Would someone else be the responsible adult now???

Blogging and Bombing

2011-09-14T21:41:00.007-05:00

I haven't blogged in a long time. No excuses. You've heard them all.

Instead I'll show you a few projects I've made in the last several months.

Socks (pattern and yarn details here):

A hat made with chunky Rowan wool and embellished with felt bird, crocheted leaves and some beads (nitty gritty details here):

Up close to see the beading better:

Cheerfully modeled by my little girl.

YARN BOMB!!!

You may be asking, "What's a yarn bomb?"

Also known as yarn storming, guerrilla knitting, and knitting graffiti, yarn bombing is a type of street art which involves knitted or crocheted work embellishing the environment around you. It is not an act of vandalism. It is an attempt to encourage folks to see their environment in a different light and to add a little whimsy to our everyday, humdrum existence.

I had never participated in any form of yarn storming, but one of the Nerd Wars challenges for the month of March encouraged such nefarious activities.

First, to find a good spot.

Aha! That sad looking mailbox at our local Music Academy looked like it could use some perking up. Bonus points for the fact that it sits across the street from a middle school where there is plenty of traffic.

Next, I armed myself with crochet hook and lots of colorful acrylic yarn and started hooking.

Then, it was time to practice my nefarious ninja skills.

When yarn storming on private property it is always a good idea to get permission first, but if you don't want to ruin the surprise, leaving a note explaining your art is an acceptable option.

Give a quick glance to admire your handiwork then quietly disappear into the shadows like any self-respecting ninja would do.

Find yourself grinning with glee every time you pass that way again and spot your colorful addition to the community.

(Yes, over 5 months later, it's STILL there!!!)

And that, my dear friends, brings you up to date with my crafting deeds through the month of March. Stay tuned for more to come!

Look, Rae! I blogged!

Productivity

2011-03-09T21:26:00.010-05:00

I've been a busy gal lately and done a LOT of things. However, blogging isn't one of them!

Here is an update with lots of pics for your viewing pleasure. Most are projects that I started and finished in February. Click on name of each project to view the knitty gritty project details.

Nebula Wrap.

I started and finished a sweater for my hubby in February using Elizabeth Zimmerman's Seamless Saddle Shoulder Pullover pattern in her book Knitting Without Tears.

I call it "Beloved."

I have to say I am so happy with how it turned out.

This sweater was not without it's trials and tribulations.

There was some spinning in February. I spun alpaca...

...and some wool...

...and plied the two together.

There were smaller, less ambitious projects too. I crocheted a few water bottle covers to help my daughter with her AWANA missions project. She is making them to give to folks in exchange for donations which will all go to support children's programs in Nepal.

St. Patrick's Day is coming! I decided to make a crocheted Shamrock Garland.

This month, in anticipation of a little spring cleaning, I tried out two different patterns for Swiffer covers.

On the left is the Reversible Swiffer Sock and on the right is the Crochet Biffer Shrug.

Currently there are socks on one set of needles and and a cabled sweater in progress as well. However, I've spent the last two days doing a little sewing. I designed my own pattern for a reversible project bag.

This one is prize for a fellow participant in Ravelry's Nerd Wars. Her favorite colors are jewel-toned blue and green.

I made another one to donate as a door prize at Camp KIP in April.

I definitely see more of these bags in my future. I've really enjoyed sewing them!

Well, that pretty much sums up what I've been working on the last month or two. As you can see, my hands have been pretty busy! Now, if I could just be more consistent about writing my blog!

Swirlicious

2011-01-19T16:06:00.003-05:00

Knitted cloth featured in yesterday's tutorial. Finished, but not blocked.

Do people bother blocking out their knitted dishcloths/washcloths??

TUTORIAL: I-cord or "Belly Button" Provisional Cast-on for Circular Knitting

2011-01-18T15:37:00.010-05:00

When knitting something circular in shape, the initial cast on can be a bit fiddly. Working those first stitches with no knitting on your needles to manipulate can be a challenge. One solution is a variation on a provisional cast-on. You knit an i-cord out of waste yarn first and then drop the waste yarn and pick up the project yarn and start knitting your the pattern right on to the i-cord. Later, you remove the i-cord.

An online friend had some questions about the technique and I wanted to help her. This is my first-ever attempt at making a photo tutorial, so bear with me. Comments and suggestions are welcome.

For my demonstration I am knitting the Swirl Cloth, a circular dish cloth (or wash cloth) pattern available for free. Dishcloths are a great way to try out new techniques.

To start, take some waste yarn and knit a short length of i-cord. Your waste yarn should be a contrasting color from your project yarn. If you do not know how to knit i-cord, I highly recommend the video tutorial found on this page at KnittingHelp.com. I am using double pointed needles (DPN's). If you are not familiar with using DPN's, you can find a video tutorial here. The white kitchen cotton in my photos is my waste yarn. The blue yarn is my project yarn.

Since the pattern I am knitting calls for a cast-on of 8 stitches, I knit my i-cord with 8 stitches. This does not yield an attractive i-cord, but don't worry. It doesn't have to look good since it is only temporary and will be removed.

This is what it will probably look like after you have knit a few rows of i-cord.

The next step is to divide your stitches evenly over 3 or 4 needles. My DPN's came in a set of 5, so I chose to use 4 needles.

Now, drop the waste yarn (mine is white) and start working with the project yarn (mine is blue). Be sure to leave a decent "tail" on the working yarn because you are going to need it later. There is is nothing complicated about this step. You just pick up your project yarn and start knitting with it instead of the original waste yarn.

The first row you knit with your project yarn will essentially take the place of your cast-on row. My pattern tells me to cast-on 8 stitches, then knit around one time. So I knit a second row of 8 stitches in the blue. At this point, my pattern suggests putting a marker between each stitch, but you can imagine how incredibly fiddly and difficult that would be with only 2 stitches per needle...markers flying everywhere! So I will wait a few rows before adding the markers.

The pattern is very simple. It is just a repeat of the following two rounds:

*Knit to marker, yarn over, slip marker* for one round.
Knit next round.

Easy peasy, right? Well, not exactly at the beginning. That would mean on each needle for the first round of this stitch pattern I would have a k1, yo, k1, yo, then on to the next needle. Personally, when working with DPN's I do not like ending with a yo before before changing needles.

My solution is simple. On needle 1 I do the following: k1, yo, k1. But I stop there. Instead of doing the second yo after the second knit stitch on that first needle, I will do it at the beginning of the next needle. In other words while needle 1 has a k1, yo, k1 on it, needles 2,3,and 4 will have yo, k1, yo, k1. When I get back around to needle 1, I will start with the final yo of the previous round.

Below you can see me making a yarn over prior to knitting the stitches on one of my needles.

Now that I have more stitches on my needle, I decide to add the stitch markers. The pattern for doing so will be as follows: knit one stitch, knit the yarn over made in the previous round, place marker. Repeat.

Here is what it looks like from one angle.

And here it is flipped. You can see why some folk call this a "belly button cast-on." It looks like your project has a knitted umbilical cord attached.

Continue knitting in the round until you are ready to remove the provisional i-cord. You can wait until you finish your project or you can do it sooner.

Take the tail of project yarn from your cast-on and thread it through a darning needle. (I am using a CHIBI needle by Clover. They have a bent tip that helps in picking up stitches.) You are going to weave the tale through each of your first 8 stitches that you made in when you started knitting with your project yarn. If you are a really brave soul, you can remove the provisional i-cord first and then pick up your stitches. Because I am not fond of dropped stitches, I choose to pick up the stitches first, then remove my waste yarn.

You are going to do this all the way around, picking up each of the 8 stitches.

Here is a close-up showing where I put my needle. See the "v" of white yarn with two strands going into a loop of the blue. That is what you are looking for.

When you have gotten all the way around and you are certain you have all your stitches picked up, you can start removing the provisional stitches made by the waste yarn. If you need to snip it with scissors, please, PLEASE be very careful! It is very easy to accidentally cut your working yarn. I just used the tip of my CHIBI needle and gently pulled the white yarn out, snipping it's tale short to make removal easier.

Here is what it will look like as you begin to remove the waste yarn:

And now it is all gone. Do you have a gaping hole? Don't panic!

Take your darning needle with the tail and carefully thread it through your each of your picked up stitches again.

Gently, but firmly tug on that tail and draw those stitches together until your hole is all gone.

Give yourself a nice pat on the back. You've learned something new, and look at how tidy the center of your circular knitting is!

Be sure to securely weave in that tail on the underside of your knitting.

A Place of My Own

2011-01-17T16:51:00.013-05:00

Hello! Would you like to come sit a spell in my little haven? Come on through the dining room.

It's just a tiny little den, only about 11 ft. x 11 ft., but it has great light, especially in the afternoon. I want to come up with a clever name for my room, but for now I'm calling it "The Stitchery."

Come on in! Be sure to take a moment and admire my son's photography hanging on the wall. If you care to sit, there's a comfy rosewood rocker. It belonged to my grandmother and I'm rather fond of it.

Or perhaps you'd like a little tour first?

Except the paint on the walls and a few $3 baskets I found on clearance after Christmas, there is nothing new in my craft room,. Rather, it has been cobbled together with bits and pieces gathered from other rooms in my house (and our attic!)

You'll find that I've filled my room with an odd assortment of things that I love. Standing beside the desk there is an old wooden valet that belonged to my dad, perfect for holding my quilt (or other sewing projects) in progress. For as long as I can remember, this valet stood in my parent's room by Dad's dresser. He would drop his change in the tray, drape his clothes over the top and set his shoes at the bottom. I think he would be happy to know his valet is still cared for and appreciated.

It's great having windows over my desk...a perfect place to sit and watch the snow fall last week.

Before it became The Stitchery, this room held much of our library with 4 bookcases FULL of books from floor to ceiling, and my crafting supplies were kept in a small bedroom; but whenever college boys came home, I was kicked out of my craft room!

Last month, before the Christmas break madness ensued, I determined to make the craft room the library/den and the library/den my craft room. As if switching rooms wasn't chaotic enough, I decided to go ahead and paint too. Below is a "before" picture where you can see the former color of this room. You can also see the back door situated on the west wall. It is immediately to the right of the windows and my desk.

It was out with the gold and in with the blue!

As you can see above, painting paneled walls takes a lot of extra brush work.

The new color is Benjamin Moore's Buxton Blue which seems to be quite popular lately. I'm not one to follow trends and at first I seriously resisted using this color. However, every time I considered paint colors, the Buxton Blue just made me happy. So I decided in spite of what others were doing to follow my heart and use what I like...even if it IS in every other home in America!

Now, when I sit at my desk and look to my right, this is what I see:

The pictures on the wall are drawings my youngest daughter made with oil pastels when she was about 6 years old. I've kept them because their whimsy makes me smile every time I look at them. I'm so glad to finally have a place to hang them where I can see them every day!

Decorating this room can be a challenge. It is FULL of doors! Six, to be exact. There is the door to the dining room, a closet door, a bathroom door, two bedroom doors and our back door which goes outside! As you can imagine, there is a decent amount of traffic through this room, so I had to arrange things with care. Blocked walkways are not allowed.

There are two tall shelves to hold much of my sewing and knitting stash.

The sun was really strong when I snapped these photos. Here's another view with slightly less glare.

The east wall opposite my desk is quite small (remember that closet door and bathroom door?) but it's a perfect spot for my vintage Singer Featherweight sewing machine which was a gift from my aunt. With a little work (new belts and power cord) and a tune-up, it is now in working order. It is both beautiful and useful.

Above the Featherweight are more things I love...vintage jars full of my mother's button collection, a self-portrait by one of my sons, some old toys that belonged to me and my hubby. The blue velveteen rabbit is filled with sawdust and missing an ear. I loved it so much when I was a wee one! The corduroy teddy bear sitting below was sewn by my grandmother. She also made the doll in red. Sewn with love and care, her sweet face is hand-embroidered. Candlewicking adorns her pinafore and hand-tatted lace made by my great aunt trims her pinafore and bloomers.

There is another small wall space located in the tiny hall area between the two bedrooms. This shelf holds my scrapbooking supplies as well as other are supplies. On top is a borrowed drum carder and the red cardinal I cross-stitched for my mother when I was a girl. Red is my favorite color and I have tried to add little pops of it all around the room.

Below, you can see more red accents on this shelf. Notice the cute white baskets lined with red striped fabric? I was thrilled to find them on clearance after Christmas. They are perfect year-round for my room!

As I said before, this room is quite small, and you've probably noticed that the ceilings are rather low. I am trying very hard to keep it tidy and uncluttered...clutter makes me feel unsettled. Sadly, there was no room for my dress form. But if you look carefully in the upper left hand of the next photo, you can see her standing watch in the corner of the room that is now our library. She's close at hand if I need her.

My beading supplies and my needlepoint wools and canvases also reside in the library to keep my dress form company. When sewing I set up the ironing board in that room as well. It is nearby for pressing seams, but out of the walkway.

Well friend, I guess that wraps up the tour. Do sit down and make yourself comfy. Feel free to get started on your needlework while I go put on the kettle for a pot of tea, or would you prefer coffee?

He's Smart, Plays Guitar AND Wears Cool Socks!

2011-01-05T12:38:00.002-05:00

Take the above yarn.

Add knitting needles, time, and determination.

Eventually you end up with...

...one pair of pretty cool socks for an awesome 17 year-old son!

Knitted LACE!

2011-01-01T16:06:00.005-05:00

This is my final finished project for 2010. It was cast on way back in April, bound off the evening of December 30th, unpinned from the blocking boards the morning of December 31st, and proudly worn for New Year's Eve.

Although I had knit a bit of lace before endeavoring this pattern, I had never knit with lace WEIGHT yarn: a light, ethereal fiber not much thicker than thread. It was quite the learning experience for me and my hands.

Here is my finished shawl pinned to the blocking board.

The pattern is called "Rose Leaf Trellis Shawl." Can you see the leaves?

Knitted lace absolutely MUST be blocked! Here is a bit of mine in progress on the needles. See how squinchy it looks? You can barely distinguish the patterning.

Blocking stretches the lace and opens it up so you can see all the pretty stitches you worked so hard to create. It also makes it significantly bigger! My unblocked finished wrap was 60 inches long.

After blocking it was over 80 inches long and considerably wider:

You can find all the details (fiber, pattern, needles, etc.) on my Ravelry project page: BlueMoonArtistry's Rose Leaf Trellis Wrap.

Giveaway Week at the Crafty Crow!

2010-11-30T15:48:00.013-05:00

One site I love to visit regularly is The Crafty Crow. It overflows with great ideas of creative things to do with kids (and grown ups too!)

