OH! Madrona!!!

I know, I know, I was MIA last week. I was SO sick I couldn't get off the couch.
Feeling much better now, but it's STILL hanging on a bit.


Yesterday was the annual local fiber fest, Madrona. It's always very dangerous for the pocketbook. Mostly because Blue Moon is there and a whole bunch of other folks that don't usually get out much. I mostly spent all of my allowance at the Blue Moon booth, purchasing STR Heavyweight for the february lady sweater, and a couple of other things that I just couldn't resist.



The patterns are very cool, as well as the free one that I downloaded on the internet. The yarn they had made them in was very stiff and scratchy, I'm sure I could do better, but I loved the cabling and the pattern. Just what I needed, another project.






I do have to finish the gumdrops socks first, before anything else, and they're making some progress.












I'm also starting to think about some spring knitting, maybe another shot a the "Flow" tank, or a couple of the other tanks I have yarn for, but never started last season.

I'll leave you with a shot of a boxer girl in the sun. She had to kick the cat out of that spot, but that nice sunbeam was just too much to resist.


And, Bea, I haven't forgotten your blog award, just too sick and too busy.
I'll get to it soon, I promise.

A couple of FO's

This week brough a ton of stress about moving the studio to the house, but a couple of FO's. In my race to beat the sock club shipment, finished cloning anemone socks, modeled by Boo. He's very excited, you can tell











I also finished this little pair of wrist warmers. Made from the leftover man socks STR from christmas. I needed the needles they were on to start the gumdrops socks.
I'm trying to get caught up with last year's Sock club before starting on the new one.












SPEAKING of the new one, isn't THIS yummy.....












I'll be starting the goody gumdrops socks soon, but I really need to get to painting, working on the inside of the house, moving equipment, and learning that new bodypump and bodyflow..... What spare time?????

We're headed out to the home show today to check out potential house stuff, with a side trip to trader joe's and the Cannery to look at furniture.
Madrona is in 2 weeks, so I need to be at least kind of good now to justify going there. Hard to do when you have to spend a HUGE lump for another reformer.

Sock and a Half

The race is on to finish the anemone socks before the first installment of the 2009 club. It's going to be a tight one, since the new club shipment went out yesterday according to the website.

There's a lot going on around here, too. This week, I was forced to make the difficult decision to move my pilates practice to my home. We thought about it over the summer, but, because of the construction next door, it just wasn't practical. Now we have a nice road, and a place to park, so it's not as bad. The thought of turning my living room into a pilates studio is frightening. (not to mention a TON of work) We're taking a critical look at everything we own and trying to make our house "client friendly". Some of the clients will come right away, some will be later, and hopefully the'll be a new one or two. Just have to see.

Add the stress of needing to learn new bodyflow and bodypump, and NOT studying for my pilates final, plus spending a huge chunk of change on a second reformer, and dealing with leftover issues at the old place, where I'll still be until March 1.
It's no wonder I have a stomach ache that won't go away.

not too much news to report

Wow, january is half over already. YIKES!
It's going to be july faster than I want to think, and that test is looming overhead.
The good news is, we had a fairly dry week here, no snow, rain, sleet, hail, nothing. Just warmer than usual temps and a lot of fog. There are still huge piles of snow in the parking lots around town. Imagine....

In knitting news, the noro scarves are finished and I'm on to the cloning anemone sock from last year's STR club. I figure I'd better get going since the first 2009 shipment is due practically any day.
This is Boo, modeling the partially finished first sock. I'm almost to the heel and they're going pretty fast.

I'll wrap up today with a still life study.

A girl and her moose.
Imagine, a boxer being still. It's a miracle!

Another week, another post!

Well, this one is a day early. I'm headed out for more pilates training this weekend and it starts late today, and early tomorrow, so this seemed like the best time.
I'll be very glad when I'm finished. I love it, love teaching it, but I've been working on getting certified for 2 years now, and I'm ready to just enjoy the ride.
I still have a great deal of studying to go, but in the end, it'll be worth it. (I hope)

Not much knitting news, still trying to finish the second noro scarf. They really ARE kind of addictive.

We had a visitor this week. I think he lives under the front deck. It'll be interesting to see if there's any babies in the spring. There's no such thing as one bunny!

welcome to 2009

As much as I don't follow through with new year's resolutions, there are a few things I would like to accomplish in the new year.
Keep knitting and challenging myself
Attend sock summit
Finish my pilates certification
Build a house
Is that enough?

