Sunday, August 31, 2014

once Again

I have been quieter then normal, pain makes me want to hide, need to hide, I am so sick of always being in this much pain. But I wanted to share a photo with you or two of our Miss Maisie when she was 5 months old two weeks ago!/




For the life of me I can not get them straight, they are straight in the file I saved them too but when I put them here they turn!!! She is still adorable, either way!
KNIT ON!

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Dreambird takes flight

this shawl is Dreambird, my friend Ria and I both knit them--she belongs to a very challenging Ravelry forum that required she do a 3 month dissertation and she wanted company for the ride.  I complied, I started in greys and just hated it, then dove through my stash and came up with the multi color sock yarn, and some red lace yarn that I held doubled and liked the results better,  the shawl is for a very petite person so I only made 16 feathers, Ria made 17---some have made more then 25 feathers in their shawls. While I like garter stitch and I enjoy short rows I am not sure I would make this particular shawl again in a hurry.  Knitting the pattern as is can be problematic---Ria followed the line by line directions,, I did better with the chart and # schematic that came with it. Mine is the one on the multicolored mats, Ria's is on the bed.


KNIT ON! 

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Tea Reading and Tattoos










I have a tattoo on the inside of my left arm that is a tribute to my Dad who died 22 years ago, when I was a very little girl he used to sing to me a song that went "And the green grass grew all around all around and the green grass grew all around."  Tom drew the tree and the tattoo was done by Scotty Lowe, and he added the green grass and musical notes.  I LOVE IT!!! and this from someone who was never going to get tattooed.

I have been thinking about getting one that speaks of my mother who died 20 years ago.  I am sure she imparted many many things to me but two that stand out in my memory are reading and tea.  Mom was an absolute coffee addict but when times got tough tea would calm her.

She only drank tea from special cups---






she did not want the lingering coffee flavor to taint the tea, and only pure china would do.  She always drank Tetley.




If things were a bit flush or someone gave her a gift---she would indulge in Bigelow's Constant Comment.





The orange spicy tea was just delightful.  Mom liked milk in her tea but I have always been a purest and drink my tea straight, on really stressful days I will add a smidge of honey but hardly any at all.   My all time favorite tea is Earl Grey---me and Jean Luc! we are a team!




Mom loved to read, she was voracious at it and taught me to enjoy a good book, it seems before I knew it we were reading the same books and trading bags of paperbacks and hardcovers whenever we got together so  The tattoo I want to get on my inner right arm will be a stack of books---with a cup of tea on top, and the tea tag  hanging from the cup will have a CC on it all for her.






It may not happen for a while but the plan has been made, and I look forward to it---someday

KNIT ON!



Monday, August 18, 2014

Gratitude




i have been challenged to list the items I a grateful for, and I know I will never remember to do 3 a day for a week so I am doing it all right now.

