Sunshine

It was a warm sunny day today and we enjoyed it! No rain, no wind...just running around and picking tangerines. Now, I know that most of the country is still cold and winter like but here it is beautiful...at least for a while!

I finished some knitting since my last post. The socks are for my Loopy Groupie Swap pal and the rest are mine, all mine! I am in the middle of some more swaps too...Hogwarts Sock Swap 3, Lost in Translation, Wes Anderson, and an 80's Swap. Only need to knit for the HSS 3 swap so that is good news!

So, off to watch more Lost reruns on the ABC site. I am hooked.

OK...I'm posting images above from Flickr. I can't get from my hard drive right now!

"the most beautiful thing I've ever seen"

Yes, that's right, this lovely candycorn colored wool/alpaca blend hand painted yarn is "the most beautiful thing I've ever seen", according to my oldest. The yarn is from Keegan Lane Yarns. I traded some yarn with Meliabella of Keegan Lane Yarns (link to follow soon I promise) - we met on Ravelry where a bunch of us are lamenting the absence of Cidermoon. So, Meliabella's yarn is on it's way to becoming a hat. Which is good since we are going to Idaho a week from tomorrow. Definately need some noggin warmin' there!

You will also notice some lovely sock yarn in the candy bowl...Zen String's Pumpkin King colorway! Thanks Woolgirl - such a lovely place to shop! Hope I can make it into a sock (or two) soon.

SWAP STATS:

Vegan Pal 2 Package sent today!

SP11 Package #2 sent today!

Monkey Swap Package needs to be assembled and sent - maybe Saturday?

Hogwarts Sock Swap #2 sock on needles.

Did I leave anything out? The wind stopped blowing and my allergies are starting to ease up. Oh, I'm taking a wool dyeing class on Saturday! I can't wait!

Fabulous Fiber Fest, Real Live STR in a Somewhat LYS, and Booty Club...and My Mom's New Hip!

Today was a good day. Not in an Ice Cube kinda way but in a "mommy got to go out and do mommy things with Cristin" kinda way.

First, my best friend Cristin and I went to the Fabulous Fiber Festival in Santa Monica today. Carolina Homespun was there, the amazing Japanese fabric lady was there, Lisa Souza was there! I got some goodies and will post photos later. It was pretty mellow (we got there early) but by the time we left it was getting crowded.

Cristin had never been to Wildfiber in SM so we stopped in. It isn't exactly in our hood to be a LYS but since we were in SM how could we not stop in? I'm glad we did. I couldn't believe it - they had STR in stock! Holy Cow! I got a skein, needless to say. And I found the ladies in the store very helpful and the new owner super nice. I know other's haven't had the best experiences there so I'd suggest giving it another try. They have an amazing selection and with LYSs dropping like flies it is nice to have a place to go and see the yarn, and touch the yarn, for yourself.

I got home this afternoon and my Yarn Pirate Booty had arrived! Lucky girl I am! The colors are amazing and I already have big plans for my skein.

To back track a bit, my mom had hip replacement surgery yesterday and is doing well. We visited her this evening and the boys really cheered her up. I showed her some of the fabric I got today and that made her smile too. And Justin made her a puppet out of a blown up rubber glove and that made us all happy. She gets to come home with her new hip on Monday and I can remember from being in the hospital with the boys how the days seem to drag on. Cristin got her a learn to crochet kit so hopefully that will make her recovery more interesting. My mom seems to think that it will be easier to crochet? We shall see.

Sock Stats:

Hogwarts Sock Swap Two: One sock down, another to go!
Sock It To Me: Thanks to a long wait in the hospital during my mom's surgery, I am half way through my first sock for my pal. it is going fast
Monkey: Got the yarn!

I have also been spending time with Ravelry. I have joined the Lost group, the Office group, the U2 group, the Loopy Group, the Hogwarts Sock Swap 2 group...I love the groups.

1/2 FO & A Big Merci Beaucoup!

Ta da! One Yarntini Sock done - the other cast on and on the way to being done! And I added it to my Ravelry account last night. I'm on there as jfw04.

And I started a baby sweater for my cousin - she is due in October with a boy. I'm using Twisted Fiber Arts dutchess yarn in Filanon and Ankh. I also put this into Ravelry!

Now, for the big THANK YOUS! This is a picture of my Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap 2 package! The bag and the needle case is amaging. And Jenean sent me some beautiful Gryffindor colored Alpaca yarn. Ummmm, Alpaca, my favorite. And some stitch markers in a potion bottle and some HP candies! Wonderful in every way!