The Crafty Crow is hosting a Winter Holiday Giveaway Week. The sponsors have some really awesome stuff. You've got until Saturday, December 4th to stop by and enter the various giveaways. Good luck!

(If I was really clever, I would know how to embed the image above, so that you can click it and be linked to the giveaway. Sadly it isn't working for me, so you will have to use the links in the text instead!)

Some Knitting...

2010-11-29T16:40:00.003-05:00

I finished a pair of socks this weekend:

The pattern is "Totally Tubular" by Samantha Roshak of KnitQuest.
The yarn is Miss Babs Yummy Monochrome Sport & Sock Yarn in the Clematis colorway.

The pattern is a unique approach to knitting socks. You make a very long tube and then add the toes, ribbing and afterthought heels.

I also have a sweater to share, but I need to get it photographed.

Now, on the my 8 year-old daughter. She's been a busy gal these days! Here is a bag she crocheted using vibrant kitchen cotton.

The hat she knit her brother.

The fingerless gloves she knit.

And a shawl she knit in Caribbean colors.

She entered the last three items in the County fair. There were 3 knitting categories for ages 9-18. She won the blue ribbons in all three! (The crocheted bag was not finished at that time.)

Pretty soon, she'll be knitting and crocheting circles around me!

Operation October Boot Camp -- THE RESULTS!

2010-11-09T08:15:00.011-05:00

I've had a few folks ask me how my whole self-imposed "Operation October Boot Camp" turned out, so I thought I would share my results.

One of my main goals was:

--Do 30 days of the 30 Day Shred WITHOUT injuring myself.

Just about every morning I hung out with these three gals:

(May I say the move shown at the 50 second spot on the above montage is a KILLER!)

I am telling you, this workout is SERIOUS. It is very modifiable (is that a word?) to suit your current condition. If you are out of shape, don't use the weights and do the moves with less intensity. If you are already super fit, use heavier weights and give it all you got. And if you are like most women and your upper body strength leaves a bit to be desired, this workout is going to make you WORK!

Bear in mind that many exercise experts claim that doing demanding workouts which employ the same muscle groups to exhaustion every single day does not give your body sufficient time for recovery. For this reason, weight trainers will do upper body one day and lower body the next. I managed to do 28 days of the 30 Day Shred workout in the month of October. However, I would highly recommend that anyone attempting this program consider doing it every other day with some walking or running or other light cardio on the days in between. This is how I am now doing it.

So, inquiring minds want to know, did a month of The 30 Day Shred leave me "shredded" and looking like this:

IN MY DREAMS!

But on the bright side, I definitely achieved some significant muscle gains, my cardio and strength improved drastically AND I am now able to wear those jeans that had mysteriously "shrunk" and wouldn't even consider zipping up any more!

My other goals (and their results in parentheses) for the month were the following:

--Walk daily with hubby. (30/31) (It rained one day)
--Eat mostly vegan/raw with LOTS of fresh fruits and veggies daily. (31/31)
--No caffeine, sugar, chemicals or processed foods. (28/31)
--Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. (29/31)

And now we get to the nitty gritty. The part every woman worries about...that dastardly scale. The question on everyone's mind, "What about losing weight?" Well, to be honest, just before starting this escapade, I had lost 8 pounds in September by drastically adjusting my eating habits. I truly hoped I would lose more pounds in October. But the sad fact of the matter is that even with all that exercising and eating like a rabbit, I did NOT lose any weight in October!

BUT, and this is a really big "but" (pun intended), I lost inches!!!

--0.5" off my upper chest (measuring around the chest just below the underarm)
--1.5" off bust
--1.25" off waistline
--1.5" off around the abdomen 2 inches below waistline
--0.5" off my hips at their widest point
--0.25" off each thigh
--0.5" off each upper arm

That is a grand total of 6 3/4 inches GONE from my body without losing a pound!

How can that be? It is simple. While I was losing fat, I was also gaining muscle. Not only does muscle jiggle considerably less, but also a pound of muscle takes up considerably less space than a pound of fat.

If I had only measured myself using a scale, I would have been seriously discouraged at the end of October. The scale can not measure your muscle to fat ratio; and weight can fluctuate drastically from day to day simply due to water retention. Please keep this in mind if you are exercising hard and the scale is not cooperating. I HIGHLY recommend that folks trying to shape up take accurate measurements with an old-fashioned measuring tape which is a far better assessment of your progress. (That, and those jeans that somehow "shrunk" and you can't zip anymore.)

All vanity issues aside, the really, really important thing is a person's overall health. Not only did my strength and cardio ability improve, but the mostly vegan/mostly raw eating significantly reduced the muscle and joint pain I have been living with. My energy levels went up as well. So...

I officially declare Operation October Boot Camp a success!

What's on My Plate

2010-10-20T17:43:00.003-05:00

I thought since it is Day 20 of my Boot Camp, an update would be appropriate. Above is a photo of my dinner tonight. Let me tell you, that is a HUGE honkin' salad on a dinner-sized plate. I can not believe the sheer quantity of food I am able to consume eating like this. In addition, I ate a baked sweet potato, totally plain. I am really thriving on this whole mostly vegan, mostly raw eating style. I occasionally indulge in some brown rice, or steamed kale, or a baked sweet potato, but the vast majority of what I am eating is raw.

Here's how I'm doing after 20 days of October:

--30 Day Shred Workouts? Yep, 20/20 days. Today was day 10 of Level 2. Level 3, here I come! I've also walked almost every day.

--Gluten free? I had one piece of my homemade bread early in the month. and 2 bites of a pizza that smelled amazing. That's all.

--Dairy free? I've had precious little in just a few things. I would guess a total of 2-3 ounces of dairy in 20 days.

--Vegan? I ate a little homemade tuna salad one night, but did not like how it made me feel. I also ate a few pieces of chicken in some stir-fry I made. Other than that and the small amount of dairy mentioned above, I've managed okay.

--Mostly raw? I would say I am eating 80-90% of my foods raw.

--Caffeine? Zero. Zip. Nada!

All-in-all, this month's Boot Camp is going well. I'm hoping to continue with the plan and finish strong.

Coming soon: knitting update! (I know you are all on the edge of your seats!)

Operation October Boot Camp

2010-10-08T18:38:00.003-05:00

If you follow me on Twitter, then you may already know that I have proclaimed this month as "Operation October Boot Camp." Corny, I know, but I'll do go to extreme measures of goofiness if it will help me keep motivated.

Although weight loss will hopefully be a pleasant side benefit, that is not my main purpose in this. I am hoping to improve my health and relieve some unpleasant symptoms I have suffered from. I spent the end of September doing a cleansing fast. The goal of that was to break some bad habits and adjust my perspective towards food. It is amazing how abstaining from food for a while can help cut the cravings for junk. I quit caffeine and have not had a cup of coffee for 16 days now. I have also avoided sugar, wheat, meat, cheese and processed foods. This month in my personal boot camp I am trying to establish some good habits by making myself do them every single day. One of those habits is plain, old fashioned exercise. I have spent a half hour every morning for the last 8 days with my good friend Jillian Michaels.

This work out kicks my tail every time!

I am also working on drinking lots of water and eating really, really healthy. For me that means mostly vegan and mostly raw. Not to bore you with too many details, but here is what a typical day is like for me right now:

--fresh carrot juice first thing in the morning
--workout
--green monster smoothie (juice, fruits and LOTS of spinach)
--raw fruit, raw almonds, veggies for snacks
--maybe some homemade hummus for dipping
--HUGE salad
--homemade veggie soup, or brown rice with black beans and salsa, or more veggies
--walk with hubby

I have lost some weight, but more importantly, I am feeling much better! I am sleeping better, have more energy, feeling less muddled in the head, and some of my joint and muscle pains have abated. Eventually, I will probably experiment with reintroducing certain foods in isolation (like wheat) to see if they trigger any symptoms.

My long term goal is to try to continue in this way of eating for a good six months to see how my body will respond. That is a little overwhelming to think about, so I am taking it one day at a time. But who knows, maybe with the clean food and plenty of hard work...

Wishing I was HERE!

2010-09-24T10:44:00.008-05:00

We spent a day at the beach last weekend. It was lovely. The above photo is a shot of where we sat as we gazed out over the ocean. Nope, it doesn't get any better than that!

There was a wicked rip current, so playing in the water was dangerous and difficult even in the shallows. After getting exhausted fighting the pull of the currents, my youngest and I contented ourselves just hanging out at water's edge and letting the water gently wash over us.

Here's what happens when teenagers get a hold of my camera:

We walked around a lovely, old historic seaside town and enjoyed the sunset there.

(((sigh!)))

One day was not enough. I want to go back!

And for your viewing pleasure, here is a short video from our day. (Sorry, I can't figure out how to center the silly thing!)

Finished and Blocked!

2010-09-10T07:46:00.005-05:00

May I introduce to you my Twilight Sonota (yes, that IS how the designer spells it) which is knit using a new yet-to-be-released pattern by Kay Meadors.

This is my first time knitting with beads, and I must say this pattern was a good introduction to the technique. There are beads scattered throughout the body of the shawl, which are lovely to see in real life, but don't seem to show up well in my photos, so here is a closeup.

And beads dripping from the lace border.

I am so thrilled that the weather is finally cooling down a bit in the evenings and early mornings. Twilight sits delicately over my shoulders right now. The beads add just the right amount of weight and the drape is lovely.

I applied the beads using, of all things, Oral B Superfloss! Romi Hill has great tutorial demonstrating how to do this on her blog: Rosemary-Go-Round.

Once things turn colder, I will probably wear it over sweaters or turtlenecks more like this:

I wish the colors were showing truer in my photos of the finished project. Here is a more accurate picture of the yarn:

Please use your imagination and picture the colors of the shawl looking more like that! ;-)

All the project details can be found on my Ravelry project page for Twilight Sonota. Here are the basics:

Yarn: Serenity Sock Yarn - 2 skeins in Amethyst colorway (almost 460 yds.)
Needles: US size 7 (4.5 mm)
Beads: approx. 19-20 grams size 6 round seed beads in a assortment of purple shades

How to make an 8 year-old girl happy...

2010-08-11T07:29:00.003-05:00

Simple! Knit her a pair of pink striped knee-socks!

Details (yarn, pattern, etc.) can be found here: Ravelry project page

Hooray! I won something!

2010-08-10T20:35:00.009-05:00

Phat Fiber is often giving away lovelies from their sponsors. I am thrilled to say I just found out that I won the yarn you see above. It is hand-dyed superwash sock yarn made by My8KidsMom whose lovelies are sold at Counting Sheep Farm.

And again I say, "Squeeeee!"

More wheel love...

2010-07-15T09:51:00.004-05:00

I gave my new baby a spa treatment last night with some Watco Danish Oil, and look at how she glows! I wish I was a better photographer so that I could adequately convey how lovely her wood is. I haven't come up with a good name yet, but she definitely needs a name. Any suggestions?

She is currently set up in double drive, which is new to me. I have only spun in single drive with Scotch tension (Schacht Ladybug, Ashford Traditional, a variety of Kromski wheels) and a little on a Hitchhiker which is direct drive.

And, she is just the right size to proudly sit on our small hearth, ready to spin at a moment's notice.

My hubby even likes her--bonus points!

SQUEEEEEEEEE!

2010-07-14T12:20:00.003-05:00

Guess what I got today!

It's mine, mine, all mine! I have been trying for some time now to get my hands on a spinning wheel of my own, but forces have been conspiring against me. I never even dreamed I might have a Schacht Matchless. They are sooo far out of my ballpark. But a friend of a friend is no longer able to spin due to a knee injury. She had hardly used this wheel when the injury happened, so the wheel is practically new, but the price was WAY less than a new wheel. She also gave me a sweetheart of a deal making it within my grasp.

I am so thrilled and so thankful that I waited for the right wheel to come along.

Beginner's Luck???

2010-06-22T10:32:00.005-05:00

In the last post I showed you my first singles spun on a wheel. Of course, the next logical step was plying. Since I only had one bobbin of yarn, I used my ball winder and wound it into a cake. I then plied by pulling a strand from the inside and a strand from the outside. That was a bit fussy, and may have not been the best way for me to ply for the first time!

After letting the plied yarn rest on the bobbin for a few days I wound it up on a niddy noddy, and LOOK!

Do you see what I see? The yarn is balanced! It is not twisting and curling all over itself as I expected. I confess to being a TOTAL novice and pretty ignorant about spinning, but I THINK that is a good thing! Experienced spinners, please let me know!

Here's a close up. You can see the inconsistencies. I am thinking that some of that would be due to the fact that my very first spinning (beginning of the spun singles) is plied with the my very last spinning (end of the strand). I'll just think of it as adding "character" and "charm" to the yarn. As a commenter said in the previous post: "...if you want smooth perfect yarn--buy commercial!"

Spin Pic

2010-06-08T12:00:00.004-05:00

Here is a picture of my first spinning. My friend gave me some Corriedale to practice on with first. I like how it spins, but I think the fiber would benefit from a little carding or combing. The fibers are not all lined up well and sometimes that leads to small fluffy bits in my spinning...or maybe it is because I am a TOTAL novice and don't know what I am doing! But generally speaking, I am happy with my singles.

Next thing to try: plying!

Spinning!

2010-06-01T12:23:00.009-05:00

Sorry. Can't talk now. I'm too busy playing with this:

I have a fiber friend who is getting married and spending her honeymoon cycling in Italy. Yes, you read that right -- a honeymoon in ITALY. Let's all breathe a collected sigh of pity for the poor gal. ;-P

So, she is letting me "babysit" her Schacht Ladybug spinning wheel while she is gone. Wheeeeeee!

I tried to make myself watch the whole how-to video first, but after about 15 minutes, I just dived right in. The fiber you see on the bobbin in the photo is what I have spun so far.

I'm hoping that after having a wheel for almost a month I will get thoroughly bored with it and kill the desire to have my own wheel...

Ha! hA! Ha! hA! Ha! hA! Ha! hA! Ha! hA! Ha! hA! Ha! hA! Ha! hA!

Yeah, right.

A Letter

2010-05-27T09:49:00.009-05:00

This morning I stumbled over my running shoes and workout clothes sitting in the middle of my floor. I don't remember putting them there. How did they get out of my closet?? Then I noticed a piece of paper sitting on top the exercise gear. Much to my dismay, the following words were scrawled across the page:

Dear Self,

You know, for a pretty smart cookie, you sure can act dumb sometimes! When are you going to learn that you just can't eat and act like "normal" people and feel "normal?" How many times do we have to go through this cycle of feeling totally crummy before you are going to get it? I know it doesn't seem fair, but face it, Honey, life isn't fair. So what if other folks seem to be able to eat junk and get along fine? I can't do it. I am special and you have to take better care of me! I'm the only body you've got.

