needless to say, we weren’t disappointed and happily added Babydiva to the growing roster of grands.  So much happens in a year and I forget how quickly babies grow and change,

from this

to this

to this

Happy First Birthday Babydiva!

FINALLY FO FRIDAY

Lolita Vest

Lolita vest

I think it turned out nicely.  I wearing it today, again.

Don’t forget to check out Tami Ami’s blog for more FO Friday treats.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.  For while knowledge defines all we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.  Albert Einstein

*Dysmotivation – a word I made up to describe the feeling of not wanting to do anything resembling most definitions of productivity and being compelled instead to read, watch trash TV and surf Rav.

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Knitting

Play On, An Honor and Mad As A Hornet

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A PRIVILEGE AND HONOR

I had the privilege of staying with my sweet grand, Babydiva, while her mommy was on a girl’s trip and her daddy was, sadly, being there for his best friend and brother of the heart while his father was fighting his final battle with cancer. Having lost my father a year ago in July, I know too well how difficult these final struggles are. Joe, you’ve been such a special person to Jordan, first as a teacher and mentor and then as a colleague over the years.  Thank you for your guidance, caring and sharing.  It’s been an honor.

Play On, Joe.  We’ll Miss You!

Jordan and Joe

Teacher, Friend, Mentor, Colleague

THE GRANDS

The Papoose and the Sprout

I couldn’t resist sharing this.  The Papoose’s smile makes me wonder what’s going on with her other hand, could there be a pinch involved somewhere??  Really, though, I think it’s just the Sprout’s temper showing.  Still…..

Age is no guarantee of maturity.  Lawana Blackwell

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Knitting

Late Start

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WHAT’S UP

I’m getting a late start on blogging/computer housekeeping today, usually by this time I’ve blogged, cleaned out my inbox, answered e-mail, peeked in on what what’s going on with Rav, oohed and ahhed over the Friday FOs and moved on to thinking about dinner, maybe baking a little, knitting and reading and doing the straightening up that never seems to be quite finished around our house.  Not today.  Thinking about dinner has been accomplished, with chicken thawing, a couple of loads of laundry is in process and I just measured my newest on the needles project at a good, honest (no stretching allowed) 12 inches, a good start on a pattern that starts out with 16 inches of knitting in pattern.

GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME

I’m now 17 days out from my surgery and continue to feel a little better every day.  I’d been missing my daily walks with Josie and decided to start back yesterday morning.  We (Josie and I) walked to the post office, probably about a half mile round trip and probably since my speed is a lot slower than usual, I spotted some springy goodness along the way.  Can spring be too far off?

I have an appointment Monday morning with my surgeon and am very hopeful he’ll release me to drive then.  I’m beginning to get a little stir crazy here at home, even a trip to the grocery store sounds fun and exciting.  Yeah, it’s that bad.

THE GRANDS

The Sprout – Just Happy to be Here!

Babydiva 2/6/13

Babydiva at Her Most Charming

and last, but certainly not least –

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The Papoose Rocking the  Shades

Cutest, sweetest, smartest, most beautiful and all other superlatives grands ever.  I promise.

Real love stories never have endings.  Richard Bach

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Knitting

Tiny Dancer, Pacy Covet and New Project Excitement

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IF YOU’VE MISSED OUT

on seeing a naked two and a half year old ballerina stopping mid pirouette to potty, you’ve truly missed out on the highest form of funny cuteness. That’s right friends, the Papoose is in the midst of potty training and I think it might have clicked yesterday. Then, just when our giggles were starting to slow, she ran into the bathroom to flush – her potty chair is in the den, getting us going all over again. Thanks to the wonders of the digital age, it’s all on video. If you’re wondering why her potty’s in the den, you need to know that potty training at this stage is more about timing and convenience and less about location. What’s true in real estate, location, location, location ain’t necessarily so in potty training.

BY THE BOOK

Way way invested in Robert Massie‘s biography, Catherine the Great. I’m just right at her arranged marriage to 17 year old Peter of Holstein. I’ve mentioned my fascination with the Russian imperial family before and finished Nicholas and Alexandra a little bit ago. Loved it and am loving CTG just as much.

BUSTING TO BE

on the needles is Olivia Petit, a sweater I blogged about in How Come.  I got the yarn ordered this morning (13 skeins) and am anxious to see it in person and start gauging.  After a little more thought over the past few days, I think I’m going to scale back my grand plans just a little and just go for a Easter sweater for the Sprout, I’ve not knitted anything for this poor babe.  I guess that comes from being #3 in the grandbaby line up, so I’m giving her first dibs.  Check my blog post How Come? to see the project picture.  It’s the cutest thing!

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

the much coveted monkey pacifier that the Sprout got as a baby gift.  It is really, really cute, a pacifier with a soft, floppy monkey (think Beanie Baby) attached, making it easy for little hands to hang on to.  Well, let me tell you, this monkey pacy is much admired and coveted within the Coleman/Vaughan circle of grands and is fair game if it gets dropped or somehow laid aside and forgotten.  See what I mean?

From the Sprout

To Babydiva

and finally

Back to the Sprout via Babydaddy

A word to the wise – if you come across one of these pacies, buy multiples!

You block your dream when you allow your fear to grow bigger than your faith.  Mary Morrissey

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Knitting

Inevitable

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THE GRANDS

As of yesterday, all three grands have the sniffles and little fevers.  The Papoose and the Sprout came to visit on Friday so, of course, Babydiva and her mommy joined us for lunch and a nice, long afternoon of play.  The Papoose had a little runny nose, but that was all.  None of us is particularly germ conscious; there were perhaps more sneezes than usual, but everyone felt well and like I said, played nice.  I did catch Babydiva and Papoose swapping paccies back and forth, but that’s pretty par for the course with a two year old and an 11 month old, it’s going to happen, no big deal.  Now all three grands have the sniffles and sneezes, along with me and Mr. Iknead.  I, for one, caught a couple of sneezes full in the face but that’s the price you sometimes pay for two year old kisses and hugs.  Totally, totally worth it.  The Papoose did progress to croup and wheezing and got a tour of the Stuttgart ER Friday evening, but after a breathing treatment and some cough syrup, went home and resumed normal two year old activities.

BY THE BOOK

I started The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society yesterday and am totally enthralled.  The setting is Guernsey (duh), a channel island off the coast of England, during World War II.  The letters sent back and forth between these friends are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant and always interesting.  Remember when you actually had to compose a letter, stamp it and take it to the post office to send it?  Remember the anticipation of getting a letter in return and then doing it all over again?  I still love getting and reading real letters, on paper, with pen and ink.  The mailbox is so much more exciting than my inbox, I think.

ON THE NEEDLES

I finally got the Metalico yarn sorted out and rewound.  With encouragement from vocalizard, I decided to salvage it and keep using it for my project and I have to admit, it looks a lot better than I thought it would; maybe a little fuzzy in spots, but that’s about it.  Here’s a look at the one of the fuzzy spots.  I don’t think it’s too terribly noticeable, do you?

I’m dying to start a new pair of socks with the lost then found Parakeet yarn but just can’t seem to settle on one pattern.  The yarn here is the star, not really the pattern, so I want it to be fairly straightforward, so the yarn can shine on its own, but fancy enough to catch the attention of admirers.  Does this make any sense?  I’m always in search of the perfect pattern for the perfect yarn for the perfect sock.  Must be a knitter thing.  Suggestions?

Question:  When’s the last time you sent a real pen and ink letter?  Mine was to an aunt a few weeks ago, along with some old photos I found and thought she’d enjoy.

Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.  Mae West

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