Last week I got these wonderful goodies from my mini prge swap buddie! I love the Atticus Finch card as well as the card made by Shannah herself.

And last but certainly not least, a little gift package from my Sock it To Me Swap partner. A hand knit wash cloth, soap and lotion (not pictured because it is my shower?), handmade stitch markers, a "mix" cd, and a Godiva Chocolate bar (not pictured for obvious reasons). Isn't that just the coolest wash cloth? She designed it herself!

So, now I have to start knitting socks for my Sock it To Me Swap partner and for my Hogwarts Swap partner. And add them to Ravelry.

Geek Squad To The Rescue?

I have spent way too much time with the Geek Squad. Our computer at work went into a coma last week and the Geek Squad came to fix it on Wednesdy. I know enough about computers to be dangerous so I try not to get too involved with the mechanics of it all... but this week I had no choice and spent more than half my day waiting for the Geeks at work and instore. And some of today. I wish they were funny like Loius and Gilbert from Revenge of the Nerds. Are geeks just nerds without a sense of humor? What is the difference? If a geek and a nerd had a baby would it be a gerd or a neek? These are the things I pondered while I waited at the store for our poor computer to go through various operations. I also though of how silly it was that my knitting and HP book 7 were in the car. I guess I was afraid to leave our pc's side while it was "critical". Good news is that the computer at work is fixed and mom and I can now "get'er done".

I saw Sonic Youth last Friday. They were really amazing. I always liked them from afar but never did own an album. I will have to borrow from my husband.

I sent of my prge package on Wednesday! Hurray! My swap buddy Shannah sent me a surprise package last week full of amazing original art and vintage postcards. I hope she likes what I sent her.

I also mailed out my HSKS2 package last week. My Slytherin pal got her goodies! Hurray for the USPS

I also got a surprise from my Sock It to Me pal. Amazing. If I weren't such a barbarian I'd have taken a photo of everything instead of ripping into it all like a 4 year old on Christmas morning. I promise to take photos tomorrow...I gotta see the beautiful washcloth she knit me! Oh...and a very cool mix cd.

Didn't you just love the mix tape....my friends were always making them for eachother when we were young. My brother still makes them and I gave him one for Christmas. I want to start making that again. I just need to load all my music on my iTunes first. Not looking forward to that. Ick

So, photos tomorrow!

Super Swap Pal, Ravelry and Yarntini!....and my ol'ball n'chain

First off, I must say a huge and belated thanks to Deana for an amazing hb-bk7-sock-it-or-swap-it package! I love my Dobby socks - she even dyed the yarn herself. And the goodies - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, White Castle Coffee, HP Wand Pen and I DA Diary! I am spoiled beyond belief. I had taken pictures but couldn't find your card reader so I will post soon hopefully! I sent my last two swap packages off today for the HSKS2 and to my hp-bk7 partner so I have a small break!

Today I got my e-mail to join Ravelry. I am so excited. I love databases and boy does my stash/UFO collection need one. I was a Registrar in a former life so this is right up my alley.

Oh, and I got my installment of the Yarntini/Pureknits sock club. The yarn and pattern are amazing. The Loopy Ewe's Q3 challenge is to knit a sock from a pattern that you see as a challenge. I think this one will work just fine.

Lastly, I have a husband. I know I don't write about him enough but I want to respect his rights as I do my kids. He is an amazing artist, musician and friend. He likes the Simpsons, Buckethead and The Big Liebowski. There's his shot out for now! I love him very much.

Bon soir!

Swaps and KALS

I am a addicted to KALS and Swaps. I am unable to stop myself from joining. I am sure that this happens to most knitters when they first discover that they can join groups of on-line knitters, gab about their knitting and stash, and send and receive wonderful surprise knitting packages from folks that truly understand your fiber/yarn/knitting obsession.

Now, having said that, there is my list of new KALS and swaps:

I'm back for round two of the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap 2! I loved the first so of course I'm in for the second. Please see the button on the left for the link.

I also joined the Sock it to Me Swap. Should be a great deal of fun!

I then joined the Jaywalkers KAL - yes! I love this pattern and as the proud owner of one beautiful "too small to fit on anyone in my family's foot" Jaywalker sock I am happy to find a group to bounce ideas/concerns off of.

Oh...and I joined the Yarn Pirate Booty Club. Yar!

Mother's Day Redux & HP 7 Swap it

Here are the beautiful flowers that I got from my husband and sons. I am so happy with them and move them from room to room with me!