Remember last year when you were eating clean and working out hard? Remember how great we felt? Ahhh, good times! Yeah, yeah. You hurt your back and that was a royal pain, but that's no excuse for totally throwing in the towel. Besides,that was months and months ago. What's your excuse now? Time to move on from that. I know I may sound mean, but I think it is time you had a little tough love and faced the facts:

--Notice how our clothes seem to be getting tight on me? Yeah, I put on weight when you don't make good food choices.

--And what's with the lack of exercise? Look kiddo' if you don't take me out and work me hard a bit, we are going to end up with a horrible middle-age spread.

--But let me be frank, gaining a little weight and our vanity is the least of our problems! Let's talk about allergy symptoms, muscle knots, sore joints, lethargy, muddled thinking, yadda, yadda, yadda...you know I am not functioning optimally. You know you can't get everything done when I feel like I have the flu. Don't make me use the "fibromyalgia" word!

Oh, please! Stop whining and feeling sorry for yourself! This is the way it has to be. You know the drill, but I'm gonna' tell you anyway:

--Get back on your mostly-vegan, mostly-raw eating regimen. It works for you. It isn't the easiest or most convenient, but put on your big girl panties and do what you know is right for you.

--Drink more water.

--Cut back on the coffee.

--Get plenty of sleep.

--Get up and get moving more. I don't care what you do, but since you haven't been behaving like the brightest bulb in the box, I will list here some ideas. These won't cost you a penny because you already have all that is necessary to do them:

Couch-to-5K
30 Day Shred
Tae Bo
Tabatas
The New Rules of Lifting for Women
Jumping rope
Walking
Biking

Or any combination of the above. As the famous ad campaign says, "Just do it!"

I'm sorry if it seems like I'm being hard on you, but these things needed to be said. We're a team and we've gotta' work together. With a little will-power and self-control on your part, and some hard work and sweat on my part, we could be so much better. Whaddaya' say?

Signed with much love and a swift kick in your ever expanding pants,

Your Body

Knitting Lace

2010-05-19T11:59:00.009-05:00

(Just to clarify, above photo is not my work. More info below)

My blog has been quiet lately, but my life has NOT! In the last few weeks two college boys have come home and my oldest daughter has graduated from high school. That means I have successfully home schooled 4 of my kids from the very beginning all the way through. Only 3 more to go! My hubby says that if you added together the 12 grades I taught each of those 4 kids plus the 10, 8 and 3 grades of the three not yet graduated that would be a total of 69 years worth of school I have taught (and we won't even bother counting kindergarten)! I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

I have had something new and a bit challenging on my needles lately: knitted lace! The photo above is from the Rose Leaf Trellis Shawl/Wrap pattern by Janet Barton. It is available for FREE on Ravelry.

I have knit lace stitch patterns before, for example, the simple feather and fan pattern that is on the border of the Multnomah shawl. (Pattern available for free at Hello Knitty.)

I recently knit this for my mum and sent it to her for Mother's Day.

However, I have never actually knit with lace weight yarn. The fiber I am using is called "Merino Lace" by Skacel. How strangely different it feels! The yarn is thin, like thread, but it does not have the body or weight or drape of thread. It is light and airy and it takes some getting used to.

Here is a picture of what it looks like on the needles:

Not too attractive, is it? But that is part of the magic of knitted lace. It looks very unimpressive on the needles, but when you block it, your hard work shows up and you have a thing of beauty.

Here is my work stretched and pinned out a bit to give an idea of what it will look like when it has been finished and blocked:

Sorry to say, finishing will probably be a while from now...I am pretty slow at knitting lace!

So, every now and then I whip up another dish cloth just so I can feel I've finished something. :-)

Oh, and by the way. Should you want to join me on my lace knitting adventure, there is a knit-along group on Ravelry working through the Rose Leaf Trellis Shawl/Wrap pattern together. Feel free to join us!

Just Call me the Dame of Dish Cloths!

2010-04-15T07:37:00.007-05:00

I have a few other projects on my needles, but right now, my main obsession seems to be the lowly dish cloth. So quick and colorful. The crocheted cloth above reminds me of a bright beach ball. You can get all the details here.

All the following dish cloths will be linked as well. If I do this correctly, the links should take you directly to my project pages on Ravelry. Even if you do not have a Ravelry account, you should be able to follow the links and view all the gory details: pattern used, yarn, hook, needles, etc. If there are problems or questions, please leave me a comment.

The Mosaic Dish Cloth is knit, and it takes considerably more time than the crocheted cloths. Purple and gold are the colors of our local university.

The next one I made is a pattern called Fire Blossom. Sorry the photo is a little faded looking. The red is more saturated than what shows here.

The Quick Dry Dish Cloth crochets up soooo fast! I made one on a Friday afternoon and then promptly gave it away to a friend who had us over for dinner that night. Then I crocheted another late that evening before retiring.

And here is my latest. I used yellow and white and call it my Daisy Dish Cloth.

These make great gifts! However, I have had another thought rolling around in my mind: Do you think I could sell them? Bear in mind that all the above finished cloths are just prototypes and have not been washed or blocked. In other words, they were new patterns to me and not as "polished" looking as they might be. What I would like to do if I sold them is to give all the proceeds to various missions projects. I personally know several people who are long-term missionaries as well as several young folk who are doing short-term mission work this summer. In addition to that, our AWANA group supports some AWANA programs in Nepal.

Whaddaya' think? And what do you think would be a fair price for hand-made cloths?

And now, a special non-dish cloth bonus feature!

For Saint Patrick's Day, I used green thread and crocheted a shamrock and a 4-leaf clover to wear as pins. By the way, I really am of Irish descent!

And, a few days ago, my daughter asked me to make a flower to go on her hat...the hat that SHE crocheted herself! (((proud mommy))) So, I whipped up this flower.

I think the button she picked out of my button box was a nice added touch.

Cursed Kitchen???

2010-04-08T10:14:00.009-05:00

Ya' know, if I didn't know better, I would begin to think some nefarious force has placed a curse on my kitchen!

Last week my microwave (my less-than-4-month-old microwave) died! I mean dead. No lights, no nothing.

This made heating Easter dinner leftovers a royal pain. I am actually a little wary of microwaves and would be happy to not have one. I have lived without a microwave and it can be done. However, I have found that my kids will eat more leftovers when they don’t have to put them in a pot and stir, or wait for something to heat up a half hour in the oven. I hate to throw away food even more than I dislike microwaves. So, now I have to buy a new microwave. The Oster company is honoring our warranty and refunding our money, but that will probably get here months from now…you know how that goes! Not only that, but we got a great deal on that microwave, and it looks like a new one will cost us a good $50 more than what I originally paid.

Then, the blender attachment to my Bosch kitchen machine stopped working (again).

There is a design flaw in the part of the blender that attaches to the drive shaft and it gets stripped, thus making the blender not blend. Well, I am rather partial to smoothies, so I actually use my blender. I have already replaced this part 2-3 times! And I refuse to pay another $15 or so to get another little bit that is just going to break in a few months. So, I will have to buy a new blender.

Are you keeping count?? That's two appliances that need replacing.

Then yesterday, I was being domestic diva (baking bread, making homemade Lara bars, etc.) and the glass bowl to my vintage KitchenAid mixer slipped out of my hands into the sink and broke! Waaaaaah!

This was my grandmother’s mixer and has great sentimental value to me. It is a model 4C which was produced from the early 1960's through the 1970's. The company doesn't even make a glass bowl that fits this mixer anymore. I have looked online and found a metal replacement at the tune of about $50 plus shipping! :-0 To replace it with a glass bowl like the one that comes with it is hard to find and costs even more dough (pun intended.) Although my Bosch kitchen machine is great for kneading bread and mixing really large batches of stuff, we regularly used the KitchenAid for cookie dough, cakes, icing, etc.

And then to top it all off, while I was still trying to hold back the tears over the broken mixer bowl, my kitchen sink suddenly and mysteriously decided to refuse to drain!

It was working fine, and then all of a sudden it wasn’t. We have poured chemicals down it, boiling water, and tried a plunger. We even went to the hardware store and bought a plumber's snake. 15 feet of snake later, still no drainage. GAAAAAARRRRRGH!

Score:
Kitchen appliances to be replaced plus a plumber's bill -- 4
My bank account -- 0

Do you think the plumber could be bribed with homemade bread???

Not Trying to Tempt You But...

2010-04-02T14:30:00.004-05:00

There is a big fabric sale going on over at Fresh Squeezed Fabrics.

20% off EVERYTHING.

Can you resist such cuteness???

There is LOTS to choose from.

Oh, and Fresh Squeezed Fabric is owned and operated by Randi, the blog author of "i have to say..." as well as the brains (and much of the brawn) behind "Sewing Seeds" and the Quilt Along which are both linked in my right hand sidebar. She is a lovely, christian, mom...the kind of person whose business I can whole heartedly recommend.

Bummer!

2010-03-16T16:36:00.004-05:00

This weekend was a whirlwind of activity. Wedding, Historical Ball, funeral...all in one weekend. Then Monday was equally busy. I was so looking forward to some down time today and life getting back to "normal." Well, it seems I have managed to catch an unpleasant stomach virus. Not exactly how I planned to spend my day "off." Bummer!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

2010-03-11T08:09:00.004-05:00

Lately, life feels as if I have lassoed a tornado and I am hanging on, riding it as best as I can! I hope the pace will soon slow down a bit, but for now it leaves me with precious little time to knit, crochet, sew, or blog.

Just wanted to announce that I am alive and well. I'm just busy, busy, busy!

Today's Lunch

2010-02-26T13:43:00.003-05:00

Whole wheat sub bun stuffed with avocado, cucumber, tomato and sprinkled with a little salt and pepper. Fresh pepper strips and hummus for dipping. YUM!

Wait! Are there a few bites missing from that sandwich??? Well, of course I had to test it before I shared it with y'all!

For Liliana

2010-02-26T11:32:00.004-05:00

Liliana wrote: "Tell me, how do the washcloths wear? Could you post a photo of a used one? Is that too weird? But I would like to know how well it lasts with use."

You asked for it. You got it! :-)

This dishcloth has been in heavy rotation in our kitchen for the last year or two. Although it does not look like the cheerful, lime green, striped cloth that I started with...

...it has given us lots of faithful service. The faded colors are due to the fact that I am sometimes forced to clean my dishcloths with bleach. I just can not seem to get some members of my family to completely grasp the concept of rinsing and hanging a dishcloth after every use. The kids have gotten a lot better about it, but I still occasionally find a cloth that has sat wet for too long. Ick! No one likes a smelly dishcloth!

I will add that for the most part, I am a process knitter/crocheter. In other words, I knit and crochet because I enjoy the act of knitting and crocheting. I am also on a tight budget, making it cost prohibitive to knit many of the projects that I would love to tackle. However, consumable items like socks and dishcloths are great projects for me. Dishcloths are instant gratification. A little cotton, a hook or some needles, a new stitch pattern to try out, a few hours, and I have a finished project. I can work them in fun and funky colors that would be gaudy in a garment. Dishcloths have a very limited lifespan, so everyone can always use more, making them great little gifts too! And don't forget, they aren't just for the kitchen. They are excellent in the shower as well. For another nice gift idea, pair a pretty cloth (call it a "spa cloth") with a bar of fancy soap or some body wash.

As an added bonus, here are a few pics of another cloth, older and soon to be retired.

Busy Hands

2010-02-23T09:27:00.007-05:00

Since my BIG project at the moment is the quilt I am working on, I seem to be on a kick of making quick-and-easy-to-finish projects in the knitting and crochet arena. Crocheted dishcloths certainly fit into that category!

This one looks a bit different on each side.

Free Pattern: Crochet Dish Cloth by Coats and Clark

The next two were made using Linda Bohrn's Woven Stitch
Dishcloth pattern (also free.)

But wait! There's more!

Free Pattern: Easy Crocheted Dishcloth by Cheri Mancini

Tired of dishcloths??? Well, here's a hat I knit using some handspun that was gifted to me. Lots of lumpy, bumpy character.

And, flip it inside out for a whole different look!

Free Pattern: 2 Hour Hat (and yes, 2 hours is all it took!)

Next time around I will try to show some progress pics of my quilt which is coming along nicely!

Valentines!

2010-02-15T12:02:00.005-05:00

I bet we are the only household still making Valentines on February 15th.

It's a pretty messy business.

I know my hubby (who loves order and neatness) will be thrilled when we are done and the coffee table is once again visible.

My 8 year-old's book club meets this afternoon, and she wanted give them hand-made Valentines...all ten of the other girls! It has been a lesson in perseverance for her. There are quite a few hand stitches in each of these little felt pouches. Handmade gifts are fun, but they are also a lot of work.

It saddens me to think that most of the recipients will probably be more excited about the little Hershey bar and the pencil inside the handmade Valentine. But I guess that's okay.

A New Red Cap

2010-02-14T13:43:00.003-05:00

A good friend gave me a skein of Manos del Uruguay yarn in a lovely cherry red...just MY color!

I decided to knit it up in fun "slouchy" hat (or beret) using the "Star Crossed Slouchy Beret" pattern available as a free download on Ravelry.

You get the "beret" shaping by blocking the hat on a dinner plate!

Too busy knitting to Windex my bathroom mirror...as can be seen in the following photo!

The pattern has some funky cabling going on...which doesn't show up as well in the yarn I used because it is a "thick-thin" sort of yarn.

Getting good photos of a hat can be a challenge when you are photographing it on your own head. Hint: since you are in front of the camera instead of behind it, use a hand mirror in one hand and hold it behind the camera so you can see the viewer screen.

Neglected...

2010-02-05T09:46:00.007-05:00

Ah, Green Monster! Once we were such close friends. We communed daily. What happened to our relationship?

Okay, I know. It is really all my fault. I am the one who wandered away. But you must admit, you are rather raw and so cold! It was easy to lured away by warm, comforting drinks during this bitter wintry season. I was weak. I am sorry. But I would like to renew our ties. Whaddaya' say?

And as for you, Ms. Michaels...

I am not sure if you are really my good friend. After our get together on Tuesday, I limped around the house in much agony for two days. Yeah, I know. Once again, that is all my fault. If I had been working out for the past few months, our visits wouldn't be so painful. Do you remember our glory days?? Remember the times when we felt so strong that we would do Level 1 and Level 2 back-to-back in one day? Good times!

