Friday, October 31, 2008

A Halloween Story






Two brooms were hanging in the closet and after a while they got to know each other so well, they decided to get married.





One broom was, of course, the bride broom, the other the groom broom.





The bride broom looked very beautiful in her white dress. The groom broom was handsome and suave in his tuxedo. The wedding was lovely.





After the wedding, at the wedding dinner, the bride-broom leaned over and said to the groom-broom, "I think Iam going to have a little whisk broom!





""IMPOSSIBLE !" said the groom broom.





Are you ready for this?
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Brace yourself; this is going to hurt!!!!!!



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"WE HAVEN'T EVEN SWEPT TOGETHER YET!"


Oh for goodness sake... Laugh, or at least groan.

Life's too short not to enjoy...Even these silly
....little cute.............And clean jokes!!!!!!!!!!!!!





(Sounds to me like she's .............been ....sweeping around)!!!











Thanks Rhonda for sharing this little story!!!

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Whiskers on Wednesday



BEWARE!!! It is HALLOWEEN Whiskers On Wednesday.

This is a picture I took a couple of years ago of my kitty Gracie, who is no longer with us.

I call this one DEMON kitty!!! LOL!!


Happy Halloween Whiskers On Wednesday!!!!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Socks, Socks and MORE!!










Woo HOO......it is Halloween Week!!!






I LOVE Halloween!!!! Unfortunately, living out as we do, we don't get any Trick Or Treaters!! We used to get TONS of kids when we lived in a sub-division....sure do miss it!!!






SOOOO.......I do a bit of decorating for my own personal enjoyment, buy our favorite candy, pop Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin disc in and call it Halloween!! LOL!! (We watched the original Halloween a few nights ago). FAVORITE cheesy Halloween Movie!!! LOL!!!






I finished the Hedgerow socks....(note these are the ones by Jane Cochran, you can find the Ravelry link here) Super easy to knit!!



Socks for my sister......this is the Spring Forward Pattern from Knitty, knit with STR yarn.....and in my usual fashion have NO clue what I did with the ballband. I believe this is the Socktopus, but not positive.


AND.........Birthday gift from my sweet sister arrived!!!! YIPPEE!!!!

The same sister that doesn't knit, doesn't know a knit from a purl.....yet she heard me talking about a Woolee Winder, contacted Cindy unbenownst to me to find out about them!!

I have a knitting project I am finishing up (hopefully in a couple of nights)....and then I am going to start spinning.

My wheel is a double drive wheel. Once I got everything "set" on it I have not had to adjust again, no matter if the bobbin is at the beginning, the end or plying!! My single drive Ashford wheel has scotch tension and I adjust regularly while spinning.....but it isn't a problem to adjust and I don't mind at all. It is all part of the process and I love them both!!

I have read a lot of opinions on the Woolee Winder and from what I have read, the scotch tension or single drive wheels require a bit of adjustment as the fiber pulls differently than with a regular flyer. What I have researched about the DD wheels has been very positive so I am VERY excited to get started!!!!

Monday, October 27, 2008


Awwwww.........Wendy awarded me with the I Love Your Blog Award!!!


Ahem.........I would like to thank the Acadamy...(oh wait....that's not right).


THANK YOU WENDY for the honor!!! Your blog was one of the first ones that I found and have been hooked ever since!!!! It is always a treat to see the beautiful photographs you take as well as your AWESOME knitting skills!!!!!!


Now....I must choose 4 blogs!! That is TOUGH...there are SOO many great blogs!!!


1. Yarn Miracle: Emilys blog is THE very first knitting blog I found online.....and I have been bugging her ever since!!! LOL!!! I was a new knitter and spent HOURS going through her archives, drooling over all her fabulous knitting.....and dreaming of the day I could knit such beautiful sweaters!!! (Still dreaming)!!


2. Deep Fried Kudzu: This is THE blog to go to for what is going on around Alabama (and around the South).... Ginger has THE sweetest little boy and just had baby boy number 2 Friday!!!!!! Ths blog should come with a warning....you will be hooked and want to create her crafts, recipes as well as take to the road for travel!!


