Tagged By Cindy

I was tagged by Cindy for 7 random things about me:

Hmmmmm..................

1. I am afraid of heights but would LOVE to learn to fly a small plane.
2. I LOVE fruitcake....not ALL fruitcakes...only one particular brand that isn't typically sold in stores.
3. I have to have total darkness to sleep....ABSOLUTE total darkness!!
4. I stay in my pajamas most days.
5. I love "tech" gadgets ....yet I am technologically challenged and I have NO patience when they don't work right!
6. I am INCREDIBLY cheap on quite a few things....this does NOT however extend to yarn or fiber purchases!!!
7. I am VERY self conscience and H.A.T.E. when I am the focus of attention!!!

Winter Doldrums Weekly Topic

Week Two Topic:

There are many people who ADORE receiving hand-knit or crochet items; but there are just as many who have no appreciation whatever of how much love, work, and time goes into a hand-made item.

Share a story of a hand-made gift you gave to someone and how it worked out - good, bad, or ugly!

Hmmm.......It took me awhile to figure out that the people I was giving hand knit items could have cared less about....which hurt my feelings to the point that I had pretty much decided I would only knit for myself.

I have spent a lot of money knitting for people that could barely utter a thank you ......as if I had given them a "sub-standard" gift when in reality I spent MORE than I was supposed to spend in order to use really nice yarn!!!

BUT......the only incident that I got any kind of a reaction was from my husband when I knit him a pair of socks.

All along my sock knitting he would tease me about not knitting him socks......when I finally cast on he was sort of embarrassed......sort of like...."oh no....she is actually making a pair and I'll have to wear them.....oh the humiliation, etc, etc.".

We were headed down for the first Auburn football game we had attended in about 20 years.....it was FREEZING cold......I made my DH wear the socks I knit him......I noticed he dug out his hiking boots (high around the ankles).....I could see where that was headed.....he didn't want anyone to catch a glimpse of his "home-made" socks!! BUT......turns out the ONLY body part that wasn't frozen solid by the end of the game was his FEET......hmmmmm.......imagine that........LOL!!!

The rest of the afternoon while others were standing around stamping their feet to keep them from going numb.....the DH was going around pulling up his pants leg to show everyone his socks!!!! LOL!!!

AND.....head over to Roavings of A Yarn Addict to enter her contest!!! Be sure and check out her awesome rings!!!!!

ABC Along....The Letter B

B is for Blue Bulbs

National PIE Day!!!

Today is National Pie Day.....and YES.....there actually IS an "Official" Day to celebrate Pie!!

I LOVE pie....which come to think of it is strange as pie is something that I rarely, if EVER make!!

I don't know WHY I don't make a pie now and then considering how much I like them. Just lazy I guess....OR it might be that the orchard/curb market that is right down the road from me makes THE best fried pies....apple, pumpkin, cherry, etc. They are the PERFECT size!!!

Since I don't have a picture of a homemade pie by ME.....I'll leave you with a picture of Princess Cupcake....from a couple of years ago! Wearing her Great, Great Grandmother's apron (and using her recipe)....proudly displaying one of the pumpkin pies that she makes every year for our Thanksgiving!!

Hmmmm....I think I'll run to the orchard and pick up a little pie for lunch today!! Not on the diet...but It IS National Pie Day Today!!!!

Winter Doldrums Weekly Topic

Weekly Topic: Dishrag. Dishcloth. Face cloth.

When you're working on yours, what do you call them? I call them a "warshrag".....with the emphasis on WARSH.....not sure why!! LOL!!

Also, is there a difference between a dishrag and a dishcloth? Not in this house.

How bout a facecloth? Are they all really the same thing?

Facecloth and dishrag/dishcloth while they may be identical in the creation process are TOTALLY different to me!! Call me crazy!! LOL!!!

SNOW

Snow

S.N.O.W.

Four little letters when combined bring the anticipation level to a frenzy...in young and old alike! Just the THOUGHT of the soft, fluffy, white flakes falling from the sky makes an ordinary Saturday a special day, one in which you wake up at the "crack" of dawn so you can jump up, part the blinds in hopes of seeing the ground glowing with snow, already anticipating hot coffee with the last of the Peppermint Mocha creamer, Sister Shuberts Orange Rolls (purchased for the snow holiday).....sitting on the sofa with a nice fire, all the blinds opened, watching the snow fall.......and knitting.