I don't have any knitting photos to post. I feel that if I post any photos of my HSS socks that I will somehow give up the secret. I guess that is because I am knitting for the somebody in the house with the fewest members. I am almost done with my Hufflepuff hat for the Charmed Knits KAL. That's about it folks!

I joined another sock swap. I think they are such great ways of doing something nice for somebody that knows all the hard work you are going to and will hopefully appreciate your efforts, even if you knit a simple rib pattern and not some fancy schmancy pattern. The swap is called the Harry Potter Book 7 Sock It or Swap It. I don't have a button yet and will link it soon. I'm going to request some Dobby socks.

So, how about some random photos from last Saturday in the front yard.

Blossoms on the apple tree planted for me by my grandma when I was born:



Baby squirrel:



Lovely, but what is it?




Bottlebrush blooms:



Agave:

Wonky Blog and FO's

Well, I tried to add the button for the Green Sock Knit Along yesterday and I totally wacked my blog out. Every time this happens I think of the Mac/PC commercial and imagine them in a big slap fight. So, problems are fixed via our ancient PC and things should look better now.

My mom and I finished my first quilt yesterday. It is for my grade school best friend who had her first baby in March. It is a bit big but will be good for tummy time. I think it turned out great! I just need to tie it now.





I also finished my first of four Hogwarts House Hats for the Charmed Knits KAL. I used Knit Picks Andean Treasure in Barn Red and Yarrow. Next up will Hufflepuff! I am on the leg for my Hogwarts-Sock-Swap. I have everything else now I just need to knit. For the Hogwarts-Sock-Kit-Swap I have everything but the knitting bag sewn. I have the fabric just need to cut and sew!




I think Yarn Pirate has some of the most amazing colorways around. Here is proof. I bought this last week during the sale from her site. It was oversold in her cart but she made good on the sales and dyed more for everyone. I present you with Culture Club:

I got my Charmed Knits book in the mail this week. I can't wait to make Errol and Mrs. Weasley's Bag of Stitch Witchery! The patterns are amazing.

I will sign out with the coolest picture of a sea lion. Our family went to San Francisco last weekend and aside from belly aches and lack of sleep we had a blast. We met this guy on the wharf in Santa Cruz. Have a swell weekend!

What's Goin' On...

I have been dreaming of things to write for the past several days. Being sick stinks. Having your family sick stinks. Having said that, I will move on. I am finally getting up to speed with blogging. I still have to go from mac to pc to make adjustments but I'm catching on. I added Scrumpy the cat to my header as you can see. Now I have to find a way to add Ruby so she doesn't get upset.

First and foremost I am an aunt again! I was in the waiting room when my new nephew arrived Sunday morning at 2:42 AM. He is just amazing. I got to hold him and watches his first bath, first blood pressure reading, first temperature reading, first diapering. I know I am repeating myself here but it is so cool to be there for so many firsts. I get to go seem him tomorrow. He was about 3 weeks early so he is on the small isde. I am almost done with his Dodger Hat which he will be able to wear by the end of the baseball season. Here it is



And, the super cool hand made toys I ordered from Two Little Banshee's Etsy shop arrived today. They are so cute. The Giraffe is for the new baby and the Echidna is for the big brother.



In other knitting news, I started a Jaywalker in Cider Moon's Peas and Carrots using their Flurry yarn. I really like the way it is turning out. It was to be a gift for my sister in law so she could keep her feet warm in the hospital but since the baby came early they will have to be a Mother's Day gift.


I have been wishing for a skein of Socks That Rock in the Seal Rock colorway, which they aren't dying right now. Then I found one on ebay and it was listed for $15. Buy It Now! So, here it is! I am so excited.


Lastly, I have made some progress on my various sock swaps and KALs. I have the yarn from Knit Picks for my Charmed Knits KAL and will cast on after I finish my nephew's hat.

I have the yarn, needles, and stitch markers for my secret pal in the Hogwarts-Sock-Swap. Just need to cast on! I read my secret pals blog and she is quite a stitch. Whoever has me as a secret pal hasn't contacted me yet. Don't know if I should feel sad about that or not. I am new to all this so I'm not sure what to expect.

I have my yarn for my Hogwarts-Sock-Kit-Swap pal. This is not a secret pal thing so I already spoke with her. She lives in Montana and seems super nice.

After my Charmed Knits hats are done I will start work on the Loopy Challange. I have the yarn, just need the time. Isn't that true about everything?