3. PJBKNIT: Paula is another one of those knitting blogs that inspires me to knit!!! LOVE all her wonderful knitting!! Such a variety of projects with just the right amount of "life" thrown in for good measure!!!


4. Alabama Fiber Dreams: Come on....have you read this post??? LOL!!! Jessi does EVERYTHING.....and sometimes all at once!!! Always fun to see what is going on at Chez AFD!!! GREAT knitter, spinner, dyer and crafter of the BEST, lightweight, stitchmarkers!!!!


Ohhh.....but 4 isn't enough!!!! I feel like I am being disloyal to all the others in my Favorites File!!!! There is Elizabeth, Tonni, Grace, my list goes on and ON!!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks again Wendy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Halloween Sock Swap Surprise!





Woo Hoo.......my Halloween Sock Swap package arrived yesterday!!!






Want to know the freaky part?????






I was stalking Ravelry a week or so ago, trolling for sock patterns/yarns and ran across a sock picture, which lead me to the owner's blog.






As I was reading the sock post I saw THE MOST ADORABLE BAG.......I was in a hurry so I bookmarked her site with plans to go back when I had time to see if this is something that she sells/takes order for, etc.




SOOOOO............imagine my surprise when I opened the box and THERE WAS THE BAG!!!!


I was absolutely stunned still for a minute!!! I K.N.E.W. I hadn't contacted her.....but there the bag was...right in front of me!!! FREAKY......in the BEST kind of way!!!! LOL!!!!


Anita did an OUTSTANDING job on the bag, the socks and all the goodies!!!!!



First Up: AWESOME SOCKS!!!!!













The detail on these socks are incredible. Anita used the Crircle Rib pattern from the Knitting On The Edge Book.




I will most DEFINITELY be getting this book to add to my collection!!!!




There was a bath bomb (which was WONDERFUL........enjoyed last night)!!




A VERY cute Halloween pin which will be on my knitting bag for the holiday!




A CUTE bead bracelet in a great neutral color that will go with absolutely EVERYTHING!!




A very realistic pumpkin candle!




A teeny, tiny pair of knitting needles.......(I already have a couple of ideas on how to use these).....AND.....CANDY!!!! Specifically peanut butter bars....YUMMMM!!!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Yarn Crawl And A Visit With Franklin Habit

What a DAY!!!! After a fast drive to Huntsville (because time can't HELP but fly by when you have 5 women in a car!).....we arrived at Yarn Expressions!!

Denise and I were accepted for the 1,000 Knitters Photo Shoot!!! Alabama was the last stop for final pictures!! I can't tell you how excited and NERVOUS I was about this!!! What if Franklin turned out to be not at ALL like his blog? What if he was one of those folks that was only personable in his writing and drawing???

Ohhhh......I should have known better!!! What an INCREDIBLY nice, funny, personable, SO at ease with his surroundings kind of guy!!!

When it was my turn for the shoot, he sits me down, looks straight at me, smiles big and tells me not to be nervous....to pretend we were at my house sitting around knitting....then proceeds to ask questions about my knitting and chatting about his knitting, etc.....and COMPLETELY and TOTALLY putting me at ease all while clicking away with his camera!!! (and I am so very self conscience.....I do NOT like to be the center of attention AT ALL).....just ask Cindy . I am down right annoying about it.

This was one of those situations where you have contact with someone for only a few minutes and immediately feel like they are your friend!!! It is a true gift that he has!!!

We had been notified that Franklin was bringing the first box of his book "It Itches" so we had the double excitement of being the first few to receive an autographed book!!!



Denise and Suzanne knitting away.....

Did someone say Sparkle Monkey??

Jessi knitting.....(with her "guess what I'm up to" smile).....





Holly, the picture of innocence......
(which she has down to a FINE ART)! Waa Haa Haa!!!




AND......the "Star" himself!!!!


In between some shots, Franklin would stick his head around the screen and chat with us!! He even asked if we would hang around until he was finished so he could have someone make a shot of US with HIM!!!!! (SQUEE!!!)


Franklin didn't just scrawl his name on a book like some authors do....he chatted with each and every one of us, making eye contact and never rushed a single person!!! What a GUY!!!!!