Do you think we could recapture the magic? I hope so.

It is often said that bad company corrupts good morals. I know that is true. I fear I have been running around with the wrong crowd, spending too much time hanging out with empty carbs, coffee, comfort foods and the sofa. Oh, they can be a lot of fun in the moment, but I hate myself later for the way I behave around them. They are a bad lot and I have allowed myself to be led me astray.

Do they care about me? No!

Do they make me a better person? No!

Do my jeans feel tight? Yes!

Something's gotta' change. And it is gonna' start now!

Can You Help???

2010-02-04T11:29:00.004-05:00

A little fabric, a simple pattern, an hour or two of your time, and you have a skirt for someone less fortunate than we are.

"Sow the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you."---Hosea 10:12

Sewing Seeds is a ministry that started a few years ago when Randi's daughter was going on a mission trip to Africa. Over 100 handmade skirts were stuffed into her daughter's suitcase and lovingly distributed. Later, a similar project was taken on in Costa Rica. Now, Randi is gathering skirts for the girls in Haiti.

Can you help??

Go to Sewing Seeds for more information. And as always, I can highly recommend Randi's blog "i have to say..."

Quote of the Day

2010-02-03T18:42:00.007-05:00

"America needs to wake up and have a big bowl of moral fiber for breakfast!"

--my husband (a really smart guy!)

Under Construction

2010-02-03T15:54:00.006-05:00

I am working on changing the "look" of my blog. Please bear with me as I work on this. If anyone has feedback, it would be most appreciated. Oh, and if anyone knows how to get rid of the ugly brown tabs ("home" "about" "contact" "rss") in my header, I would love to know how! They are written into the html of my template and weird things happen every time I try to mess with them.

*Edit--Yay! After much trial and error, the aforementioned ugly brown tabs at the top now are gone.

Dear "Amy"

2010-02-01T10:31:00.006-05:00

Dear "Amy",

Thank you for taking time to read my blog. I am thoroughly impressed by the number of older posts you have recently read. You must have stayed up until all hours of the night, glued to your computer, entranced by my riveting posts about motherhood, homemaking and needlework; fascinating stuff, I know. I am sure you read all those older posts because you were kind enough to leave comments in each one of them.

However, since I can not read Chinese, I am unable to fully appreciate your comments. I tried an online translator, but feel certain that the translator was not working properly because its translation of some of the things you wrote made me blush (and I am a married woman!)

Amy, I am sure, unlike those nasty spammers that lurk in cyberspace, that you meant no harm. But since my blog is G-rated, I am now having to spend a lot of time an effort going through each one of your comments and manually deleting them. I am sure this extra work was not your intention. However, we would not want anyone else to use the same translator (which I am sure must be faulty) and be misled by your comments. I know you will understand when I ask that your refrain from making further comments on my blog to prevent any more misunderstandings.

Sincerely yours,

busyHSmom

PS Because of this unfortunate event, I have felt compelled to activate comment moderation on my blog. Please, dear Amy, do not take this personally! I just feel that this is the best way insure that those nasty, evil spammers are kept away from my readers.

Winter's Day Well Spent

2010-01-31T14:51:00.012-05:00

Friday night and Saturday brought a little snow and a lot of freezing rain, sleet and ice our way. It made for a very grey, cold, wet day.

OUTSIDE: Brrrrrr!

INSIDE: Simmering chili.

OUTSIDE: Cold!

INSIDE: Corn bread. (To go with the chili, of course!)

OUTSIDE: Lonely swingset.

INSIDE: Monopoly by the fire.

OUTSIDE Not much traffic today!

INSIDE: Warm, spicy chai. (Recipe can be found here.)

OUTSIDE: Ice everywhere.

INSIDE: Plenty of time for knitting. You can read more about my Valentine's scarf here on Ravelry.

I lived in Michigan for 5 years. I remember how stir crazy I could get with months of days like this. I certainly don't miss that! However, in these parts we don't get much "proper" winter weather. A weekend of forced hibernation has been rather nice. It has been quite pleasant, I confess, to have a few days where everything shuts down, and everyone slows down!

Quilt Pics (new and improved)

2010-01-30T14:07:00.002-05:00

Thanks to some helpful suggestions in the comments of my last post (thank you, Laura) I have taken some better photos of my fabric.

Here is the binding and the backing.

Now, I just need to get myself a tripod so that my pics aren't so fuzzy. I can't seem to take a shot without shaking the camera. :-P

Quilt Along!

2010-01-29T10:11:00.004-05:00

I love to visit the blog "i have to say..." and I am thrilled to tell you that Randi is hosting a quilt-along. Whether you are a novice or an experienced quilter, it's not too late to join! It will be 6 weeks of easy, step-by-step instructions in small, bite-sized do-able chunks. You can read more about it here.

I am thinking of using these fabrics to go into my living room, which has deep, rich, pumpkin walls, an oriental rug with cranberry red, golds and blues, and a sofa with greens, reds, golds and a touch of the pumpkin color.

Stress Mittens

2010-01-29T09:13:00.006-05:00

I've been meaning to show off my new pair of mittens that I knit this past weekend. I call them my "Stress Mittens" because knitting them was an effort at coping with all the laundry and plumbing frustrations we were having.

However, this week has not been my best and I've not found much time to blog. I will spare you all the gory details of that. Perhaps in another post.

Here is a picture of the finished pair. And I know I've said this before, but I must repeat myself and say that my skills at photography do not do the colors of this yarn justice.

**Note: I am using a Canon PowerShot SX100 IS. I take my photos in natural light whenever possible. I am not using the flash and I have Picasa for photo editing, only editing my photos when the image needs cleaning up or in an effort to adjust color so that it looks as close as possible to the real thing. I feel that the photos above are somewhat washed out and less vivid than reality. I don't feel the greens and plums are showing true. The plums look more like brown on my monitor. Any photography advice is most welcome!

Laundry woes.

2010-01-24T09:47:00.006-05:00

Wednesday -- LG front load washer dies.

Thursday -- Take washer apart and determine it needs to be replaced.

Friday -- Shop and stress over buying new washing machine.

Saturday am -- New Whirlpool washer delivered.

Saturday am (later) -- First load of laundry running and drain pipe completely overflows.

Rest of Saturday -- Research problem on internet, clean drain, flush drain with hose, check drain vent, visit hardware store to search for possible solutions.

Saturday evening -- Another load of laundry, another overflow.

Sunday -- Seriously considering one of these:

Well, Fiddle-Dee-Dee!!

2010-01-22T14:25:00.008-05:00

My mechanic has had a nice visit with my car today for the 3rd time in less than a month. I hope to be finally rid of that "check engine" light continually mocking me.

My 19 year-old son's car totally died on his way back to university a few weeks ago. It was beyond repair.

Our desktop computer went belly-up last month. It refused to be resucitated and had to be replaced.

Now, I have this sitting in the middle of my kitchen:

Yes, that would be my washing machine. Sadly out of commission!

Ahhh, well. We have taken it apart and determined it is too expensive to fix, so against our wishes, a new one is on its way tomorrow. If my family will just give up eating for a month, we will be able to pay for it!!

Shall I whine and complain?? Nope! Instead, I will put my hands on my hips and exclaim, "Fiddle dee dee!" just like Miss Scarlett. I will count my blessings...a healthy family, a roof over my head, a loving God...

And, I will solace myself in some lovely fiber that has been sitting in my stash, waiting patiently to be knitted up:

I wish the photo could convey the yummy goodness of this yarn. However, either due to the lighting, my camera's weakness or simply my ineptitude with a camera, I seem unable to capture the true richness of color that this fiber has. It is hand painted and each stitch evokes from me another "Oooooo! Love that color! Aaaaah! Now that one is exquisite!"

I have cast on some mittens.

I am making up the pattern myself. If it they turn out, they will be most welcome on cold walks with the hubby.

Multnomah!

2010-01-21T08:53:00.004-05:00

I finished this a few weeks ago. I have been wearing it a LOT! It can be worn as a shawl, but I tend to drape it around my neck like this.

Pattern: Multnomah (available free here)
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino (1 skein - 420 yards)
Yarn color: Green Mountain Madness
Needles: Size 4 (3.5 mm)

Burp Cloths

2010-01-19T10:51:00.007-05:00

What do you make when someone really cool and funky is having a baby shower?

Burp cloths!

But not just boring, plain white burp cloths. Burp cloths with personality.

And with hand-crocheted edgings.

And you know you have succeeded in making something totally cool when your 17 year-old says, "Mom, someday when I have babies, will you make me burp cloths?"

Tea for Two

2010-01-07T20:49:00.009-05:00

Yesterday my friend, Melissa, invited me over for tea and girl talk. She really made it special. There were candles and pretty dishes. There was fresh fruit and whipped cream. She even made homemade scones (orange-chocolate chip) but they were so yummy I forgot to take a picture of them!

But the pies de resistance was the tea! First she filled her nifty clear glass teapot with hot water. Then she dropped in a boring, nondescript, unremarkable, dry bud.

That is when the show began. Slowly, the bud began to open into a lovely flower.

Not only pretty to look at, it was delicious too!

Taking a photo from above was a real challenge! The lense on the camera tended to steam up, but I finally worked it out.

Tea was followed by knitting and more girl talk. It was such a nice time.

While I was there, I finally got to take some photos of the sweater I crocheted for her baby shower months and months ago. I am happy to say it looked well-worn.

Then the baby woke up all smiles and coos. Isn't she precious?

Things that I have completed...

2010-01-06T16:17:00.002-05:00

Often, when I feel down, I practice the "count your blessings" approach to remind me that things aren't so bad. So, in that spirit, and as a positive response to my previous post which may have seemed a bit whiny, I am going to count some things that as a wife and mother I have finished, completed, accomplished. Let's see if I can come up with at least 10 things I have successfully seen to the conclusion and I no longer do on a daily/monthly/yearly basis.

1) Learn to cook (poor hubby suffered through much trial and error and lumpy gravy)
2) Childbirth (did this 7 times, and it never got easier!)
2b) Wear maternity clothes (certainly don't miss that!)
3) Nursing and baby bottles
4) Diapers (Boy! That was a lot of work!)
5) Potty training
6) Change the linens on a wet bed (this comes with #5 above)
7) Teach kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade (youngest is now in 3rd grade)
8) Travel with diaper bag and sippy cups always in tow
9) Buckle my kids in car seats
10) Wake up to find myself doing uncomfortable contortions in an effort to not wake the child that has crawled into bed with us

Now, that was pretty easy to do. In fact, I confess finding myself slightly nostalgic and sad to think I won't be doing some of those things again. I do so love babies! I guess there are always grandchildren to look forward to some day.

Lost and FO

2010-01-05T14:00:00.011-05:00

At the risk of being brutally honest and shattering any illusion that my life is all roses and sunshine (snort! snort!), I must confess I feel I have lost something lately...has anyone seen my joy? It seems to have wandered off. If you should stumble across it, would you send it back to me please?

I have now been a stay-at-home mom for approximately 21 years. I fear that I may have grown weary in well doing. No need to panic. I'm not planning to go out and get a job, or leave my family, or anything drastic like that. But the truth of the matter is, a lot of what my life consists of has become drudgery to me. There is a never-ending cycle of laundry and dishes and cooking and home schooling. Most of these are tasks that are never DONE, finished, complete. I can get the family all fed and the kitchen all clean, only to find a few hours later there are hungry mouths and a huge mess to deal with all over again! I don't often get the chance to do something, clap my hands together and think "There! Now that's complete! I don't have to do that again!"

Right now, homemaking feels less like an interesting journey down a scenic path; more like a marathon run by doing laps on a short round track over and over again. I'm not throwing in the towel or calling it quits. I continue to do what needs to be done, but I want my mojo back! I want to enjoy doing things I need to do. I want to feel inspired. So, should you look out your window and happen to see my joy running past, would you quickly nab it for me?

Well, that covers the "lost." Now on to the "FO" (otherwise known as "finished object.")

No, not my son. He's still a work in progress. ;-P The FO is the scarf around his neck. The pattern is "Daybreak" knit with Cascade Yarns Heritage Hand Painted Sock Yarn, colors -- 9872 "Thunder" and 5601 Black.

Here is a photo of it while still in progress, but it gives an idea of the shape of the scarf/shawl.

The photo really doesn't do the "thunder" colorway justice. It is a gorgeous hand-painted yarn with greys and some denim blues and even a bit of mossy green in it. It was really yummy to knit with. Originally it was made for my college boy in the mountains (not the one in the photo.) However, I learned that he preferred something in more "earthy" colors. Truth be told, I was thrilled! As I knit it, I fell in love with my Daybreak and I really didn't want to give it away. I have been wearing it quite a bit. It is amazing how much warmer I feel with some wool wrapped around my neck.

***Edited to add an afterthought: Don't want anyone out there to think I am drowning in the depths of despair. I'm okay, honestly! I am sure everyone feels this way about their life/occupation/career sometimes. I think I will read through Proverbs 31 and pull out my copy of "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" for a little inspiration.

Holiday Hangover

2009-11-30T21:59:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving was exhausting! College boys all came home. I spent most of my time in the kitchen cooking and baking and cleaning. It was nice to see family. I am totally bushed!

Would I change a thing?? Nope!

New Laptop and Finished Socks

2009-11-03T12:08:00.004-05:00

Yes, after all the angst and indecision, I am happy to announce that I am typing this on my NEW laptop! I will brag because I think I got an awesome deal!!

--Acer which gets pretty good customer ratings, Aspire 5517
--15.6" HD LCD screen
--250 GB hard drive
--3 GB memory
--AMD Athlon duo core processor
--Windows 7 (which I can attest is soooo much better than icky Vista)
--runs smooth and FAST!

And the best part???? It was on sale at Staples for $350. Yes, that is not a typo. At that price, I could not resist giving it a try. Maybe someday I will have a Mac of my very own, but I could not justify paying 3 times as much to get a Mac...I'm not on the computer enough.

And I recently finished my "Schroon Lake Socks."

Cast on, back in June during a road trip to upstate New York, they languished in a basket much of this summer. And even when I picked them back up, I was not very project monogamous. There were prayer shawls to knit and other things to do! But I did finish them. The cooler autumn weather motivated me. One can never have enough hand-knit socks when things start to get chilly. Especially someone like me who gets cold feet!

Computer decisions.

2009-10-21T09:54:00.005-05:00

I need a new laptop. Remember, my Sony Vaio was stolen by the dastardly thieves who broke into my house. I can not decide what to do. I want a Mac. But do I need a Mac?