The weather man started talking about it 3 days ago.. 3 DAYS ago....SURELY to goodness THIS is serious.....SURELY this is a sign that snow is DEFINITELY going to happen!! 4 inches possible......could be as much as 6....could be 1 inch.....you know how weathermen are......wishy washy on the best of days!!

Despite the poor showing of snow......the fun of watching the white goodness falling from the sky, however brief brought a feeling of joy!!!! Wish it had been more!!!

Bella enjoyed the snow from afar....or more like she enjoyed the show the birds put on while fighting over the birdfeeders!! LOL!!

Titania and Fire On The Mountain, purchased last year to make the Chevron Scarf that everyone was making last year in Farmhouse and Watermelon Tourmaline...which I absolutely LOVE....but for some reason went with these colors...hope it looks good!!

I completely forgot about this project until Tonni showed us the one she is working on when we all met for the Spin In.

Woo Hoo.....I love it when I remember something I bought to knit and forgot about.....sort of like having the joy of buying it all over again!!! LOL!!!

One Last Shot before I go.....it may be the last snow we see for another 6 or 7 years!!!!!

Ahh....however brief.....there is nothing like Snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First Swap of 2008 and ABC Along!!

While I'm not yet in the grip of the Winter Doldrums....no doubt the excitement of yesterdays snow (see previous post) will soon be gone and I am SURE the Doldrums will set up housekeeping at some point in the near future!! I think this swap will be just what the doctor would order for the Winter Doldrums!!!!!






1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? Knit


2. What types of needles do you enjoy using for making dishcloths? Aluminum


3. What types of cotton do you enjoy using for making dishcloths? I have only used Sugar and Cream...not a huge fan of Peachs and Cream yarn. Is there any that you've been wanting to try? I'm open to anything!


4. What color(s) are your kitchen and bath decorated in (if any)? My kitchen is brick red, bath is sage green.


5. What are your favorite colors for yarns? Most any colors! Least favorite? Not a fan of "neon" colors.


6. Do you like Winter, or do you count the days until it ends? LOVE Winter!!


7. What's your favorite way to brighten your day when you're down in the dumps?
Shop for Yarn and knit!!


8. What is your favorite treat to indulge in and when your down in the dumps? Anything Chocolate.


9. Do you drink coffee? Tea? Cocoa? Coffee and Cocoa.


10. If you could take a vacation starting tomorrow and go anywhere for one week and money were no object, where would you go and what would you do? Fiji Islands...lay on the beach and watch the waves...drink little umbrella drinks and KNIT!!!




11. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should be aware of? None.



2008 ABC Along

The ABC Along is a year long project where you take a picture of anything you would like which corresponds to the designated letter of the week(s).



First up is January 19th deadline......the Letter A:

A is for ANGEL

SNOW Day and First FO of 2008!!!

See it?? Can you SEE IT??? It's SNOWING.......In Alabama.....and it isn't even April!! LOL!!! (Which is when we have had record breaking snow/ice storms in the past.)

I believe this is what is referred to as a "dusting" of snow...but hey...it's snow.....I'll take it any way I can get it!!

Bella said, "Accckkk".....you can keep it.....too cold for me!!!!

TERRIBLE lighting.....

STR Hollyday lightweight yarn.

K3,P1 pattern.

I LOVED this yarn while in the skein, when I rolled into a cake I loved it even more.....not so much when knitted!! The heel looks the most like the true colors of the yarn, which is a beautiful golden yellow, orangy-red, dark forest green and a tad brighter than olive green with just a tiny bit of a cranberry color.

For some reason when knitted the colors changed......the yellow just looked different with the other colors....no longer a pretty yellow....the colors sort of "meshed" together and lost their true colors.....yet on the heel, where it actually striped it looks like the true yarn color.

As much as I LOVE STR yarn, and I have over 30 skeins.....I am sort of falling out of love with it. Pooling doesn't really bother me....but when a yarn takes on a totally different color once knitted, well, that just bothers me!!

What Yarn Are You????

I saw this on Potter Craft News. Take the quiz and see for yourself!!

I'm ANGORA!!!!!

Angora – Soft and warm“Angora has a warmth that rivals cashmere and softness that rivals qiviut. Best of all, it comes from cute little bunnies that look for all the world like furry footstools with ears.” –The Knitter’s Book of Yarn

Angoras are eager to please and are highly sensitive. Flexibility and adaptability are your strengths and sometimes your weakness, as well. You are essentially a warm and feeling person, and little escapes your impressionable mind. You are generous with others and strive for harmony in your relationships.