I would also like to post to this blog at least once a week. Sundays seem to work well, so here's the first sunday post.......

The snow is FINALLY gone. The shack fever is fading, and work is picking up like crazy. I'm taking on 2 new classes at the Y, back to teaching bodyflow, and trying to fit in my pilates practice hours somewhere.
I'm doing another training next weekend and then all I'll have left is one more weekend and many months of studying for the final exam.

In knitting news, finished cleopatra socks, which I thought were going to get the best of me. My first toe-up, with cables and all. Good thing I was house-bound with the snow at the time.














Also nearly finished with "the" noro scarf. When it was super cold, I realized that I needed a solid, not fun fur, not lace scarf just to keep warm, and the noro striped scarf fit the bill. I have enough to make one more, and I'll do that and put it away for next year's christmas present to someone, maybe me!
Noro scarf #1, 264/47,




#2 268/292.











Next up are the cloning anemone socks, trying to get caught up with my sock club before it starts again. I also need to finish my fingerless gloves I started, but that shouldn't take too long. I think a sweater will follow.

White Christmas!

According to the news, we have only had 10 white christmases here since 1891.
It would be fine with me if we didn't have another for a VERY long time.



Everyone here has a serious case of cabin fever, including the doggies.


But, there has been lots of knitting,













And, since it's Christmas after all, some un-wrapping of presents.



I like her with the jingles, we can tell where she is!

Make it STOP!!!!!

Now we've added another 6" or so of snow and added a freezing rain chaser.
The snow is about a foot deep and there's a thick, hard crust of ice on top. I've lived here pretty much all of my life and never seen snow this deep. That's why I like to live here, the weather is USUALLY pretty mild.
I haven't been out of the house in nearly a week (with the exception of a white knuckle trip to the grocery store) and just cancelled everything for tomorrow too.
This is supposed to hang around until Christmas day. :(

At least I've gotten in some good knitting
Man socks....
STR Obsidian medium wt - 2 skeins, but there's enough left for some nice wrist warmers for me.



Cleopatra - STR sock club (I'm a bit behind, but catching up fast)

Enough Already!

A serious case of shack fever is setting in.
I just finished mopping the kitchen floor, 'nuf said.

Even the doggies are getting restles.....

Snow Day!

We're stuck at home with about a foot of snow for our second day.
One is fun, two is BORING, three is going to be impossible.
Although it's beautiful, it kind of sucks.


The good news is there's a lot of christmas knitting happening.
The bad news is, not much else.
Good thing we have our "3 days, 3 ways" all figured out.
3 days of food, 3 days of water, 3 days of yarn.
At least I finished that 3 days of advanced pilates before we started
NORDIC BLAST 2008.


It's enough to turn you into a drinker, really.....

some christmas present knitting

I've been VERY busy. Trying to finish presents for my friends and clients and a couple for me too.

The blue scarf is "punch and judy" I really like it, but I hope I can steam out the curling edges.

I don't remember the name of the green one, but it was a free internet pattern and I made it with stash yarn, so that makes it even better. They're both presents for folks, so I'm trying really hard to keep the cat off of them while they dry.

The socks are the current rockin sock club offering. I made it this far in one day!

I'm loving the pattern and the yarn, the only bad thing is that they go so fast! They're really a fun knit.

I can hardly wait to join again next year and see what they have in store.

Check out my new mascot, Ida. Ida sheep was made by some nuns over at the priory. They needle felt and knit to raise funds and they make some really fun stuff.

She's been boxer tested and approved!

some set backs, some steps ahead

First, the good news. I won a blog contest.

The prize was this knitpicks bag and the noro.

The bag will be great for traveling, and the noro will make a great scarf.

The scarf in the picture is "branching out". The photo doesn't do it justice, but I think it's going to make a great christmas gift for my friend Denise. She doesn't read this blog, so it's safe to post here.

The sweater is from the Debbie Bliss mag. I'm loving it. I think it's going to be my favorite ever.

Now it just needs some buttons and it's all done.

On a down note, the advanced pilates training I was hoping to do in december is cancelled.

There's a different one the following week, though, so I decided to take advantage of the offer and do it. It means 4 long days of advanced pilates in portland, but it will leave me with only 2 workshops to finish and that will be nice.

I've been thinking about what to do with this blog. I just don't know. I know posting every day is a bit much for me, but I'm really thinking in 2009 to make a REAL commitment to post at least once per week. We'll see, the best laid plans........

what do you do when your bed isn't where you want it?

you sleep in it anyway

Or you find yourself some nice warm laundry.....