I hate making major decisions about spending money. I get this paralyzed feeling. I think the root of the problem is this: I don't have a lot of money. In fact, we live on a very, very, very small income. (I am not complaining. We may be "technically" living below the poverty line in rich American standards, but we live very well compared to most people on this planet. I have a nice home, food, clothes, shelter, running water, etc.) Back to my point...I don't often have discretionary money. Spending more than $50 is a big deal to me. When I have to make a major purchase (appliance, furniture, etc.) I want to be absolutely certain that the money is spent wisely. Whatever I choose is going to have to serve me well and last me a while. It is not as if I can replace it a year from now if I hate it, or it turns out to be a lemon.

So, back to the big decision...what's a girl to do? I have never met a Mac-user who didn't love their Mac. As one of my son's recently said:

"If you have a PC you are more likely to have repairs, you are more likely to have problems, you are going to have to deal with viruses. These things can be dealt with. Keep in mind that most PC have terrible inherent problems where they just crash for no reason and certain things won't work at all or whatever.

If you get a Mac you have a piece of equipment that you know will be useful for 4+ years. So you are making an investment. There are still nice functional macs from 2000 that are great. PC's from 2000 are delapidated and hideous. I would not get another PC to save my life at this point. I vote mac for reliability and peace of mind. But I am not the one to say that spending twice as much is a good idea."

And there is the rub...is it really worth twice the price to get a Mac? You know, if I bought a cheaper PC, I could use the money not spent on a Mac and get a spinning wheel.

But, if I buy a PC, am I buying a headache? Argh!!!

Oh, and just to tempt me further, yesterday Apple announces updates and improvements to the Macbook...all without raising the price! http://www.apple.com/macbook/

In which I complain (again) about aging...

2009-10-06T07:23:00.006-05:00

Ack! I am more and more having to face the fact that my body is aging. I don't think of myself as old, but sometimes when I look in the mirror, I wonder, "Who is that person looking back at me? That's not my face!" Recently, I hurt my back and I walked around for days like a crotchety old lady. They think it is a bulging disc and it has pretty much put an end to my workouts...bleh. Another constant reminder that the old grey mare just ain't what she used to be is my eyesight, my perfect eyesight! It isn't perfect anymore. Distance vision is great, but it gets harder and harder to read and distinguish things up close. I have glasses that I used to wear as needed when reading or doing needlework. I am finding I need them now for just about everything! The world is getting blurry! What is even more frustrating is when I need them and I can't find them. Grrrr. Once, a few years ago, a friend of mine posted a photo on her blog of a lovely beaded chain she had made to hang her glasses on. Maybe that's what I should get? However, it must be a young, hip-looking eyeglass chain lest my ego be totally crushed by the fact that I am reduced to looking like an old spinster librarian!

Okay, so my whine is over. I haven't posted photos lately, so here are a few pics for your viewing pleasure.

Progress on my current sock project:

A prayer shawl I am knitting for a lady I know who is battling cancer:

Here is the lovely view we had a week ago at the river.

Daughter sitting on the pier.

The end of the day.

Sanctuary violated!!

2009-10-02T08:09:00.003-05:00

"Home." It conjures up images of family, laughter, baking bread, refuge. It is a place where a person can feel safe. There are some things we tend to take for granted until they are taken away...health, life, safety. While my family was away form home Sunday night, someone smashed in our back door and robbed us! I still can not effectively put into words how this makes me feel. "Violated" is as close as I can get.

They stole some money and my laptop. Yes, my laptop with all my files, downloaded patterns, bookmarks, addresses, and many photos. (((sigh))) However, the thief took away a lot more than some cash and a computer. They stole from me and my husband the illusion of peace and safety. I know that it is a bad world OUT THERE. But here, in my home, I am supposed to feel safe! I can not tell you how creepy it is to think some stranger was wondering through my home, going through our stuff.

Ah well. What is a girl to do? I can tell you what this girl is doing...first, I am counting my blessings:

--No one was home when it happened
--No one was hurt
--Although they got away with some stuff, there was much they did not take (it truly borders on the miraculous...one can not help but wonder if God intervened and blinded their eyes so that they did not see certain things)
--The thugs did not go through my home and trash it

I am doing my best to remember that God is my refuge and my strength. Ultimately, I have to trust in His protection.

I am also sleeping with a big baseball bat under my bed!

Thinking about minimalism.

2009-08-20T15:19:00.004-05:00

Been thinking a lot lately about stuff. How much do we really need to be happy? I can remember when my kids were little. The more "stuff" they had to play with, the less content they were. Clutter really makes me feel mentally agitated and unable to be productive or function well. I certainly have a hard time being creative with my artistic endeavors when surrounded by clutter. Don't even ask me to cook a meal or bake something unless the kitchen is clean! Truly, I get great pleasure from a tidy closet, an organized drawer, an uncluttered flat surface (counter top, coffee table, dresser, etc.)

The irony of all this??? I have a hard time letting go of stuff. I think a lot of that stems from being on a very tight budget. "What if I need that later? I can't afford to replace it!" I am not an obsessive hoarder, like some folks. However, I will admit to having clothes in my closet that don't fit nor do I really like. I have yarn stash that I am not using, and I don't know if I ever will. Ditto on fabric. I have bottles, jars and tubes of beauty products and skin-care items that I don't use, but I hate to throw away because that would be "wasteful." We won't even talk about the kitchen.

What to do? Well, for starters, I am going to read more inspiring articles and books on the subject. I have Leo Babauta's book The Power of Less on hold at the library. I am going to look around my house and ask myself, "What do we really use? What do we really love? What makes us happy?" The rest is just excess cargo and can go! I am going to go on a crusade with my closets, cupboards, and drawers, mercilessly purging the unnecessary. I am going to stop and think long and hard before I bring anything else into our home. I am going to encourage my children to do the same! The advertisers are wrong. "Stuff" does not make us happy. It just weighs us down! I want to feel FREE.

Freedom is not having everything we desire. Instead, it is being able to be without the things we desire and remain truly content.

REAL Food.

2009-06-25T19:32:00.007-05:00

Have you noticed how much of what we Americans eat is not really food? I mean, look at the ingredients on a loaf of bread in the grocery store...what IS all that stuff??? I make bread. It's simple and easy...whole wheat flour, water, honey, oil, a little yeast, and a little salt...like I said, SIMPLE. The ingredients are real. Not a lot of chemicals, preservatives, colors and flavorings. I am amazed at how much junk, mass-produced and manufactured stuff we put into our bodies. Don't let me get started ranting about the sodium levels and evil high fructose corn syrup!

And I find that REAL food is more satisfying. Tonight for dinner we had grilled chicken kabobs (seasoned with just a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper), fresh corn on the cob, fresh picked green beans, baked potatoes (with real butter) and a salad. We were all sitting around afterwards saying to each other, "Man! That was GOOD!" My body feels like it has not just been filled, but it has been truly fed.

Oh, and for dessert? I've got some homemade scones baking in the oven to go along with fresh strawberries and whipping cream (not the fake stuff). Good old fashioned strawberry shortcake. Yum!

Another Quote

2009-06-25T13:26:00.006-05:00

Kids were watching "Martha Speaks" on PBS this afternoon. Apparently a character in the show had been severely embarrassed and was now afraid to try anything new and her friends were trying to help her snap out of it. As I walked into the room, I heard the following:

"You can't let a little thing like public humiliation come between you and a good time!"

The truth of that statement made me laugh! Some people take themselves too seriously and worry too much about what others might think. Being able to laugh at yourself is a good thing.

Quote(s) of the Day...

2009-06-02T12:12:00.004-05:00

It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.

--Thomas Jefferson

What's for dinner tonight?

2009-06-01T20:45:00.006-05:00

Tonight's menu: taco salad topped with fresh homemade guacamole and pico de gallo. Perfect on a warm southern night.

I can not tell you how many people have raved over my pico when I take it to parties and gatherings. Now, here's my confession...my homemade pico is actually made with Rotel Tomatoes! They are so yummy and the "original" version has just the right amount of green chiles in them to pack some punch. I drain the extra liquid and chop them up in a mini food processor. Then I add fresh cilantro and chopped onion. That's all it takes. If I feel like it, I might add a squeeze of lime juice. But gosh, it can't get much easier than that! I now have a hard time eating store-bought salsa; this homemade pico tastes so much fresher!

Brilliant!!

2009-06-01T13:11:00.006-05:00

Ever found a piece of fabric you love, but there isn't enough of it to actually make anything that would fit a grown woman??? Well, I have found the answer. It is easy, cute, thrifty, and just plain ol' brilliant!

Today I found a tutorial that teaches how to make a cute skirt out of just one yard of fabric. Yes, it really, truly only takes one yard of fabric!

Thank you, Darling Petunia, for posting this tutorial on your blog.

Another FO!

2009-05-26T20:14:00.004-05:00

These were called my "Autumn Socks" because they were optimistically going to be finished in time for Thanksgiving.

So, May is a little late. Okay, stop laughing! I finished them in plenty of time for Thanksgiving...2010!

Actually, I don't think I will be wearing them for any Thanksgiving. As soon as I finished them today, my 16 year old daughter snatched them up. Her legs are longer than mine, so they don't quite reach the knees. However, her legs are also thinner than mine, so the pattern looks nicer on her...I guess I will let her keep them.

Here, little sister wants to get in on the photo action:

Free Pattern: Double Eyelet Rib Toe-up Socks by Wendy Johnson
(Pattern is not for knee-socks, that is my personal preference.)
Yarn: Ditto by Universal Yarns
Raveled here.

It is my goal this year to make a pair of socks for everyone in the family. One pair down, seven to go!

FO's

2009-05-18T18:58:00.008-05:00

I have been working hard to turn my UFO's (unfinished objects)into FO's (otherwise known as "finished objects.") First up is a scarf. I managed to complete it this winter before the cold weather was over and I like it a LOT. It was knit using Patons SWS (no Noro in my basket) and Jared Flood's Noro Stiped Scarf pattern.

I was so happy with how it turned out, I made a Calorimetry to match.

I like the Calorimetry since it keeps my head and ears warm like a cap, but I can still wear my hair up in a ponytail if I want to. Here it is modeled by my daughter...

Next up is a cap I knit to send to the troops. A group of ladies in my community knit 100 caps to give to soldiers soon to be deployed. The first one I made was just plain old brown knitted in the "London Beanie" pattern using Patons wool. I decided a soldier might enjoy a cap with a little more umph, so I took the graph from "We Call Them Pirates" and modified it a bit to work with the pattern. And here is how the 2nd one looked:

And last, but definitely not least, do you remember this I showed you a year ago?

Well, it is almost completed!

Doesn't he look comfortable lounging on my bed?

Sorry for the poor bunny photos...dreary day, bad lighting, yadda, yadda. But you get the idea. He is just waiting for a skull to decorate his shirt front and a knitted cap to match his striped sleeves. The pattern is from Amigurumi! Super Happy Crochet Cute by Elisabeth Doherty. He is a graduation gift for my third son who will be off to university in the fall.

There is even more to show off like the knitting bag I designed and sewed, and those "autumn" socks that are almost completed, but I will save those for another day!

Creative Cravings

2009-04-08T23:35:00.003-05:00

I feel it coming on. Soon it will be too strong to resist. I will have to give in and start some sort of new project! Being wife and mom can often leave little time for ME. As a result, I can only take on limited "personal" projects. As I pursue one obsession, others must be neglected. For the last few months, most free time has been spent on fitness and nutrition...reading about it and doing it. Knitting needles, crochet hooks, sewing machine, musical instruments...all have laid pretty dormant. However, I feel the urge bubbling up inside. I can't explain it, but I feel the need to create!

Update on My Life...

2009-03-04T08:27:00.004-05:00

Consistency in blogging is not my strong point. It ebbs and flows with the tides of my life. Those who are closest to me have an idea of what I have been up to for the last 6 months or so. My poor internet friends get left hanging. Sorry. So, for your reading pleasure, a brief update:

Home-makeover was completed and we moved back in. Just as I feared, all projects not finished before move-in are still waiting for me to finish! I have lots of little touch-ups, and small painting projects waiting for me to find the motivation and time. (Maybe this summer.)
College son #1 is doing well in school. He may be changing his major to engineering. He has been investigating the possibility of doing a SEND International summer missions trip to Alaska.
College son #2 is also enjoying his time at a university in the mountains. He is participating in a 5-6 week STIM missions trip to China this summer. His plans are still to go to med school after finishing undergrad work.
Son #3 graduates from high school soon. He has been accepted to same school as son #2 and is very excited about living in the mountains too.
Oldest daughter completed her junior work and is currently working hard to finish her home schooling high school requirements a year early. If she does, she will be attending the local community college for her "senior" year. She is planning on spending her summer working with kids at the Word of Life family camp located in upstate New York. This is not a paid job, but she will earn scholarship money towards attending Word of Life Bible Institute which she wants to attend after high school.
Son #4 has turned 15 and is doing great. His skills with the guitar have increased and he amazes me with his ability, especially considering he has never had lessons. He plays each week with the praise band at youth group.
Daughter #2 will turn 13 this summer, but she already looks and acts like a teenager. Where did my little girl go? She is still playing piano and does so beautifully. She also has a lovely voice and sings with the praise band weekly at youth group.
Daughter #3 is may be the "baby" of the family, but she is no baby! Now 7 years old, she is reading well and shows a good head for math. This year in home schooling we have completed1st grade and proceeded to 2nd. She has also taken up the violin and definitely has an "ear" for music.
Hubby has changed jobs this year and is now working for the local university (can you say "vacation, sick leave, and health benefits?") In addition to working full-time and supporting this large family, he is pursuing his Master's Degree in Library Science and hopes to someday work in an academic library or some sort of archives.
I am still doing all the "mom" jobs around the house and homeschooling the 5 kids not in university. I have found a little spare time to knit a few things this year. I may start going to school in the fall part-time to pursue a nursing degree. I never finished my degree years ago and 20 years of being "mom" does not exactly give me a "marketable" skill. We do not know what the future holds and I am not promised that dear hubby will always be here to provide for me (although I pray for us to both grow old together!) I have no plans to abandon my children for a full-time job. However, it would be nice to be able to contribute to the household budget if the need should arise.

I guess that will get you up to speed on my world.

Oh, and just to explain the posts below from the last two days...I had a small "fitness" blog to track my progress as I attempt to eat healthier and get fit. I found the blogging software at LiveStrong greatly lacking, so I have moved those posts to my blog here. I have been tracking all my food online at The Daily Plate and exercising regularly. I have been learning alot about health and fitness and now know that the scale is NOT an accurate measure of "fitness" since a person can weigh less, but be less healthy and have more body fat. My goals now have to do with strength, endurance and bodyfat percentage.

