Tuesday, November 27, 2007

"Simple" Lace

Is there really such a thing? I'm knitting a scarf for D.D. She picked out the wool at the Wool Festival last summer and informed me she wanted hearts. So I found a pattern with three lace hearts at each end, the rest is all garter. Easy enough. I've frogged the bloody thing 10 times.

This time I've set a damned lifeline and I will manage to get at least the first heart done by the weekend, I swear. I guess I am just too much of a perfectionist when it comes to my knitting.

Speaking of... While my mom was here we headed to the LYS and bought her a skein of Cascade 220 so she could try her hand at a ChicKnits Felted Bucket Hat. It about killed me to watch, haha. End of first pattern row, "I've got two too many stitches, what should I do?" And all through the rest of the brim the same thing. She'd miss a decrease here or there and have too many stitches to be going on with. (Yes, 110 stitches is a lot to frog and re-cast on. I'd have done it. And in fact, I am pretty darned sure I did with the first hat I knit!)

When my mom left she was into the simple knitting in the round portion of the crown. I expect to get calls as the decreases begin again for the top *Smile* Look out Roggey, I told her if she really had problems to take it out to the Yarn Shoppe and ask the folks in there. I will get her hooked on good yarn yet, I swear! And yes, she was very surprised that a skein of wool actually cost less than the cheapo acrylic novelty yarn she was using. Of course, I did point out that it's all in the choice. Me, I have caviar tastes and immediately fell in love with the $60 skein of silk ;)

Anyway, it's breakfast time and I need to get D.D. up for school. Ta!

Monday, November 26, 2007

Whew

The week from Hell is nearly over. Today is the last day of the holiday weekend. Mind you, things won't slow down a lot, but at least the evil Black Friday is done and gone.

Now I guess I need to start shopping. What in the world I am going to get D.H. and D.D. I haven't much clue. D.D. is easiest. She wants toys and any clothes in pink, haha. D.H. wants a new laptop, but that's not exactly something I can get him without his knowledge and sneak under the tree.

And this year I have one more to find a gift for. The Brother in law will be here this year and goodness only knows what we shall get him! Something portable, as it has to go in his luggage when he goes home.

My mom is mostly done. Well, at least the gifts from D.D. I still need to find her something and get her a gift card to Borders as well.

Sometimes I wish we could just stop exchanging gifts. She doesn't really need anything and every year I end up returning the items she give D.H. and I. Her taste just doesn't jibe with ours, hahaha. Last year I tried to tell her I didn't need any clothes and that we'd really prefer that she just give us money so we could apply it to a larger gift. She gave us money and still gave me a gift card to Penney's (a place that I just don't shop at often). I finally spent the last of that the week before Thanksgiving!

I know what D.H. could give me for Christmas though... I want this coat in the Crisp Blue/Blue Horizon. I need a new winter coat and if we are going to be moving back to the Midwest, I need a warmer coat than the one I have now. And this one is called a 4 season coat, since the liner zips out and I can wear the outer shell alone in wet weather or the liner in colder weather. Then when it gets really cold I can wear them together and be as snug as a bug in a rug *Smile*

And honestly, I am sick of the bright yellow coat I have now. I've had it for probably at least 15 years and it's just blah. Not to mention the liner for that coat is permanently covered in pet hair and it's kind of yucky. It's also not waterproof, as I discovered on the 4th of July! Plus, I want a more girly coat, haha. I looked at wool coats, but the dry clean only thing lost me. I need pretty and practical.

So Dear Darling Husband, if you read this that's what I want for Christmas ;)

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Home for the Holidays

Or rather everyone in my home for the holidays. My mother is here for Thanksgiving this year. My brother in law will be here for Christmas. So we will be busy up through the New Year.

This is the first year I have made big meals at both Thanksgiving and Christmas. For years, we ate at my husband's (and mine for a bit as well) place of employment. They put up a big ol' feast for the holidays and you can't beat someone else cooking for you, lol.

But Mom will help and a good time will be had by all, so it's good :)

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Another blog

I've been blogging for quite a while now. I started after my daughter was born (she's nearly 8 now) and I was a stay at home mom who needed an outlet. I thought I'd made some good friends in the Blogosphere. But I recently learned that appearances are deceiving.

So the old blog has been closed and this blog will focus more on the crafting aspects of my life, motherhood, marriage and occasionally just something that sets me off.

Please, expect me to be blunt about things that piss me off. This time around I'm not pulling any punches.

For me.

It's been a long winter. Mentally, I feel even worse off than I was before, though things are finally looking up. I abandoned the gym. I...