A Walk Around My Yard

I took a walk around my yard at lunch, here is what I saw:


A Fallen Angel ...

Chaos in the Herb Garden .....















Japanese Iris....NOT onion grass!! LOL!!



















An apparent bunny altercation.......



















Peeling Bark ......
















Gazing ball experiencing it's last glimpse at the world.


















Assorted moss and fungi were all around.....



As well as some plants that are confused and think it is Spring....silly plants...this is Alabama!!



















The weather man whispered the "SF" word last night........SNOW FLURRIES, possible this weekend!!!! Between the warm weather and frigid blasts of cold weather and the unlimited possibility of weather options between now and the Spring I thought I should see what may or may not be blooming this Spring!!!

Distaff Day Spin In a HUGE Hit!!!

What is it about sharing like passions with a group of friends that brings such infinite joy???

We are all different ages, different careers, different stages in life.....some with little children, some with no children.....some are old and dear friends, some are new friends and some are newly met.....yet when we get together in one room it is as though we are all one and have all known each other for a lifetime!!


The easy conversations that flowed, the good natured joking around.....(comments overheard.....my goodness your bobbins are so small......OH MY....look at the size of those big bobbins........Wow....you don't even need a hook for your orifice it is so big.......and one didn't even HAVE an orifice (which we were all jealous of)LOL!!!!! Oh my.......the laughter, the cutting up, the sharing of information on fibers, techniques and tips on spinning was shared by all!!! Tiny bits of fiber fluff could be seen floating around the room.....and attached to some of us!! LOL!!!! The wonderful food and drink......I can't say enough.....so I'll show a few pictures....going around the room.

Grace is showing Wendy how to get started spinning. I got two GREAT shots of Wendy toward the end of the afternoon.....spinning away with the BIGGEST smile on her face, unfortunately they were blurry and I wasn't able to repair them! Sorry Wendy! It was AMAZING to see Wendy go from NO knowledge of spinning and by the end of the afternoon she HAD IT!!! Smiling and spinning!!! I'm thinking there will be a scarf perhaps in the near future knit from some BEAUTIFUL Crown Mountain blue roving she was spinning!!!

The picture doesn't do it justice, but Grace is wearing THE MOST PHENOMENAL Central Park Hoodie!! Angora, soft, warm, the red is beautifully cabled and is truly one of the prettiest sweaters I have seen!! What an awesome job!!!

I was particularly tickled to get the finally meet Wendy in person!! We have emailed for over a year and this was the first opportunity we have had to meet!!! Just as personable and wonderful in person as she is in her emails!!! I hope to see you again soon my friend!!


Everyone was so excited to meet Carrie!!!!!


Carrie has an AWESOME business on Etsy, Funky Carolina....and sells THE most wonderfully hand dyed BFL roving....other roving as well as yarn!! What a TREAT to get to meet her and watch her spinning technique!!! Carrie and Wendy both have a Louet wheel (those would be the ones with the large bobbins! LOL!!).


Jessi is spinning next to Carrie on her new Ashford Traditional wheel that her husband gave her for Christmas!!


I was spinning with some beautiful BFL roving, dyed by Ms. Funky Carolina herself that Jessi


gave me awhile back.....I absolutely LOVE these colors!!!

Jessi also has an Esty shop, Alabama Fiber Dreams and sells the CUTEST stitch markers, bracelets, yarn (which I have an inside tip there will be an update with new yarn any day now).







Cindy was spinning some beautiful roving that she received with her wheel, a Kromski Minstrel....which is SOO pretty!!






















Bibby is spinning a most "envious" green roving on her new Ashford Traveler wheel (which I covet by the way....add this to the will list)! LOL!!!





















Here is Tonni dilligently spinning away on her Kromski Sonata she got just in time for Christmas!! Love the walnut color!!! Tonni has info on her blog about a Spin In that is later this month in Destin.





















Last, but absolutely not least is Elizabeth spinning some amazingly thin yarn, to be cabled for a future sweater......and if it is half as amazing as your SAFF sweater it will be incredible!!!

What a gracious host and such a warm person!!


Thank you SO much for getting this first Distaff Day Spin In together!!

Your spinning skills amaze me!!! I could sit and watch you spin for hours!!!! I love your Majacraft Rose wheel!!!