My Current Workouts

2009-03-02T16:52:00.001-05:00

The following was originally written 2/6/2009 in a "fitness blog" I had elsewhere. However, that software is lousy and I will be posting here instead! For continuity, I want all my older posts available.

Almost every day I start with a 30 minute bellydance work out. It is my wake-up, losen up, get ready for the day thing. To be exact, I am using the Veena and Neena Bellydance Fitnes for Beginners Basic Moves and Fat Burning Video. I do the Basic Moves portion. It does a nice job of working my core and arms. I have seen a drastic improvement in my posture since I have started this workout. I think that it is helping to strengthen and losen up my core and it has some moves that are really demanding on my shoulders.

After the 30 minutes of bellydance I usually do either 55 minutes of TaeBo Advanced or Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred workout. TaeBo has a lot of squats, kicks, punches, and a full 25 minutes of floor work doing abs and glutes. It is a killer. The 30 Day Shred works my upper body well. There are presses and rows and in level 2 there are lots of exercises in the plank position.

In addition to those things I walk regularly. I was doing the Couch to 5K schedule, but indications of shin splints made me set that aside for a while. I also find myself throughout the day randomly doing things like push ups, planks, wall sits, etc. I think this exercise stuff is getting addicting!

Whine! Whine! Whine!

2009-03-02T16:49:00.002-05:00

Today, I feel frustrated. There are two issues getting me down.

One--I am wishing for more "instant" results. Yeah, yeah. I know that I am getting fitter, and I am thankful for that. But after a month and a half of eating carefully and exercising hard, I just wish I would shrink a little! Why is it that some folks seem to drop pounds and inches at a time, and I am working like a dog to stay the same size?? Whine. Whine. Whine.

Two--I am having a hard time eating enough calories! Yeah, who ever thought that would be a problem??? I changed my weight goal at The Daily Plate to be just 1 lb. a week because 1.5 lbs. is more than 10% of my current weight and I read you should not try to lose more than 10% per week. What a laugh! Who's losing any weight around here?. I figure if I am working out hard -- and I am -- that I need to give my body adequate nutrition. Truly, truly, I am not depriving myself. I am not going hungry. I am just trying to eat healthy, and I am consistently eating at less than 1500 calories a day, which is not enough. If I was losing weight, I would not worry about it. BUT, I am not losing weight, so my fear is that my body is holding on to the extra fat because I am not taking in enough calories. Some folks call that "starvation mode." What's a gal to do? I refuse to eat junk just to increase my calories. Many calorie-dense foods are high in carbs and/or bad fats. I am eating nuts daily. I have added cheese and meat to my diet again to add more protein. I don't know what else to do.

Come on, body! I am feeding you healthy food. I am giving you good exercise. Now shape up!!! (((I think I will just go take out my frustrations with some push-ups and see how you like that!)))

EDIT: Well, I DID go do push ups, and timed my wall sit which gave me the best time yet! Then I worked out on the step for 10 minutes to get the heart pumping. Then I shut myself in my room with some happy music on my ipod and danced my heart out for 15 minutes. Have to say that made me feel MUCH better!

Fitness, Not Vanity

2009-03-02T16:48:00.002-05:00

The following was written 2/3/2009 and was published in a "fitness blog" I had elsewhere. However, the software is lousy and I will be posting here instead! For continuity, I want all my older posts available.

You know, I keep telling myself that my focus is on fitness and strength and endurance. This is not about numbers on the scale or jeans size. And yet, I keep weighing myself and feeling just a little sad when the scale does not reflect all my hard work. Soooo, I think I will take a break for a while from the scale and the measuring tape. That way I can truly focus on what is really important...that is, not how I look, but how I FEEL. Funny thing is -- I am pretty certain that if I can keep eating healthy and working out hard, eventually it will be reflected in the measurements.

Some Amazing Math!

2009-03-02T16:42:00.005-05:00

The following was written 1/29/2009 and was published in a "fitness blog" I had elsewhere. However, the software is lousy and I will be posting here instead! For continuity, I want all my older posts available.

I just started logging in my eating and exercise at The Daily Plate on December 28, 2008...that would be 32 days ago. So, on a lark I went back and added up all my minutes of exercise and the grand total is 2583 minutes. Yes, that equals 43.05 hours of activity for 32 days...in other words, 80.72 minutes per day. WOW!!!

Here's just a little break down of the majority of what I have logged:

25-30 minutes of belly dance almost everyday...a great warm up, good for flexibility and my core.

30-90 minutes of brisk walking almost daily

55 minutes Advanced TaeBo workouts 2-3 times a week

25 minutes of torture, ahem, I mean Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred (usually 3 days a week)

A little running as I have begun doing intervals ala "Couch Potato to 5K" and "Podrunner Intervals" workouts.

I have to admit I am proud of myself for working so hard...especially when the scale refused to budge for days at a time. I'd say that deserves a pat on the back and a celebratory glass of wine!

Progress Report

2009-03-02T16:25:00.007-05:00

The following was originally written 1/30/2009 and published in a "fitness blog" I had started elsewhere. However, that software is lousy and I will be posting here instead! For continuity, I want all my older posts available.

One month of working out and eating healthy and here is my progress so far:

-Clothes are fitting better.

-I am sleeping better at night.

-Joint and muscle pains associated with fibromyalgea are almost nonexistent.

-More energy.

-Muscles in legs and arms are visible.

-Flatter tummy.

-Workouts that were almost impossible are now enjoyable (in a sweaty, work-my-tail-off sort of way.)

Statistics below do not show any sort of drastic, miraculous progress, but I know that I am gaining muscle and losing fat. And, the scale and measuring tape can not measure determination and the sense of satisfaction and well-being that comes from pushing myself and working hard. Would it be nice to go from flabby to fantastic in one month?? Yes! Of course it would, but that is so unrealistic and would require drastic measures that would be unsustainable. I've said this before, I am in this for the long haul and I am "okay" with the fact that this will take time.

I will end this with something that ballcoach67401 posted on the fitness forum at The Daily Plate:

There is truth in the old adage, "It is the climbing that makes the man. Getting to the top is the extra reward.'"

The benefit is in giving your best to this lifestyle change. It is in the self-discipline that we learn. It is in the numerous private victories that we have each time we exercise or eat clean. Remember, private victories must precede public victories, so if we concentrate on chalking up those little private victories (eating intelligently, working out when we don't feel like it, choosing our snacks wisely), eventually we will see a very public victory (desired weight loss or body change, i.e. smokin' hot body).

Encouragement.

2008-09-18T07:43:00.008-05:00

I have a lot of thoughts and ideas and words swirling around in my head, but I will spare you that for the moment! Suffice it to say that if you are a mother (or if you know a mother, or have a mother,) please take a moment to go read MollyCoddle's August 17th post titled "A High Calling." It isn't long. It will only take you a moment or two. But it is soooo worth it! I stumbled across it this morning and it blessed me in a great way!

And if you have more time, you may want to ramble through her blog for a while and read more. Lovely, thoughtful, encouraging...a sweet and gentle spirit. So stop wasting your time here reading my babbling and go get refreshed at MollyCoddle's blog.

FREE!

2008-09-16T12:28:00.011-05:00

Don't you just love the word "free?" I do! Anyway, I hesitate to spread the news because it might lessen my chance to win. However...since we're all friends here, I want to tell you about another blog I recently discovered: Simple Mom.

Simple Mom is giving away a mighty purdy necklace made by Lisa Leonard Designs to one of her readers who leaves a comment. And even if you don't get the free necklace, (because hey, she's going to draw MY name,) you still win since you have found a lovely, enjoyable and thoughtful site to add to your blogroll, right?

Goodbye, Big Blue Monster!

2008-09-15T19:59:00.007-05:00

Remember the view from my front porch?

Not exactly attractive. Well...Here is a beautiful sight for my eyes to behold!

Oh, that was a bit creepy...here is a shot with the flash.

Notice something? Yes, yes! It is empty! 8 feet high by 8 feet wide by 40 feet long, and this baby was totally full of STUFF! There were times when I wished they would just come and haul it off with the stuff still in it. Why do we have so much stuff??? But now it is empty. Everything has been unloaded, moved into the house, tossed or donated away.

Goodbye, Big Blue Monster!

101 Things in 1001 Days

2008-09-15T13:34:00.006-05:00

Have you seen the 101 Things in 1001 Days meme? Of course you probably have. However, I just stumbled on it. I am thinking this is a great idea. You set tangible, definable, attainable goals with a specific time frame (1001 days), and start working on the list. It can be anything you want from losing 5 pounds to learning Chinese. So far, I have 69 things written down. I am trying to keep my list as realistic as possible. I mean, I would LOVE to get a Eurorail pass and backpack across Europe, but I know that is not going to happen in the next few years. Some of my goals are on-going, like "Floss daily," but I am trying to have as many as possible with more definable conclusions, like "Clean and organize my craft closet," so that I can feel like I am achieving goals and crossing things off my list.

Go take a look at Day Zero to learn more and to see other folks' lists. Maybe I will post mine when I finish it.

Budget Bathroom

2008-09-13T11:00:00.014-05:00

As promised, I am going to try to post some before and after photos of the work we did on our house this summer. Remember my cotton-candy, bubblegum pink bathroom? Here, this will refresh your memory:

Well, the first thing I did was remove the ugly medicine cabinet and light fixture you see here:

And then stripped off the wallpaper.

Which revealed really disgusting stuff lurking on the walls underneath the wallpaper:

Then I scrubbed and scraped and bleached like crazy:

Then I primed the walls, and once I got it all white and clean looking, I found I rather liked it that way. Every other room in my house has colors on the walls. The crisp, clean white is refreshing. I decided to go with a black and white and chrome (or brushed nickel) color scheme. I was aiming for something that sort of looked retro and worked with the pink while reducing the overwhelming "pinkness" of it all.

Now I needed a nifty light fixture, a big mirror to go over the vanity and really cool black and white shower curtain. Fortunately, I found this awesome light on clearance at Lowe's...originally about $100, I only paid $20!

Then one of the fellas involved with the work on the house offered me a mirror, for FREE! He had just taken it down from his bathroom and all I needed to do was have it cut to fit my space! A new mirror was going to cost me $70-$80, but instead I spent less than $10 at a local glass company to have it trimmed down. Photos can not convey what a BIG difference the large mirror has made on this small bathroom.

Unfortunately, that is where my luck ran out. I could not find a fabric black and white shower curtain ANYWHERE. I found solid black and LOTS of brown in my local stores. Nothing like what I had envisioned. I also found a couple of vinyl ones, but because I wanted to hang a matching curtain on the linen closet instead of the ful sliding doors that were always falling off, I really wanted fabric, not vinyl. And yes, I could have searched for some fabric and sew one myself, but that would require finding the time to actually sew and I was realistic enough to know that was not going to happen in the near future. Oh, and may I mention here how totally ASTONISHED I was at the cost of shower curtains?!? Yikes! Finally, at K-Mart I found something that would fill the bill and I ed them up. They were not exactly what I wanted, but they were black and white, there were only two left, and the clincher on the deal, they were on sale as well as buy one, get one 50% off. So, for less than $30, I had two matching curtains for my shower and closet. After experiencing such sticker shock at shower curtains that ran $60 and up, I knew this was a good deal!

I added a small, black cotton rug on the floor and the transformation is almost done.

Here are a few more views from different angles. First, a shot from inside the room looking towards the vanity:

And here I tried to get a shot of the mirror over the vanity which shows the curtain on the linen closet opposite the mirror as well as the shower on the other side of the room. May I just mention how tricky it is to take a photo of a mirror and avoid getting flash reflections or my own reflection in the shot?

Light fixture $20
Shower curtains $30
Mirror less than $10
Primer and Paint about $50
Rug $15

Total cost for cosmetic makeover done by me: $125

This does not include the cost of the electrician putting a new overhead light fixture that includes an exhaust fan and heater. Nor does it include the $475 we spent to have the tub and sink reglazed because the finish was so worn and etched it was impossible to make them look clean. However, if you have perfectly good fixtures that do not need professional help, those expenses would not be necessary.

I thought some art or photos framed in black, or something else of interest on the walls might look nice, and I would like to change the knobs on the cabinet doors and drawers to compliment it better. But otherwise, I am satisfied. What do you think?

EEEK!

2008-09-12T12:53:00.003-05:00

I know it is not time for Halloween yet, but look at what I just found creeping around my front porch!

I am pretty certain that is a black widow spider! I am generally a live and let live sort of person and I don't like to kill little critters, but that gal has got to go!!!

And while I am sharing scary photos, here is what was sitting outside our apartment door last month after a particularly large dousing of rain.

I guess if I really wanted to frighten you, a photo of me before my first cup of coffee in the morning would do the trick!

Did I leave you hanging???

2008-09-12T10:22:00.007-05:00

Sorry! So sorry! How evil and mean of me to post initial photos of our renovations and then abandon you like that. I did not meant to leave you hanging. However, I do have a GOOD excuse. You see, the renovations were supposed to last until the end of September or middle of October...meaning that when I last updated this blog, I thought I had two full months plus to do all the interior painting and other "cosmetic" changes (i.e.icky stuff like scraping popcorn ceilings, stripping wallpaper, etc.) that I was personally going to tackle.

I getting ready to say something that I have never, ever heard said by anyone I know who has built a home or undertaken renovations -- the contractor had the audacity to finish his work AHEAD of schedule. Yes, you read me right...WAY ahead of schedule...like over a full month ahead of schedule. Now, you say to yourself, "That is GREAT!" Well, yes, it is wonderful, except for one eensy weensy detail: it meant that I had a full month less to do all the work I wanted to do before we could move back in.

As a result, my August was a frenzy of sanding, patching, and flying paint. I worked often from early morning until late night desperately trying to get it all done. I got painter's elbow. My kids hardly saw me and I don't think I actually cooked a meal the whole month. It's a good thing my 15 year old can cook!

Then we had the big move-in at the beginning of September. (And here a bonus little piece of advice--no charge: Should you have all the symptoms of a UTI for a week and you simply drink more water and ignore those symptoms, telling yourself that the body is a wonderful thing that will heal itself, and then you have a particularly stressful day, like, say a moving day, you may just find yourself on your sofa at 2 a.m., in pain that is right up there with labor pains, curled up in the fetal position, weeping and wondering if you might need to go to the hospital. And should you feel just a bit better in the morning, after staying up all night, do not use that as an excuse to not go to the urgent care center and seek a little medical help, thus prolonging your misery another day -- because you probably need to be on antibiotics and it ain't gonna' just go away. I'm just sayin'.)

