Mailbox surprise

Look at the goodies in the mail today. On the left we have some great cotton yarn perfect for washcloths..just what I was looking for. My chilli pepper kitchen is red, yellow, and green so these will go great (I've got some turqouise there too, little southwest style). My secret pal also sent something extra..as you can see it matches my dining room. Thanks Secret Pal, it's always great to have a surprise in the mailbox.

Day at the Fair

Look at these cuties...hmmmm..where did all that wool go?

Drum roll please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Champion and her ribbons

Award

My lace project feature on a previous post contained a hint about a possible award. Well I can finally announce the news since judging is over. I entered it in the Harford County Farm Fair and I got First Place Blue Ribbion & Champion Ribbon.

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!

I will be taking pictures tonight at the Fair so we all can see the ribbons!!!!!!!!!!!!!

up for trade

I've got Addi Turbos up for trade.. They are size US #9 24" circulars. I used them for about half an afghan. Anyone intersed in a trade send me an email (it's in my profile).



In honor of 2 posts in 1 day a FO. I plan on attaching leather handles to this entralac bag. Done in pastazza (last time I felt with that yarn!)

YUMMY

Zach and I saw Pirates of the Carribean, Dead Man's Chest The movie was okay, they are all too long now to sit in those seats. Give me my Lazy Boy! But, who can pass up an chance to see Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Why do all us find a man with greasy hair, gold and silver teeth, clearly unwashed body so damn sexy! Make sure you take a tissue, not for tears but for drool.... Johnny boy is yummy in this film.

burning sky

Sunset view over my hometown on Manos KAL night.

yarn galore

Lots of pictures of my shopping spree at the HUGE sale. I also got the very last frog sweater pattern pictured in a previous post for Kelly, should get to her later this week along with a little something else and a treat for Sockies too!

Claudia's handpainted

Encore, for the frog sweater

More Encore for my twin nephew's sweaters

Manos, for a fall harvest afghan (a special christmas gift)

Kid Silk, for yes another lace project!

Needles for socks, and this great magazine, lots to make from this issue

fight night

It was fight night at the animal kingdom house last night. Dazzle is obviously feeling better and decided to take on her sister. Warning: images are expicit and no aniamls were harmed during these scences.

The Stare Down


Dazzle says to Raz: "you want a piece of ME!"

Dazzles issues the take down and Raz falls to the floor

Commentators Libby and Jackson: "We can't show you any more if this broadcast..MEDICS!"

Just so everyone knows the dogs are fine, this actually is play that they use to do all the time and now that Dazzle is better my house is again filled with the growls and barks of happy dogs.

More pictures to follow Saturday after my yarn frenzy shoppping spree!

SALE SALE

I am so excited about Ewenique Yarns huge sale this Saturday. If anyone in the area reads this blog and you do not know about the sale check out their blog or website to get all the info and run, okay drive to the sale! It's this saturday 7/22/06, great yarn, great discount, and a raffle with door prizes! The best part is you can pick out your yarn now, they will hold it and bingo Saturday you buy. I already have 10 skeins of Manos for another afghan, yarn for my nephew's sweaters, my neice's sweater look at the cute picture above, and some more kid silk for another lace project. I simply must stop filling my bag.

Thanks for info about the washcloth yarn. My secret pal I believe is coming to the rescue with a shipment...isn't that exciting now I must run to B&N to get the book!

crazy knitting

My 2 socks on circulars is going pretty good. The yarn is very soft and the colorway is fun to work with. The striping is coming out different than I thought but it still looks very cute, I think my niece will love them. The only problem with this technique is the manuvering the yarn. I'm glad I am using 2 separate balls, at least this way the twisting is easire to untangle.

This project is not going as planned. I'm using pastaza and it will be felted but I am beginning to think I chose poorly in the yarn catergory. This should be a tote size bag and it's not! A friend of mine is also making one and she felted hers already. Let's just say it makes a great family market bag (yeah it's that big!) The yarn is not going far either. In fact so I don't have to buy anymore skiens I am going to repeat colors before they come up in the pattern. The bag is already above budget so I must find a way to keep it under control. I'm thinking that when I'm done I'm going to use leather straps/handles instead of felted ones. And this will probably become my new library bag.
Does anyone know where to get Peaches and Cream yarn or a substitute? I want to make some of the dishcloths in Mason Dixon Knitting.

Dazzle update!!!!!!!!!! For those interested she is eating and doing other functions just like a normal dog. Keep your fingers crossed!

dinner and a show

Cirque du Soleil was incredible last night. If you have never seen it before the cable Bravo channel shows some of the previous shows and it can at least give you a glimpse of what it is like. Our seats where right at the stage 2nd row. We ate a Chipparelles in Little Italy and were pretty disappointed Zach had lasanga and I ordered penne anna. The show was so good though that dinner didn't really matter. Another couple went with us and we are all planning to try and go to Vegas to see the other Cirque du Soleil show..other stuff too.

end of second sock syndrome?