  • my parents ---without them I would not be here, though they are long gone, they are always with me
    1. my husband----44 years together 41 married, he will always be my best friend, my rock! and the love my life
    2. Debb---my eldest, my entrance into my most favorite profession Motherhood, such a delight, she taught me so much---I am so glad she is happy in Alabama although I miss her everyday.
    3. Chad--her significant other, I am so glad he could see how special our girl is and love her the way she deserves
    4. Columbia---his daughter, the sweetest young woman with just the right about of Southern sass and sparkle 
    5. Robert---my only son, a mixture of both his parents, outstanding values and a warm heart. 
    6. Kate---the woman who makes him happy, she brought the joy to eyes and I will always be grateful for that
    7. Gwen----Their eldest, the most special young lady you could ever meet, thoughtful, compassionate, studious and quick witted, she is just a delight.
    8. Meredith---their next girl, such a bundle of energy, smiles and hugs, her bubblieness is infections
    9. Jake--their son, uniquely his own person, he loves everyone and everything, he makes my heart sing
    10. Margaux--the baby---what a treasure, fast approaching her third "burrday" she is inquisitive, silly and giggly, you can't be anything but happy around her.
    11. Jeanne---our youngest, she is my bargain baby and definitely worth the bargaining I did to have a third child. she is very driven and motivated and glows when she knows she is loved.
    12. John--he is her husband, and I am thankful that the two of them are a couple, they blend so well and share so much, he is so good for her
    13. Maisie---their little girl, the cutest most adorable child you could ever see, It is so wonderful to watch her grow and develop her very own personality. 
    14. my extended family--siblings, nieces, nephews, inlaws etc----they sometimes confuse me but I know they have my back who could ask for more?
    15. my cyber friends---they get me!!! my day would be a total loss without them, I am alone a large part of the time and they always are a keyboard away
    16. knitting---you know it has to be here, i have never enjoyed any craft more, and I have tried them all,  
    17. and to go with that yarn and all the things you need to be a knitter!
    18. another one that I am sure is not a surprise ---TEA, hot cold, iced, plain, lightly sweetened, I love so many of them.  My favorite will always be EARL GREY HOT
    19. reading--I don't read as much as I used to, I replaced it with knitting, but I do try to read every day and what do I read--knitting fiction and historical romance. 
    20. and for the last and most total non-sequiter, I am grateful for butter---because everything is better with butter.         KNIT ON!!!!

    Friday, August 15, 2014

    Chock

    Chock  designed by
    Norah Gaughn, knit in
    Berroco Ultra Alpaca on size 7
    needles
    Easy peaceful fluid knit--light, yet warn
    and cozy shawl!

    KNIT ON!

    Wednesday, August 13, 2014

    Janet's Blanket

    Remember a few posts ago I mentioned checking the OTHER file in your Facebook Message box, well through that Tom and I discovered a cousin (very distant) of his was trying to get in touch with me.  She wanted to know if I would be able to finish a blanket her grandmother started for a great great grandchild but died before completing it.  The basket had been started in 2009. This particular grandmother would be Tom's grandfather's sister in law.  I said I would love to finish it and ship it out.

    On Monday a huge box arrived, filled with the blanket in progress, the needles, the markers, another pair of needles, 5 full skeins of a Caron yarn that is no longer made and a row counter and the pattern. A quick look at the pattern and I knew it was easy peasy and I got lucky!  But I was worried about the amount of yarn left.  The yarn was held 5 strands together and knit on size 11 stitches.  After completing 3 sections I knew I would not have enough yarn to knit section 4 and the border, so I did the border and then crocheted an edging around the entire blanket to give it balance and stability and to add a little size.


    Less the 24 hours after receiving the box I am ready to send it on back to Janet (who lives in California). It was truly an honor to work on a multi-generational knitting project.

    KNIT ON!

    Tuesday, August 12, 2014

    Blocked and Finished Portico

    this is a kirsten kapur Through the Loops shawl, it was her summer mystery two years ago Portico!

    I used Southwest Trade Company Optimum DK yarn, a long since discontinued merino that I adore and stocked up on way back when, but this used the last of it!



    Tom has not been working so he has had time to block---right now he is blocking Chock!

    KNIT ON!

    Thursday, August 7, 2014

    Bear With Me!

    It's been a rough few days so I have been on the quiet side, Tom's work has dried up yet again and he has been a bit of a bear to live with, it makes me anxious, which causes panic attacks and more pain to deal with then I care for.  Daily pain is bad enough---stress pain is worse.

    so if I am quiet please bear with me---and since I am talking about bears so much  here is a gratuitous shot of one I made a long time ago!



    KNIT ON!!

    Monday, August 4, 2014

    Maisie Girl

    We had a visit on Saturday from our delightful youngest granddaughter--Maisie Ann!






    i learned something new saturday about facebook If you check the message box on the left under news feed, the messages pop up, well right on the top in the left it says friends, and then it says Others----if you have not already friended people their messages to you go in that folder. I had 60 messages from several years, some were spam but some were people I wanted to connect with, so every now and then check out your OTHER message box!!!

    KNIT ON!!!