Well, once that craziness was over we had to tackle the unloading of the "Big Blue Monster" (see photos in earlier posts). Then, in the midst of all that, we needed to start SCHOOL!!! At that point they delivered the straight jacket for me and tucked me safely away in a padded room.

So, I am home and we are somewhat settled. There are still a few boxes to be unpacked and I have not yet hung much on the walls. The hall did not yet get painted, and even though the wallpaper in the half-bath has been stripped, those walls have not been properly prepped and painted. I will tackle those tasks sometime in the future when the mere thought of painting more does not send me into spasms. For now, but we are trying to get back to "normal," whatever that is around here.

I promise to post photos soon so you can see the transformations..."soon" being a somewhat relative term meaning "today, or whenever I can get to it!"

Progress on the renovations...

2008-07-30T20:50:00.011-05:00

You can see lots more of the "before" photos in my previous post. Now see the new shingles and replacement windows. Woot! Woot!

BEFORE

AFTER

And did you notice the pretty new door with craftsman style window and the lovely new exterior light fixture?

BEFORE

AFTER

There will be a full-view storm door and the outside trim work will be wrapped in white vinyl. I think I will paint the door black to match the shutters.

Check out the progress in the back:

BEFORE

AFTER

And want to see something TOTALLY gross? Look at the build up of dust and grime inside our old, original 1960 ductwork that has been ripped out:

Makes me start hacking just to look at it!

Oh, and as for the pink bathroom...I have decided to go with black and white and chrome and maybe do sort of a "retro" type of style in there. At Lowe's tonight I found a nifty $100 brushed chrome 4-light fixture for the fabulous clearance price of $20!! That will go on the wall over the vanity. I am thinking of painting the walls (what little there is above all that pink tile) with black and white stripes...either wide, or varying widths.

Care to see just a portion of the massive amount of duct work they have torn out from under my house? The heating guy said I had more duct work running under my house than the local community college!

And to close things up, here is what my hallway looked like today. Eek! Between the carpenters and the electricians and the heating and air guys, my house is filthy!

Home makeover on a TIGHT budget.

2008-07-29T11:40:00.008-05:00

I have been wanting to blog for over a month about all the changes going on around here, but as always, life has been so hectic that my internet time has been virtually nonexistent.

Our family was very fortunate to qualify for a special community rehab program in our area. It provides grants and interest-free loans to home-owners to help with property maintenance and upgrades. The idea is to help owners keep their properties in good condition and as a result the entire community benefits. Improvements are being made to insure structural integrity, bring electrical and plumbing up to code, and to make our house more energy efficient.

At the end of May, we moved out of our 5 bedroom house into a very small 3 bedroom apartment. All of our possessions, including the stuff stored in our attic had to be moved out. Let me tell you, that was a major undertaking in itself. 9 people in one house for over 11 years creates a lot of accumulated STUFF. I spent weeks just sorting and tossing and agonizing over what to keep, store, or toss. Everything that would not fit in the apartment is being stored in a mobile unit parked at the end of our sidewalk:

And here is the lovely view that our poor neighbors across the street have to face every day. You can see our ugly roof peeking out from behind the storage unit, otherwise known affectionately as "The Big Blue Monster."

Presenting the front of our house before any work was started. Please note that before I took this photo, we had already moved any potted plants or outdoor furniture from around our house. It really is a bit more charming and much less spartan with those added touches than what you see here:

And here is what our house looked like after the workers came and removed the lead paint that was on the exterior. It looks like a condemned property:

This is a shot of the back of our house. There is an addition that was built in the 70's with an ugly flat roof that had a tendency to leak. People always comment that our house is much larger than it appears...this addition is part of the reason. It has two small bedrooms, a small den/study and a compact bathroom with a shower in it.

The framing going up to tie the back roof into the front and make it drain better (and look better too!)

A pile of trash...it's like cleaning out closets...things always get worse looking before they get better. My poor neighbors really have a mess to look at these days.

This gives a little taste of what my life has been like lately. I have lots more photos to share. There is work going on in the interior as well. And the budget was limited, so there is cosmetic work that I am doing myself, stripping wallpaper, painting, etc., etc. In fact, before I end this post, I will share one project that I would love some ideas and opinions on...our main bathroom.

Yes, that is pink. Very, VERY pink. Even the floor is pink! This is the bathroom that is on our main hall. Unlike modern houses, we do not have a "powder room," so this is the bathroom used by guests as well as my daughters. I plan to replace and move the light fixture a bit higher up the wall and put a larger mirror over the vanity. But I am stymied about color. I just don't know what to do with the pink. Do I go bright and funky? Maybe Caribbean colors? You know, bright blue, lime green, etc. Or shall I do a brown and pink scheme? That seems popular right now. Then there is the option of black, white and pink. I really need help! Here is a shot after I stripped down the wallpaper and removed the dinky, industrial-style medicine cabinet.

Tell me what you think! Any ideas or suggestions would be most appreciated!

Chaos to calm in just 15 minutes...

2008-04-05T14:56:00.013-05:00

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by all that clutter and mess that surrounds you, but just don't have the time to clean it all up? ME TOO! So, I am tackling my messies 15 minutes at a time. I literally set my timer for 15 minutes and do all I can in that little block of time. It is amazing how much can actually be accomplished in 15 minutes.

Since I just love make-overs with before and after shots, I am going to share the good, the bad, and the ugly with you all.

I would like to clarify here that I am not a messy person. I hate messiness and chaos. I love, love, love to organize. However, there just does not seem to be enough time in the day to get it all done, and so in my hurry, I drop things at the nearest spot and run on to the next activity. Before I know it, the clutter has grown and spread like some sort of fungus.

Here is what I see every time I walk in my bedroom. There is a beautiful antique vanity carefully hidden under all that stuff.

Here is a pile of "give-away" clothes as well as my athletic shoes hiding behind my door.

My sneakers are probably there because here is what the floor of my closet looks like. (((sigh)))

So, I set my timer.

And then I clean and tidy like crazy. Here is what I accomplished in just 15 minutes!

I even managed to work in the area behind my door!

I can now smile when I walk in my room.

Next, I tackle the office. EEK!

On the hook...

2008-04-02T12:54:00.004-05:00

What could it be?

Perhaps this will help a little.

Or this? Amazing how eyes add personality!

Any guesses?

My apologies to you parents out there who have been subjected to countless hours of the PBS show "Zoboomafoo" and are now humming in your head "Who could it be? This animal that I did see? Can you guess this mystery?"

What true love looks like.

2008-04-01T18:01:00.005-05:00

Would you like to see a picture of love and sacrifice?

Or, as the Pillsbury Dough Boy says, "Nothing says lovin' like something from the oven."

Why yes, that would be homemade-from-scratch lassagne! And yes, I did make it with my own two hands even though I feel majorly crummy.

Oh, and did I mention the homemade-from-scratch chicken pot pie that I cooked yesterday, even though death was knocking at my door? And when I say from scratch, I mean from scratch. No canned soup, no Bisquick, no processed chicken.

Okay, so maybe I was feeling just a little guilty about the frozen pizza we had for Sunday dinner.

Keepin' It Real

2008-04-01T10:19:00.003-05:00

Do you get discouraged when you visit a blog where the photos are perfect, the house is tidy, the family is always doing wonderful, creative things, the mother is together, patient, and she sews all their clothes as well as bakes and cooks everything from scratch?? It seems too good to be true and you feel like a failure. Well, there has been a movement in the blogosphere towards "Keepin' It Real." Here, here and here are some examples.

I must admit, there are some blogs that I look at regularly because of their loveliness. I go to be inspired and I am not at all ruffled by their perfection. Let's be frank. If I want to see a sink full of dirty dishes, I don't have to go to the internet.

Surely, no one reading my blog would get the illusion that I have it all together. However, just in case, the previous post about being sick is my effort at "Keepin' It Real." Just so you know that even though my children are incredibly intelligent, good looking and talented, we are not perfect.

Do I LOOK like Wonder Woman???

2008-04-01T09:22:00.009-05:00

I am sick. It is like a scene from Little Women. While one of my children soothes my fevered brow, another is fluffing my pillow. Yet another asks if there is anything he can do or get for me. My daughter brings me a warm, comforting drink. The older ones remind the younger ones that Mother Dear is ill and they must be quiet so that she can get her rest.

Well, at least that is how it goes in my fantasy world!

In the real world, I am laying on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket, looking like death warmed over, hacking and sniffling, and my children are moving about as quiet as a herd of buffalo. I don't think it takes any supernatural powers of observation to deduct by my appearance (and the 100 used tissues that surround me) that perhaps I may be just a tad under the weather. But somehow, in my house I have to announce it.

"Mom, are we doing anything today?

"No. I am sick!"

"Mom, can you take us to the mall?"

"No. I am sick!"

"Mom, will you make me French toast?"

"No. I am sick!"

"Mom, what is for dinner tonight?"

"I am not sure, but let me get up and drag myself into the kitchen to prepare your meal. Oh, and if I should happen to pass out, and you find me laid out on the floor, please be kind and throw a little cold water on my face to rouse me."

I don't know. I would like to think that I have raised kind, compassionate, thoughtful children. However, I have failed. It is either failure, or they have somehow gotten in their minds that I am Wonder Woman, totally impervious to all infections and viruses.

Serves me right!

2008-03-31T10:21:00.005-05:00

So, I guess I shouldn't have talked about the nice weather here. I should have thanked my lucky stars and kept my big mouth shut! Guess what happened this weekend...cold and rainy. Ick! Ick! Just thought I'd let you know so that those of you in colder environs can enjoy my come-uppance! And if misery truly loves company, you shall be even more pleased to know that I stood out in that cold rain to watch my 17 year old son participate in his first ever criterion bike races on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Do you know how hard it is to get good photos of someone bike racing?? Sheesh! Those fellows are FAST! Here are some examples of my failures:

This one isn't too bad, just a bit blurry.

I got several like this one, where I snapped either too early or too late and so he is just entering the photo or leaving the photo.

Oh, and this one was GREAT...except that an important part seems to be missing!

And here are a few better ones:

At the starting line.

Oh, and I like this one because he is in focus, but the scenery is a bit of a blur. To me it shows movement.

You can't see it as well in this smaller format, but this photo captured how hard he was working. His head was down not only to avoid the rain, but because he was really pushing himself to the max. It just shows his grit and determination.

And for the icing on the cake??? I now have a miserable head cold! Blech!

When did "normal" become the exception??

2008-03-27T11:48:00.004-05:00

My daughter asked me what we had to do today? Do? Do??? I found myself irritated by the question. As if the day is not complete unless we do something other than the ordinary, mundane things that get done in a day.

How did it happen? When did a "normal" day become the exception rather than the rule around here?

You may ask, "What is a normal day?" Well, for me, a normal day would be a day when we get up, have breakfast, home school, do housework, cook meals, eat, play, etc. It would be a day with no outside obligations, appointments, lessons, etc. No running around. No major interruptions.

Right now, a week of "normal" days almost sounds nicer to me than a week's vacation!!

Some shots with my new toy...

2008-03-27T08:58:00.008-05:00

I hate to do this to all you folks still stuck in the snow, but yesterday was gorgeous here in the South! My kids sunned themselves on a blanket in the yard and I played around with my zoom. These were taken from about 30-40 feet away. Don't be blinded by the pale, winter skin!

Meanwhile, exhausted 17 year old tried to nap inside.

I call these "Rumpled Laundry on Table."

I am working on cataloging all my stash at Ravelry...here are some yarn goodies:

Finally!! A new camera!

2008-03-25T14:33:00.007-05:00

Well, I did it. I dug deep and spent the $$$ on a new camera!

May I introduce to you my new Canon PowerShot SX100 IS?

You can read about it here: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0708/07082004canonsx100is.asp

Once I learn how to use this baby, I hope to post some photos and do a bit more blogging. Keep your fingers crossed!!

Things that inspire...

2008-02-22T15:39:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong country. Much of American "fashion" does not appeal to me. However, I just love the things made by this designer! Gudrun Sjoden I get so excited when a catalog shows up in the mail. I also like that there is variety in her designs. Sadly, the prices are beyond me, but I can look, can't I? I am hoping to spend some time sewing for myself some day...and I hope to make a comfortable wardrobe that is an expression of me.

If you should take some time to browse around her site, you may even see the 66 year old designer wearing some of her clothes. I loved her Autumn 2007 collection. You can glimpse a bit of it if you mouse over the "Right Now" tab at the top and click on the "Gundrun's Favorites."

Still Searching for a Camera...

2008-02-12T20:36:00.000-05:00

I apologize for my prolonged absence. I realize that the blogs I enjoy have lovely pictures to accompany the text. I have not been blogging much because I don't have a working camera, and therefore my blog is now just bland black type on bland white background. My photography skills are not great, but everyone likes pictures, right?

Well, I am going to be looking for a camera in earnest this coming month. I do not have a lot of money to spend. I have been told the newer cameras come out in March, so I am hoping to find a good deal on "last year's" when the new ones come out.

Any equipment recommendations would be most welcome! I am also looking for a good book that will help me learn to be a better photographer. Those of you who are more experienced behind the lens, please, share your tips with me! (Ahem! Lil, Kim, are you reading this??)

Just a note to Liliana...

2008-02-12T19:02:00.001-05:00

Liliana, you're a hoot!!

Too Many Choices!!!

2008-02-04T16:03:00.001-05:00

Am I the only person who is feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices that abound these days??? I find it in almost any area of my life...go to the grocery store and just look at one section, like the number of salad dressings. Good grief! I think I'll just make my own!

I remember back in the good old days of home schooling. You know, the days when people looked at me in amazement and asked me, "Is that LEGAL?" Back then, we stayed home. We read books. We struggled to find good curriculum and we only knew a select few other people who were doing the same thing. Now, there is such a large quantity curriculum out there geared towards home schoolers that I can not even possibly investigate it all. And the options for extracurricular activities?? Well, in my community, there are so many sports, clubs, co-ops and social engagements arranged for home schoolers that my head is spinning! Most of it is good or profitable, but REALLY! We are supposed to be HOME schooling. How can we do that if we are never HOME!?