This week I took a step up your sock class at my LYS and learn some pretty cool new sock tricks. We covered the magic loop, one sock on 1 circular (12") and 2 socks on 2 circulars. I was really hoping to like that technique so I could avoid the second sock syndrome but I did not quite get the concept. Mostly my problem was with the cast on. So I may have to be a princess and have someone at the yarn store cast on.

Other news is I avoided a near disaster with my entralac bag. Thank you Karen. It seems I forgot to do one of the rectangles on a previous tier but it turned out to be a easy fix, not a rip out!

My lace goes on debut Saturday night. Zach and I will be going to Little Italy in Baltimore for dinner with friends then off to Cirque du Soleil. I am so excited!

Next week is a HUGE sale at my LYS, the Coolest Customer Sale (of course it's me). We get a glass of lemonade and in the ice cube is our dicsount for that day. It could be anywhere ffrom 15-25% off. I am already making my list.

Raz was examining my almost finshed socks and had a few words of advice " Uh mom, I think you need another pedicure, nail polish looks a little dull, great sock though!"

Look at this delicous yarn..It's Claudia's handpainted sock yarn, colorway is carosuel. I'm planning on a pair of socks for my 5 year old neice. Yarn this good should ward off the dreaded second sock syndrome.

Book and a Block

Many knitters are also readers and we all try to find inventive ways to do both things at one time. And if your like me, the energizer bunny, then your are trying to also watch tv, talk to your sweetie, fight off the monster cat, and everything else! We knitter/readers also would probably like to try a book club to go with our knitting. Ewenique Yarns my LYS, has done just that! So we will be reading The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards, with our first discussion in September to go along with the Block of the Month meeting, which has now changed names to Manos Monday.

thank you & update

A big thank you to all those who commented on my lace. I've only been knitting for about 7 months now and since finishing this shawl I feel like a "real" knitter. I can't wait to pick out my next one. I've started another Jo Sharp pattern and it's going well. I wish I had changed the pattern to in the round but it's going fast enough. It's just a simple tank but with some shaping to spice it up. The best part is the yarn I'm using. Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Wool and it is sooo nice to work with.
This friday I'm having some crafty friends over for a little SNB topped of with chicken parm should be great fun!

Dazzle update: looks like high liver counts on blood work is due to meds so will probably try pred and flagyl. She is being scoped today for some more biopsies and a looksy. She'll probably stay with grandpa for a couple days to get new meds regulated and start new duck and potato food. Have I mentioned that my dad is her vet and without him she probably wouldn't be here (I think her bill to date is over $7,000 if I had to actually pay for everything!) Anyhoo, hopefully she will pull through okay if not it's off to the internal medicaine doc and then it gets real pricey.

Shawl style

Remember the lace shawl I started a few months ago..well it's DONE. Took approx. 3 balls Rowan Kid Silk Haze, pattern is Birch from Rowan Mag. 34. It's so soft and falls so nice. Everyone agress not to block otherwise I'll lose the honeycomb look. So I need to do a light spritz and press the corners. Even though it was intense I loved working with this yarn and I enjoyed the challenge of lace. Had to resit the lure when the project turns out so beautiful. Hopefully this project will win some awards but that's all I can say..... more details about that at the end of the month!

sp8 greatness

When I arrived home I was greeted with a package from my secret pal..and I needed it. Dazzle is very sick again so it's been a long day and what a way to cheer me up. The package smelled so yummy..a scented candle that reminded me peach sherbet, a delicious lollipop that I ate right after the picture was taken, such a beautiful card, with the most interesting yarn. My secret pal knows that I live near a great yarn shop so she topped them with the neatest yarn she got from a art and wine festival!



The picture quality doesn't do the yarn justice but it is hand spun..my first hand spun yarn.. with purple and green and gold.. so soft and beautiful. She had a great idea of a scarf and I think my pal is right. This will go perfect with my green wool coat this winter..hmmm what kind of stitch to use?

Libby says this is sooo my color..what will my mommy make for me!

Thanks secret pal..I love the yarn and can't wait to make something with my first hand spun.

O say can you see

Lots of pictures..fireworks over Baltimore's Inner Harbor!

Boat Trip

Lots of pictures in this post. These are from the boat trip Friday. We left from Baltimore Harbor, on to Rock Hall near the Bay Bridge. The water was full of debris and pretty dirty because of the storm. After dinner we slowly cruised back to the harbor. AHH the life of luxury!








Baltimore Harbor



One of Balitmore's Crabbing Boats

Where we ate dinner

Fort Mc Henry

Key Bridge (named after Francis Scott Key who wrote the Star Spangled Banner)

Me and darling dearest, relaxing after a dinner of steamed shrimp, steamed crabs (a Baltimore delicacy) and blackend Mahi