Gotta get those Monkey's done

I have all my "goodies" for my pal, but not done with the sock yet... It's is knitting up very well. I happened to get a partner who I know and I messed up when I sent her the "secret e-mail" and she knew who I was... So we have just been having fun with it... She works for the same school system and we see each other, so I have been taking advantage of inter-office mail and nurse's meetings. I gave her a skein of Opal cotton and she has already made a pair of socks with it..she's amazing.. I finished up my daugher's prayer shawl just in time for her confirmation. Whew, it was close.. I also finished a pair of socks for my dear MIL in the Opal cotton. Then the Monkey's went on. I had forgotten how much I really do like this pattern. I am also doing a vanilla sock for me with some Jitterbug yarn and I am really enjoying that also. I have started a log cabin throw for my niece for her wedding in October. I love the colors I have picked out. I want to get a couple more pair of socks done and then I will spend more time on it. I am a bit of a procrastinator. Baseball and Softball season has started for my two younger children , so much knitting time can be had with at the ball diamond.. that's definitely a sock project. School is over in three weeks. It's hard to believe. My summer will be spent having knee replacement surgery and rehabbing the knees. I really do see knitting in my future though.. Hope your knitting projects are going well...

It's Opal's Fault really!!

I mean really.. who comes out with new Opal yarn in cotton with beautiful colors and expects a girl to get anything done? So one sock is done and the other one started. I have however promised myself that it will not be touched until my daughter's prayer shawl is done. Of course I can be that firm because I only have until May 2nd to get it done and it's really really close. I would say I am 1/3 of the way done and the best part is it is knitting up pretty quickly and I like how it is turning out!! The other Opal sock is going to be a present for my MIL and I want to have it done by Mother's day as it was promised to her on her birthday, December 28th. I am also getting her a pair of Crocs so I thought that would be a cool gift together. Then my monkey sock goes on the needles...

On the home front, my daughther had her 14th birthday yesterday... I told her her "birth" story like I do every year and this year she rolled her eyes at me and told me some of the story.. Hey I live through it, I oughta be able to talk about it. Confirmation next week and then maybe things will slow down just a little... Last day of school is June 2nd and is going to be here before you know it!! Happy knitting to all !!!!

Commit me!!

I have joined three sock clubs and also sign up regularly for Wool Girl's Charlie Brown and Hello Kitty sock kits... Don't even ask me how much sock yarn I have... But I have to say that Wool Girl is my favorite by far. Her personal touch makes all the difference and so enjoy her packages. That being said... I think next year I will only join one sock club and it will be Wool Girl!! I bought some Opal Cotton.. I love it. The design, the feel. It is so much softer than regular Opal. I can't put it down and I need to work on my daughter's prayer shawl. Just got a note that we are having a surprise baby shower for three staff here on Thursday. Don't see any knitted items coming there way in three days. Oh well. The weather has motivated the family to do some spring cleaning and yesterday was spent outside. Much raking and weeding and mulching and some flower planting was done. It's really to early for most flowers here in northeast Indiana, but pansies are pretty hardy and always are my first flowers. 32 bags of mulch was laid and I only did one. I actually spent most of the day inside doing laundry; dishes, and going through piles of "stuff" that just seems to collect at our house. My husband fixed my swing and I believe tonight I shall have to knit, drink wine and swing... Something I am much looking forward to. It's my daughter's birthday Thursday, She will be 14... I am so very proud of her and look forward to spoiling her... Hope it's warm and sunny wherever you are!!

Spring Breakitis

Wow, I have been MIA... Had Spring Break last week and although I promised myself to just not do anything. It was very busy. Part of the reason is that it was also my birthday and there was lots of lunches/dinners with family and friends. My youngest had a sleepover for his birhtday also during the week. The highlight of my trip was going to Lansing, MI to visit a store called Threadbare Yarns. It was WONDERFUL. One of my friends and I did a day trip and spent over 2 hours at the store. If you can go there.. do. It's fantastic. I asked for moolah for my birthday so that I could not feel so bad about blowing a wad of money there. They were also having their Spring sale at the same time. I have to remember to do more yarn store road trips. This last weekend was gorgeous so we headed up to the cottage and put in the peir, raked the yarn and planted grass seed. We also found out we burst a water pipe when my husband tried to turn the water back on. So that is next week's project. On the knitting front, I finished my Claudias and started my January Socks that Rock project. I did not do the pattern sent with them. I am doing the RPM pattern from Knitty. They are turning out great. I really like them. Also started a prayer shawl for my daughter's confirmation on May 2nd. That needs to become my priority that is for sure. It's gorgeous out today also...

another FO

I finished my cable beaded mittens last night!! Woo hoo! I had about 2-3 hours left on them and I just decided they were getting done... It was supposed to be cold in the am and it was... so the perfect time to finish them. I LOVE them. I will start in the summer sometime my own cable beaded scarf to match the hat and the mittens. I really like knitting with the Dream in Color Classy.. it just flies off the needles.. I am going to be on Spring break so I am setting some knitting goals along with some house duty goals along with some friend time goals.. The week will go fast... It's my birthday the 1st of April and I am asking for molah because my friend and I are going to a huge yarn store in Lansing, MI and I am looking to buy, buy yarn.. I just bought a ball winder. You would think with all the sock yarn I have, I would have bought one by now. I can't wait until it gets here. I am going to wind, wind, wind... OH my knitting goals. Finish my Claudia socks in Jill's pink ( an awesome color), restart and finish a pair of mittens for my friend by the time we go out to supper on the 3rd.. ( they are her belated Christmas present), start my daughter's prayer shawl for her confirmation, start my STR March Sock club socks...when I finish with the mittens, I will also begin my monkey pal socks... so many many goals. There's nothing like finishing a project though...OH and somehow I didn't get signed up for the Spring Fling Coffee Swap. Boo Hoo. I just took it as a sign from God that I have enough to do...