Your house was absolutely perfect, I had a WONDERFUL time and I can't wait till we are all able to work out a time/place to meet again!!!!

No Title Saturday

We had our first fire of the season, much to Bella's delight!!!

She is such a cold natured kitty......so I had a basket lined with towels and a heating pad ready for her the first evening of the bitterly cold weather......but as soon as the fire was built she was so enthralled with it all that she kept poking her paws through the mesh screen!!!

I pulled her basket around to the front of the fireplace......she hopped right in and didn't move for about 5 hours......mesmerized by the flames for the entire night!!

The next day I discovered that during the night (and apparently after the embers died out).....a nice little pile of silvery, sooty ashes had been artfully displayed all along the hearth, and dainty little paw prints on the carpet leading away from the scene of the crime!!!!

Good thing I just got this!!!

Something tells me this is going to get a LOT of use this Winter!!!!

I'm heading to Elizabeth's tomorrow to meet up with a group of ladies to spin!!

I haven't done any spinning since Thanksgiving and I am SOOO looking forward to the entire afternoon of spinning and seeing all the different ways everyone spins and seeing all the different fibers everyone will be working with!!!!

Annie and A GREAT Scarf Swap!!!

Ginger treated the Chicks With Sticks girls with tickets to see Annie last night!!!! We had SUCH a great time!!!! It is always fun when you do things with a group of friends!!







Despite the bitterly cold temperature, and a mid week performance there was a good turn out and it was most DEFINITELY worth it!!!






The kids in this play were phenomenal......the dog....oh my....perfectly trained and never missed a cue!!

Ginger also offered a ticket to include Princess Cupcake (she is after all one of the official members of our knitting group.....the summer group)......and she had SUCH a good time!!! The Cupcake is now 12 years old and wants to do more "grown up" things like going to Broadway Plays and Ginger (already one of THE most thoughtful, genuinly nice people you will EVER meet).....wanted to include Princess Cupcake in the "Girl's Night Out"!! Ginger....you are a sweetie!!!! Mwah!!!!!!!!!

Ginger left her sweet hubbie home with the baby and brought her friend Leslie as her date for the evening!! Leslie is a SUPER sweet girl and I would LOVE for her to join our knitting group (hint, hint Leslie)!!!

Anyhoo........Leslie and I were complimenting each other on our scarves (unfortunately I don't have a picture of my scarf).....mine was knit using Noro yarn in beautiful shades of purple/lavendar and green, pattern from the One Skein Wonder book, pattern interestingly enough is called the "One Skein Scarf"....the pic in the book is not impressive looking at all, but knit up with the Noro was quite pretty!!


Leslie's scarf was knit with handspun yarn....I love, LOVE, LUV the thick/thin, chunky, homespun consistency of this yarn .... I am YET to be able to make any like it!!!!!

SO......after a bit of complimenting, etc. we negotiated a trade and I came home with Leslie's GORGEOUS scarf (the pic doesn't do the color justice)......and I couldn't be more tickled!!!!!!

Thanks Leslie!!!!!!!!!!! You did an awesome job on the scarf and I'll think about you every time I wear it!!!!!!!!! :) :) :)

First Day Of 2008!!!!

I have a long standing tradition of starting the first day of the new year spending the entire day in my P.J.'s (I'll spare you that lovely vision).......sipping Mimosas all day, eating Panettone (you know, for that last minute chance to add a few more pounds before starting the first of the year diet)......and in the past few years adding in knitting!!



Working on a pair of socks, Socks That Rock yarn.....Hollydays....a gift from my best bud Cindy...just a simple K3, P1 rib....very easy and soothing to knit!!



I had grandiose plans of working on my yarn stash today...and I did think about it this morning.....but as soon as that thought came to mind I just poured another Mimosa.......yarn stash can wait until another day!! LOL!!

Just a few Christmas decorations before they go back into storage:











Made by my Grandmother in the late 1970's.


Caroler........

Glass Christmas Balls......





This fella is NOT going into storage...he has a new home on a shelf in my kitchen.....thank you SOOO much Wendy!!!



I LOVE him!!!!!!






A little candle glow......






Fluffy sheep/reindeer mutant.....









Happy little Gingerbread Man!!!!




Now I'm off to cook the traditional Southern New Year's Day meal.......turnip greens, black eyed peas, cornbread, ham.........YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!