Either way, it's all good.

On the knitting front, I'm almost done with the Debbie Bliss sweater, it's been set aside for a while though in favor of christmas gift knitting. A couple of scarves for friends and some socks that are begging to be finished. I just keep finding more things I want to make, and Bea was no help today when she listed some yummy yarn on her destash, and it begged to come over to my house.

Like, just what I needed, more yarn.

Thanks, Bea!

I guess I should update.....

I just don't know where the time goes.

I think I'm doing good and the, WHAM!

It's 6 weeks later......

I just got back from yet more pilates training. Injuries and special populations this time. Sister is demonstrating exactly how I felt when I was done. Wiped out!

It was really hard. Lots of anatomy, lots of physical therapy stuff. I may have to take this one a couple of times before it sinks in.

I'm hoping to do some of the advanced work in december, but it's not looking good. Not enough folks are signed up. BAH! I don't want to drag this out forever.

In knitting news, I've got a back and a left front panel on the debbie bliss sweater. It's turning out very nice. I don't know when it'll get finished, though. Holiday knitting might get in the way.

I want to do a couple of scarves and some man-socks.

I've volunteered for a project at weight watchers that may involve a lot of waiting, so I may have some time there. (probably not)

It's been a yarny good week

I won a contest over on Bea's blog. She makes these really cute and useful bags. The picture doesn't do it justice, but I love the colors of this yarn. Perfect for fall. Thanks Bea! Love it!

It was also a shipping week for STR. Again, more fall colors. Love the pattern, love the yarn. I can hardly wait to get started.

It was a knitting week of fits and starts, though. I ended up completely frogging my flow tank because it was waaaaay too small. Some day I'm going to actually knit something that fits and comes out to the right size.

Maybe it'll be that cool sweater with the cables down the back.

The Tea at a good yarn was fun. Can you imagine knitting a wedding dress???? Some folks have way to much time on their hands. Some of the other patterns in the trunk show were doable though.

The next two weeks are going to be crazy busy with trainings for both pilates and weight watchers. Probably not much time to knit, but I plan on taking it with, just in case.

As you can see, sister is unimpressed with it all.

some pre-holiday and gift knitting and a gratuitous doggie pic

Kind of lost my knitting motivation there for a while.

The two baby blankies are for friends grandbabies, and the scarf for a special friend in Ohio.

Yes, I know, the blankies are (gasp!) acrylic. But I think it washes good and makes a good inexpensive gift that will last.

Pilates exam and gram took all of my energy, and they both happened at the same time.

Now I'm ready to pick up the serious knitting again and get back to studying for the big final exam.

I got my first certificate in the mail yesterday. That's kind of my motivation. That, and the fact that I'm going to another training in october, and I can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The plan is to be finished with training and certified before the house gets too hot and heavy.

In knitting news, I'm expecting the next shipment of STR sock club, and a fun package soon from knitpicks so I can start that cool debbie bliss sweater with the cables down the backside.

Hopefully it won't make my butt look big.

I'm also excited to go to a "high tea" and grand opening of A GOOD YARN, the new store by debbie macomber. I'll have to take the camera.

I liked it SO much better when there were trees

The only good news is our house is getting closer.

I WANT a zeedonk

Aren't these guys cute? They're a cross between a zebra and a donkey.

ZEEDONK. I love that. I just love to say that.

We found them at the fair this weekend.

where, oh where, does the time go?

Sister wants to know......All of a sudden it's august. How did that happen?

July was such a month of upheaval, passing my stott pilates exam, something I've worked on for years, and the passing of gram after 96 years of life. High ups and low downs. Needless to say, not much knitting content to share.

I'm starting to think about christmas items, though.

I've got most of my master gardener hours in, I'll finish this weekend with a trip to the fair.

I REALLY want this garden, though, REALLY. Including the llamas.

Those folks ONLY spend 40-60 hours a week there, working the garden.

The house is coming along. We now have sewer laterals, and probably next week, conduits for the gas and electric. All this is very expensive, and not a stone turned yet.

We're just getting started!

I love reading the blogs of folks that post regularly. Now I just need to become one.

Test Success

This week was my STOTT level 1 mat and reformer test.
Rumor has it, I passed with flying colors, although I won't have the official
results for a couple of weeks. I'll be very happy when I finally get that certificate in my hand.

The project next door continues. It's now 6 acres of dirt and bulldozers.
Hard to imagine there were ever woods there.
At least we'll get sewer.