Am I supposed to be this busy?

It's my youngest child's birthday today. He is 12.. this is his last year in elementary school.. I shall miss the Winter and Spring pageants, parties, and just having one teacher. He opened his presents last night because today was so busy.. He got a MP3 player and was very happy. We made chocolate chip cookies to take for his last treat at school. Tonight we have religious education and that takes up most of our night. We filled about 100 Easter eggs for my first graders so they could have an Easter Egg Hunt... I'll be glad when tonight is over!! I have not had much time for knitting... this saddens me.. I have so much to get done. However Spring break starts this weekend.. so hello knitting needles and projects.. I got my Socks that Rock club yarn/pattern. I really like it. I haven't done January's but I am going to go ahead and start on March's after I finish the pair I have on the needles now. I am in two swaps and need to start my Monkey socks for my Monkey swap.. just need to pick the perfect yarn for the socks!! Always such a dilemna because you want them to be perfect.. Had to frog almost an entire lace scarf I was knitting.. ugh.. that was hard. I was trying to finish it for Easter and found a missed stitch that led to a massive hole.. Yes, there were tears.. But I put it back on the needles and will start over because I really like the pattern.. So alt least I knitting goals

Spring Fling Questionaire

1.Coffee what is your favorite ? Whole Beans or Ground?
I would prefer whole beans, but really ground is also ok...

2. What kinds of coffee do you enjoy?
I prefer a milder blend. I love breakfast blends

3.If you were heading out to buy some coffee right now for your house, what would you be buying?
I would be stopping at our local roaster and getting something that they recommended in a mild flavor. They always have good suggestions..

4.Do you drink for caffiene, pleasure or both?
Both, I need the caffiene in the am, but I love coffee anytime!

5. Do you enjoy flavored coffees or add ins?
I enjoy some flavored coffees, but mostly I like flavored creamers and I put Equal or Splenda in my coffee. I like vanilla, caramel, creme broulee. I don't like fruity flavors.

6. A large, lovely mug or a small dainty tea cup
Oh a loverly mug please

7.Describe your perfect cup, not just the coffee, but how would you enjoy it?
I have to say that my morning coffee is my favorite.. I love to get up and sit outside on my swing with my coffee and either look out at the lake (If I am up there) or outside looking at my garden watching the birds and knitting.

8.Your sitting down at your local coffee shop with a cup of Joe and what treats would you pick to enjoy it with?
I love dunking cookies like shortbread or plain biscuit cookies... also would enjoy most things
chocolate.

Yarn

1. Do you knit or crochet.
I only knit...

2.What are your favorite yarns to work with?
I love almost all yarns... Cascade 220, sock yarn, bulky... it just depends what I am getting ready to knit... I have never knitted with Malabrigo and that would be what I would like to try next.

3. What is on your needles right now?
A pair of cable beaded mittens in Dream in Color Classy Black Parade.. I need to finish these. I also have a pair of Herringbone socks in Clauda Paints, and lace scarf in baby aplapaca..

4.What are your favorite color in yarns and what would you never find in your stash?
I love buttercream yellow, sage, eggplant, rich jewel tones and also greens. Probably won't find bright pinks, purples or neon colors

5.What sort of needles to enjoy or do you have some you detest?
Can't say that I have any I detest. There are just certain ones for certain projects. Right now I am trying to add more 40" circulars to my collection as I am doing more and more Magic Loop.

6.Are there any sort of knitting notions that you do not need?
No really, I can use about anything, because I am always misplacing things.

7.You walk into a yarn store with just enough money for two skeins of yarn.. what do you buy?
I would probably get malabrigo because I haven't used it before, but if there is a really pretty sock yarn.. I would be in trouble...

Spring

1. Is it truly Spring where you are?
Not yet.. it's trying though..

2.Favorite Spring Flower?
I like Tulips and also hyacinths..

3.What do you look forward to in Springtime?
Sunshine, opening the windows, hanging out the laundry, flowers coming up.. opening up the lake cottage.

4.Gorgeous day tomorrow, sunny 65 degrees, how do you spend your day?
I open up the windows and wash the bedding and hang it outside to dry, start messing around in my garden, refill the bird feeders and sit on my swing and drink coffee and knit!!

5.The day after that is cooler and rainy. How does that affect your mood and what do you do?
I am glad I got done what I did on the nice day... Then I tackle my craft room which is a mess and get some order to my yarn.. then I knit with some coffee while I look out at my birdfeeders.

Odds and Ends

1.Do you collect anything besides yarn and notions?
I collect snowmen ( in fact they stay up all year in certain part of my house), nursey type items and mugs

2.Are you allergic to anything?
No

3. Do you have pets?
Yes, one house cat.

4. Is this your first swap and list last two
Not my first. My first was Sockapalooza. I just finished Longing for Spring and also did Winter wonderland coffee swap.

5.List three of your favorite blogs..and why ( this is kind of hard for me.. I am still a newbie blogger)
Shup up I'm counting.. she makes me laugh
Yarn Harlot.. she inspires me
Alabama Fibers.. Just like the blog...