And sometimes I make cards

Because it's fun to play with scissors and papers and glue and tape, just like when we were young! I started doing this a couple of years ago, and now my card-making (is card making one word, two words, a hyphenated word?) supplies are fighting with space for my yarn stash, but it's ok.  They are learning how to get along and play well with others! This is just one example of the many cards I've made. It's called a tri-fold shutter card, and if you google tri-fold card, you get instructions for making one of these.

Who is this guy?

Due to copyright issues, I am not allowed to call him by his recognizable name.  However, if you have someone in your life, or maybe it's you, who loves those plastic take-apart, put-together, building thingies, then you should consider knitting this.   This pattern is designed by a very talented woman, who goes by the name of Ella on Ravelry.  You can search her by entering Ella's Pattern Store, and get the pattern.  But, be warned....this is extreme knitting, not really suitable for a beginner.  The directions are clear, but knitting this requires patience and lots of experience.

The picture of his hand is not very clear (as you can clearly see!) but I wanted to show you the detail, and how much it looks like the real thing. Ella also has a really cute astronaut pattern, if you have a space freak in your life. So go ahead, knit a toy. You'll have fun, and it's a great way to use up leftover yarn, and they really make cute gifts. And best of all, gauge doesn't matter when you make toys!

and now…

…back to my regularly scheduled programming. As often happens in life, lots of things have been going on. Some good, some not very good at all. So in order to ward off the not-very-good, the needles have been busy. Very busy. Because the thing to do in life when sh_t happens (as they say) is to keep the mind occupied.  It works. 

I decided it's time to do some serious stash-busting, which meant I got to knit some toys, one of my favorite things to knit.  And even though I don't really have any little ones to knit toys for right now, I am knitting them just because I love to.  They're fast, almost instant gratification, they're cute and goofy, and they make me smile.

Here are two:This is Georgina, a free pattern from the Lion Brand site.  The pattern called for baby weight, but I made her with worsted weight, which is the beauty of making toys.  No gauge to worry about, which I really like because making gauge swatches makes me crazy.  This toy can be crocheted in just an afternoon, which is great if you find yourself needing a quick gift, or a quick pick-me-up.

Also from Lion Brand, this is the Purrfect Kitty Sock Critter, (no, I didn't spell it wrong that way, Lion Brand spelled it wrong that way because they wanted to!)) knit in worsted weight. It's a good pattern if you want to learn how to do short rows, commonly used when knitting socks. Speaking of which, they're not your grandmother's socks anymore. The art of sock knitting has come a long way. The patterns range from basic and simple to awesomely elegant and intricate. And today's sock yarn is really, really, beautiful, thanks to many talented people who spin and dye their own yarn and sell it via the internets, or in fancy, schmancy yarn shops. I'm going to try some.  Soon.

More projects tomorrow.  Or in a few days.  Right now the boy of the household is making breakfast, and I'm going off to get me some.

Ok, that was good!  Now I have a minute to post another one:

This is one of my favorites.  The pattern is (once again) from the Lion Brand website, and it was a great way to use up some Vanna's Choice worsted I picked up on sale about 6 months or so ago.  For any knitter that might be reading this, I inserted pipe cleaners in the legs (all EIGHT of them!) to make sure they would curl up.  Love this guy, and so did Miguel, my favorite cocker spaniel!

Thanks…

It's a good thing to remind oneself sometimes, what exactly it is they are blessed with.  For me, even tho I live thousands of miles from my family and friends, the sun shines on my face nearly 350 days per year. That's a gift, it's a good thing, and it's free. (And it's also called "finding the good within the not-so-good.) And speaking of family, my daughter.  She has brightened my life and filled me with pride and joy in more ways than I can enumerate.  My husband, who makes me laugh at least once every day.  These things are also gifts, and it's good to be gifted!  So for all of that, thanks.

And, to all the men and women who travel to far away, dangerous places to secure our freedom, thank you.  They leave their families behind, put on a uniform every morning, same as many of us do on a daily basis. But they risk their lives every day, and don't have the comfort of home and family to sustain them at night.  They are a gift, and they gift us every day by protecting our freedoms, and by trying to bring this gift to less fortunate people around the world.  Some may say this is just too much to ask.  But I guess the majority of those who serve don't feel that way.

In doing their "job", they sometimes make the ultimate sacrifice, and try as I might, there really are no "big enough" words to thank them for that.  So instead, I quietly, respectfully salute them.

The Freedom Tower

1 World Trade Center

The Best Birthday Gift Ever

Oh yeah!

 The best series on the Civil War.  The best gift, from the best daughter.  Thanks, honey!

KNITTING INTERRUPTED

In order to complete two Christmas gifts for two sweet, small boys.

The sequin and bead work does not show well in these shots (I NEED a new camera, SANTA), but I know two little guys who will like these stockings, and, I'm sure, whatever we decide to put in them.