I hate that the time was so short....only a few hours! If we had been better prepared we would have come up with a plan to kidnap him and bring him back to Trussville......if we could have only gotten to Delores first, with a promise of a wee bit of alcohol and a carton of Pall Mall cigs I'm betting we could have pulled it off!!! LOL!!!!


AND.....this wasn't the cheapest gas in the area!!!!
Last but not least, flowers from my sweetie!!!!
AWESOME day, great gal pals.......just couldn't have asked for anything more......well.....except for that whole bringing Franklin back to Trussvegas thing!! LOL!!!!

Friday, October 10, 2008

A Few Thoughts On Friday And A New Recipe!


Kitty Brownies:


Take One Kitty, Mix with Brownie Mix, Bake until done.


I S.W.E.A.R. I turned my back to grab the can of PAM, turn back around and there sits Bella......what IS it with this cat and "containers"??? She wasn't even in the room when I started!! (And YES....I washed the pan before proceeding)! LOL!!!


Just A Few Thoughts:


1. The love of Friends and Family is the BEST!! (Especially knitting friends)!

2. A simple bouquet of flowers brings me great joy!

3. Every Single Day I say a thank you for just being here and for all of lifes' many blessings.

4. Cake for breakafast is a GREAT way to start the day!!

5. Sally O'Malley is 50 Years OLD!!!! LOL!!!!! And so am I.....but I've STILL got it...even at 50, I'm FIFTY.......Book 'em Dan Oh......I'm FIVE OH!!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Whiskers on Wednesday




Remember this picture from last year???



I could sort of guess that Bella was trying to tell me I needed to "dignify" her dinner a bit with a splash of wine perhaps???







Well....this morning I go to fill up Bella's bowl and find THIS:















Now.....I'm not sure what a bread tie in the food bowl is indicative of.....just not getting the "message" Bella!!






Yet ANOTHER Bowl-O-Bella Picture!!! I sat this bowl on the floor for two seconds......Bella's antennae immediately went on alert!! LOL!!



Last but not least, Bella displaying her dissatisfaction with Sunday's forcast for rain.....hmmmm....makes me wonder what she had planned for Sunday!! LOL!!!

Monday, October 06, 2008

Monday, Monday!!



I finished the first sock for my Halloween Sock Swap Pal last night!!

I do like knitting this pattern!!

I decided to go with Hill Country Yarns....this yarn is a tad thicker than I typically knit with, but my pal lives in a much colder climate than I do so I'm thinking this will be a good match for her!!

I also started the second Caramel Apple sock....stopped upon completing the heel flap.

I plan to work on both socks tonight.

Have a GREAT Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, October 03, 2008

It's FRIDAY!!!!

I finished this sock last night during the debate......Shibui yarn....SOOO soft!! The color reminds me of a caramel apple!!

I love this color and love this pattern....Hedgerow...not THE Hedgerow pattern but A Hedgerow pasttern....apparently there are TWO Hedgerow patterns in the world.




Also....Halloween Oreo's. (A favorite).


My sister and I have had long and convoluted round table discussions about the Halloween Oreo's. We have tested NUMEROUS packages of these cookies (STRICTLY for the sake of science)......these are just DIFFERENT than regular Oreo's or regular double stuffed Oreo's. We can't Q.U.I.T.E. put our finger on what it is that makes the Halloween version oh so much better than all the others.....but we have vowed to keep at the research until we come up with a conclusion.






Another favorite is THIS yarn!!


Mentone '08 sock yarn, commissioned by Wendy and created by Jessi.


I LUV this yarn!!! The colors remind me of Brach's Fall Mix!!!




I am still debating on what pattern to use....the Monkey pattern is whispering in my ear....but we'll have to see.




Last but not least, I leave you with a kitty pic (since I forgot to post Whiskers on Wednesday).


Bowl-O-Bella-Kitty.....with the ever jealous, watchful Heidi!!


Now that the cooler weather is starting to arrive, Bella is looking for any place she can find to curl up and stay warm. She is THE most cold natured cat I have ever seen!! Heidi on the other hand....is up with me first thing in the morning to rush onto the porch to enjoy the cool mornings......of course, she is like me and has ample insulation so the cold doesn't bother her as much!! LOL!!