We don't have cable or satellite TV, but I pity the people who do. It must be hard to settle on something and watch. It seems a lot of folk just use the remote and go from channel to channel to channel. Ha! Remember the stone age when there were only 3 major networks and no DVD or video tapes? Remember how exciting it was when The Wizard of Oz came on once a year? It seemed so special then! These days it seems there is nothing special about TV or movies. (Okay, I admit that lately we have been greatly enjoying the Jane Austin pieces on Masterpiece.) The choices are vast and mostly mediocre. You can rent or own a movie and watch it any time you want and as many times as you want. Ho, hum.

I just feel like I am faced with too many decisions all around me. Recently, I joined Ravelry, an online knitting and crochet community. I am amazed! Astounded! It is an awesome place to be. There are some wonderful tools provided so that I can inventory my yarns and needlework tools and books. There are forums and groups. hundreds, nay thousands of different groups and forums. There are all sorts of interesting people who like to knit and crochet and spin. These people write all sorts of informative and witty things. All this to choose from, and Ravelry is just teensy tiny speck of dust in the vast internet world. Due to the recent popularity in knitting and crochet, there are so many more interesting blogs and books to read on the subject. Volumes of patterns calling my name. Web merchant upon web merchant offering a plethora of lovely yarn. How can one person possibly wade through it all and find her cozy little corner in the middle of all this?

Don't get me wrong, variety and choices can be a very good thing. I am thankful for all that is available to me. But can it have a downside? I begin to wonder if it is adding to the disease of stress that plagues our nation. Was man meant to make so many choices every day? Just think of all the available options for what to have for breakfast, what to wear, what to read, what to do, what to listen to, what to watch...By the end of the day I find myself exhausted by the large number of decisions that have to be made. The variety and selection in almost any area of life is ever increasing in American society, but contentment and satisfaction are not. Why is that?

This is something I have been pondering lately. It is one of the reasons I am hoping to make steps towards simplifying my life and home. But I will save that topic for another post.

Just Ignore This...

2008-02-04T15:33:00.000-05:00

I have a LOT of topics rumbling around in my head lately that I want to blog about. This is just a list so that when I actually get time to write I can remember what it is I wanted to write about! I hope to actually write something with content eventually. Sorry, nothing here worth looking at!

--Simplifying/purposeful living
--Organizing
--Too many choices
--7 people, 2 cars, 2 accidents, 2 blocks
--Holy stash! Batman!
--Death and losing a parent
--Searching for a camera

I Really NEED a New Camera!

2007-10-02T19:30:00.001-05:00

I really, really need a new camera. But when I start looking around, I get totally overwhelmed. Help! What do you use, and how do you like it?

Oh, and a little suggestion...do you post photos on your blog? Then how about telling the world what camera you use, either in your side bar or in your "about me" section? It is nice when I see photos I like, to know what camera was used. For instance, this person shimandsons.typepad.com was kind enough to mention in her "about" section that she uses a Sony Cybershot. Unfortunately, she doesn't give the exact model number, but I'll take what info I can get. It is nice to know that the camera is capable of producing photos like the ones I see on her site. Not necessarily sayin' that I could take such nice photos, but I would like to get a camera that is able to do so! Then I won't be able to blame my lousy pics on the equipment.

A PROPER Update!

2007-09-25T12:31:00.001-05:00

Well, I promised a proper update months ago. Ahem! Sorry about that! Notice anything new?? Yes, I changed the look of my blog! I figured since this is virtually a fresh start after a prolonged absence, I would like a new look. This is a much cleaner layout. Also, there is more info in the sidebar. I still want to do some tweaking, but so far, whaddaya' think?

Summer was busy, busy, busy! We did not ever get a proper vacation. No beach trips (even though the ocean is about 2 hours away). No mountain holidays. Nada.

Our family did manage to spend a long weekend in the DC area visiting my brother's family. It was August. It was hot. It was exhausting. Trying to visit sites in DC with 7 kids aging in range from 5 to 18 can be a bit of a challenge but we squeezed in as much as we could. I want to go back sometime, just s, and spend hours and hours in art museums. YUM!

Summer was dry as a desert for me creatively speaking. I just seemed to lack inspiration to work on current projects or start new ones. I think the disastrously discombobulated workspace added much to that problem...I can't work in chaos. As mentioned in my previous post, I worked some on organizing my office, but not as much as I had hoped. I even bought one of those closet organization system this weekend and hung new shelves and racks etc. in my office closet. I went through all the containers of fabric and supplies and sorted and organized. Now, almost all of my fabric is sitting on shelves where I can actually see what I have on hand. I love looking at all the pretty, pretty patterns. Makes me want to sew. I can feel the need to create welling up in me. Lately I have also been spending time browsing blogs and sites that inspire.

If I could, I would post photos of my office transformation in progress, but one of my dear children dropped my camera on the concrete floor of the Smithsonian and damaged it...severely. The lens will no longer retract and it can not focus any more. Basically, it would cost more to fix it than it is worth. Boo! Hoo! So, I am hoping for money to fall from heaven so I can get a new camera. (((Sigh))) Any recommendations of affordable cameras???

CH-CH-CHANGES:

Our dear oldest son has moved into the dorms and started his adventures in University Land. I think he has adjusted well. Of course, we miss him bunches. But he comes home often. (Can you hear my big sigh of relief?)

Hubby is now working on his masters degree. After years of being unhappy working in "business" and unable to change the situation much, he has decided to pursue his Master's in Library Science. I am so proud of him. It isn't easy to work full time and go back to school. His undergrad is in History, and I know that working in a library environment will be much better suited to his personality and abilities. This means that I actually have 4 fellows in college! Oldest son and hubby in university, sons #2 and #3 are both taking college courses at the local community college concurrently while they are still in high school.

And speaking of school, we are back at it full force with the home schooling. Just to start the year off with a bang, I managed to get some sort of yucky head cold thing that lasted over two weeks. It made me very fuzzy brained and adding 2 + 2 was an intellectual challenge. Near the end of that, last week, a stomach virus made its way through the troops. What a fun weekend was had by all...not!

Coming soon to a blog near you...

2007-06-14T09:40:00.001-05:00

Coming soon...an update! A really, true update! I am not sure yet what to write about. Hmmm...all the boring stuff that has been going on in my life? (Believe me, I have not had the time to be bored, but it really isn't anything exciting to read about, just the day-to-day survival as we finished up our school year, etc.) I hate to put folks to sleep.

Another thought that I have actually been contemplating is taking photos of my disasterous office. It is the room in our house where all the junk tends to accumulate, not to mention all my fiber and fabric and beads and... Then perhaps the public shame of it all will pressure me into getting it organized so that I can show some progress. Maybe I should clean it up some before I let you see it? It really is bad! Of course, if I let you see it as it really is, in all it's messy glory, perhaps it would be an encouragement to you to realize that your "messy room" isn't so bad after all! And the sad thing about all this? I am not a "messy." I do not like messy. I do not work well in chaos. I thrive on neat and organized. But the sheer messiness of it all overwhelms me and I don't know where to start. Perhaps the Flylady 15-minutes-at-a-time approach will be best. We'll see.

Wearing a red poppy.

2007-05-24T14:32:00.002-05:00

Memorial Day is coming up. Today, I am wearing a red poppy. It is to honor those who have given so much of themselves, including their lives to protect and defend our country. Remember? That is what Memorial Day is supposed to be about!

In our community, the American Legion Ladies Auxilary sets up tables at local shops and hands out red paper poppies that are made by disabled vets. One of my daughters and I donated a few hours today manning one of those tables. The flowers are free, but donations are welcome (and all the $$$ goes to help disabled vets.) If you get the opportunity, take one of those poppies and wear it, or twist it around your rear-view mirror or your purse strap, or somewhere to remind yourself and others that our liberty has been very dearly bought.

I think I will wear my poppy all weekend long.

Dear Blog...

2007-05-14T19:53:00.002-05:00

Dear Blog,

I know that I have not been around much. I am sorry if I have made you feel forgotten and neglected. I think of you often and I hope you miss me as much as I miss you. It's not that I have wanted to forsake you. Really, you must believe me. It's just that I have been so busy tending to the needs of others that I have not had time to give you all that you deserve in a relationship. If it is any consolation, Yarn Basket and Sewing Machine and Reading List are also angry with me for not being around much!

You will have to understand that my family comes first. And do you remember that I am a teacher? Well, not professionally, but I do home school all my 7 kids. That takes a LOT of time! And one of those kids is a senior and I have been swamped and overwhelmed with all the things that I must do to prepare for his graduation. And college...Blog, have you ever waded through all the forms and applications that are necessary to get a fellow into college? It boggles the mind! Oh, by the way, did I tell you that he was invited to participate in the honors program at a local university and that they gave him a $20,000 scholarship? We are so proud of him! Of course, we are proud of all our other kids too.

Anyway, school is almost over for this year and I am trying to be faithful to the end, although it is hard when Spring comes on. Both the kids and I are ready for a break.

So, please forgive me for not spending more time with you. I know that communication is the key to a good relationship and I will try to do better in the future.

Sincerely, your friend,
BusyHSmom

How to avoid sleep...

2007-04-24T13:08:00.000-05:00

If you feel that you are just getting too much sleep, and you just can't figure out a good way to promote more sleep deprivation an exhaustion in your life, I have just the solution for you!

VOLUNTEER TO BE A CHAPERONE AT YOUR CHURCH'S YOUTH TRIP

Yes, folks, it is that simple! Just pile into a couple of vans full of energetic teenagers. Drive for about 3-4 hours. (Be sure that you get suckered into actually driving one of the vans so that you can not relax during the drive.) Time the trip so that you barely make it to the quiz competition in time, so you that the kids can't get dinner before they must compete. Check into a hotel after 9:00 and share a room with three young adolescent gals. Allow gals to drink Pepsi at 11:00 at night and watch them bounce off the walls so that they don't settle down until well after 1:00.

If that is not late enough, take the burden of responsibility pretty heavily, so that everytime you hear a door open or footsteps down the hall, you wonder if it is one of your kids who do not have an sleeping in their room. Therefore, you feel you must get up out of bed and look out the door and check to be certain they are not getting into trouble.

It works even better if there are four adolescent boys sleeping in the room next door and their beds are up against the same wall as your bed. Then you can have the muffled sound of their voices keep you up until well past 2:00 a.m.

Be sure to wake up before 6:00 a.m. the next day. Spend an exhausting Saturday full of activities and competitions with the kids. Drive home at night. Don't get back until late. Be sure that your hubby must teach Sunday School the next morning so that sleeping in is not an option.

And there you have it...a surefire recipe for sleep deprivation and exhaustion!

(Actually, I had a great time, and I was more than happy to help out, but PSHEW! I am still tired 3 days later!)

Swappity Swap Swap

2007-04-19T15:47:00.000-05:00

I am such a sporadic blogger. I just have too many pots in the fire to do this consistently! One thing that I have been involved in lately is a SecretPal Swap organized by Crochetville. I send goodies to someone and hopefully make their day brighter and someone else sends me goodies and spoils me rotten!

Here are some photos of what my pal sent me for her big REVEAL package. Thanks a million, Aunty M. You are a doll!

Aunty M sent me:
~~ One solid chocolate bunny, not the hollow kind! My kids swooped down on him immediately!
~~ A lovely crocheted angel made with a clothespin and pink thread.
~~ Some bayberry potpourri that made the whole package smell nice!
~~ My very first ever thread cutter pendant. That will definitely come in handy with my sewing and finer needlework projects...I am always loosing my scissors!
~~ A small cross-stitch kit that makes a little miniature quilt and another one that is like little pumpkin seed packet.
~~ A "Little Pot Pals" kit in which you decorate a miniature flower pot. I am thinking that will be something I can do with one of my daughters.
~~ Some relaxing bath salts and a blue body puff.
~~ A skein of lovely deep purple Lion Brand Homespun.
~~ A ball of 100% cotton chenille.
~~ Some salad "hands" for tossing and serving salads. (How did she know that we have managed to break every set of salad tongs that have ever entered our house?)
~~ A pattern for making a colorful striped knit bag. (I love to knit too!)
~~ A vintage Old Time Needlework Patterns and Designs magazine.
~~ A sweet little crocheted purse that my 10-year old immediately claimed.
~~ A beautiful, carved rosewood crochet hook in size "O" This is my first wooden hook and I have been drooling and longing for one.
~~ Another wooden crochet hook...this one is bamboo and size "P" I love my bamboo knitting needles and so I am sure I will like this too!
~~ Aunty M sewed up a crochet hook case for me too! I have been needing one of these...however I am struggling. You see, the pockets are nice and long, so it is perfect for my double pointed needles too! Right now it is holding all my hooks, but if I want, I can switch it out and use it for my DPN's instead!
~~ She also made me the most exquisite, gorgeous red shawl. It is soooo pretty! The photos do not do it justice at all! I was so thrilled that I wore it for two days straight!

Like I said, she spoiled me rotten!

I sent my secret pal, Kimbo, a package full of goodies at the beginning and another package at the end of the swap. Here are a few photos of some of the things I made to put in the last package. Her favorite colors to wear are brown and green, so I crocheted her a humongous tote bag out of variegated wool in those colors and then felted it. This was my first felting project.

Here is is being held up by my 5 year old before felting:

And after felting:

I also made an amigurumi bunny for her.

See the cute little cotton tail?

I know, you think it looks just like the one I previously blogged about, but my 5 year old promply adopted that bunny and I had to make another. This time I used an "F" hook rather than and "H." Isn't it amazing how big of a difference a fraction of a milimeter in hook diameter can make in the overall size of a finished project. See the latest bunny hanging out with its bigger sibling for some quality time before they were parted:

I also took some incredibly bright and colorful thread and made my first ever thread crocheted bookmark for my SP:

I also included some sterling and Swarovski crystal earrings I made for her as well as a pound of Starbucks coffee beans, so hopefully, she felt pampered a bit.

Swaps are great fun.

New Driving Rules

2007-04-08T18:04:00.001-05:00

Have you heard about the newest driving rules??

1. Horizontal and vertical are the same (oh, I am not kidding!)

2. It is perfectly acceptable to slow down and drive beside someone you know and have a COMPLETE conversation. ....do not worry about holding up traffic. Remember you are ahead of everyone else.

3. Traffic laws are for everyone except you (again please remember you are SPECIAL those roads were all paved just for you so please drive the way YOU want to!)

4. If you are in the far right lane and you want to turn left then, by golly, just go ahead and do it (remember you are special!)

5. Everyone is really interested in hearing your type of music, by all means play it as loud as you can that way we won't have any trouble trying do hear our own music preference.

A friend sent me these rules after her recent trip to Las Vegas. I am proud to say that we are not backwards here in the South...there are plenty of folks in my community who seem to be well acquainted with these new driving regulations.