 

Now back to my regularly scheduled past time - knitting.  But I can't post the yarn, nor the project, because that too is for a gift for the dd who gave me the best birthday gift, ever.  But, I will say that the yarn, which I purchased at a lys in Las Cruces, NM, is the softest, yummiest yarn I have ever worked with, and I wish I had bought lots more.  Since I didn't, I'm hoping I can at least get it on the internets, because Las Cruces is approximately 6 hours from my home.

We went on a weekend getaway a few weeks ago to Ruidoso, NM, which is an awesome Indian reservation (Apache) situated at 7500 feet in the rugged Sierra Blanca mountain chain.  It is breathtakingly beautiful, and one of our favorite places.

The next two shots were pulled from the internets, and show the beauty of this town way better than I can.

Set in this gorgeous mountain lake surrounding is a beautiful resort/golf/convention center/hotel/casino thingy, which supports the tribes still located in the area, and shown below is one of the town's main streets (there are only two!) in it's Christmas best.  Truly a magnificent little community.

 

The Power of a Single Word

It’s official. The President has been anointed. He has garnered the big one. The top echelon of prizes. The brass ring. This would be wonderful, if only I could think of what his big accomplishment is.

He said the award is based on his "hope for peace in the Middle East" as one possible reason he might have received this. He said this award reflects not the achievement of one person, but the "hope of millions of people around the world. A hope for the world we want to live in."

That’s a good thing to hope for. Lots of people hope for that. How many Noble Peace Prizes should we make and hand out this year then? Six million, 10 million, 100 million? How many millions of awards would need to be manufactured to give one to every person who hopes for the same thing? How much air time would it take to announce all these prize winners? Could this create thousands of jobs right here in America alone?

His campaign promise of Hope and Change has worked well for him. The ‘promise’ even won him the prize. Wow. Powerful word, hope.

According to Obama’s Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, Obama himself has said one thing I do totally agree with, and that is "he" (sic) certainly has not done enough yet to earn it. I agree. Perhaps I’ll consider him worthy of the award based solely on his confusion over receiving it.

And then maybe it won’t bother me that handing out such an esteemed award as this one for a promise of hope has diminished the award itself.

No, it will still bother me.

OH NO!

It's a dilemma.....How will I part with her?

Beret and Scarf are knit.  Pleated skirt and jacket are sewn.  What fun this was!  Although she doesn't look like the same doll in the previous post, she is.  I didn't like her hair, nope, not at all.  So, she got a buzz cut and a new wig.  Much better!

All Dressed Up and Ready to Go!

This eighteen inch doll (not the 18 inch doll, but one that can actually be played with by a little girl!) is ready for my niece's daughter, Nicole, who has just started kindergarten.  The knitted coat and hat is from a pattern readily available online, http://www.abc-knitting-patterns.com/1013.html but I had to make numerous adjustments to the pattern.  I used the recommended sport yarn, but went down a size in needles, and shortened the length of the coat, and the length of the sleeves.  And, I didn't crochet the 'fur' edging, cuz I didn't like the way it looked.  So, I used a circular needle to pick up the stitches and knit it in the round.  All in all, I'm happy with the end result.  And I know Nicole will be as well.

I Still Don't Know

 

This is Michael, aka, Buster, my niece's son.  He's SWEET.  No, really he is.  This is Michael showing me his little electronic game, which he can maneuver and manipulate like crazy.  Michael patiently spent at least 30 minutes explaining all the ins and outs of this little game to me.  It was probably 30 of the best minutes spent on my vacation this summer (other than the minutes spent relaxing with my dd).  I loved listening to his teeny-tiny little child-like voice, watching his face become all serious and instructive-like.  I loved getting to put my arm around his soft little boy shoulders and spend 30 wonderful minutes with him all by myself.

However, I still don't know what this game is, or how to play it.  No offense to Michael's tutoring ability.  I think it's more a case of me being in love for 30 uninterrupted minutes.  My mind couldn't absorb anything other than the pure joy of it all!

Vacation Knitting

The Milkweed Shawl is done (scroll down for yarn details), but I warn you (should you decide to make one of these) the term "shawl" is an overstatement on this one. It's really a scarf, and would look good over a lightweight turtleneck sweater, or tossed loosely over a coat, but a shawl? Nope, not when it's made from sock weight yarn. If you want a real shawl, up the yarn weight and you'll have one!



See? NOT a shawl.
That being said, the work was enjoyable and relatively easy to work on while riding in a car that was going cross-country. The hardest part was trying to find something to use for a lifeline. Little towns do not, as a rule, contain local yarn shops. Went to two places in some small town in some state (they are all blurred in my memory right now) and found nothing. Next small town, nothing. Next small town, a dollar store, where I did finally find a ball of crochet thread. Bingo. Thanks, dollar store!