Snowballs and Monsters

So I enjoy pastries, all kinds, fresh from the bakery....or those from Hostess...there are four things I will miss from Hostess....

And when my husband was asking me what I wanted him to bring home....I kept saying Snowballs...of course I crave them when they are no longer around...and I actually only ate them once or twice a year....but man I had a craving...and what did the awesome Hubs do?  He found some on ebay....and under the tree this year, I found these...

I've now eaten one package (and they were the MOST expensive Snowballs EVER!)
And Monsters?  Well the Hubs hid my Monster and couldn't find it...cleaning up Christmas morn, I found it tucked under the parrot cage....

and "her name was Lola, she was a showgirl"......the pink one is Lola...and I had her for several days....and sang, "his name was Rico..." and the other night the Hubs brought home Benny...no Rico..(and I don't remember the rest of the lyrics)....so now Lola and Benny sit on our bed....and enjoy speaking to us in their jibberish.....they are a fun, irrelevant gift....that is much loved

Aren't they frickin' adorable???? And mine, all mine....(sometimes the kids in us need to be gifted)

A skein here...a skein there

Here a skein, there a skein....everywhere a skein.....of YARNZZZZ!!!!!

I got part of my order yesterday, unfortunately, the Christmas at Downton colorway is backordered....

First up...Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Oak, supposedly a One-of-a-Kind...love the color...maybe for a shawlette or cowl...I'd love something with a leaf pattern on it..suggestions?  I only have one skein, about 225 yards

Next up is Fyberspates...I'd heard of this yarn, but hadn't seen it....I got a pretty grey...Inky....definitely a shawl or scarf...

Lastly I purchased Cascade 220 Quatro..in a blue/green mix...This was an impulse buy and frankly I can't remember what I was going to use this for....but it's pretty, might make a cool hat....

The snow storm has started...I had to do some quick running around this morning, since I have hibernated for about 3 days....mailed off the snowflake garland, read an article that they have been overwhelmed with the response, stopped to see nephew and sister....grabbed some lunch..and now I am holed up at home again...

I am almost done with my Seraphina shawl...I may see the recipient on New Years Eve, so I want to have it finished just in case.....I am trying to finish up as many WIPs as possible....

How is your last weekend of 2012 shaping up?

Last FO Friday of 2012

Well the last one.....I wonder what I'll make in 2013....

I forgot this one last week.  This is the Hubs scarf.  It is made from Plymouth Yarn Nazca Wind, which is alpaca and silk.  he picked this yarn out on his birthday last March at WEBS.  Yes, we went to WEBS on his birthday...I have him well trained.....(ETA:  He wore this to shovel today(Thursday) and was THRILLED, THRILLED, I say..he said it kept his neck and chest warm..cuz it's long!!!)

It is long, as he is a taller guy...and he loves it....so job well done!

This is a snowflake garland.  A request went out for snowflakes to decorate the new school that the Sandy Hook students will be attending after the holidays.  Many, many people have sent in paper snowflakes...I decided to make a garland, maybe they'll hang it in the office....I used the Leisure Arts book White Christmas in Thread Crochet, but I used Red Heart Soft Yarn.  I wanted it to last longer and not be so delicate as thread crochet is...plus they were quicker and easier on the hands...

Jayne Hat for Wilkey...he needed a new hat..and I needed a project for a challenge in Nerd Wars....and I've always wanted to make a Jayne hat...it's pretty cunning, isn't it?

What else did Wilkey get?  He got a magical staff, but it's a pretty basic black staff.....but it comes from the Chinese myth of the Monkey King....Yep..Wilkey, the Monkey King!

And lastly, the cowl...I finished the cowl...there will be a note attached to NOT wash and dry it in the machine!  Sheesh!!!!!

Oh, I forgot.. a quick hat to add to my collection of hats that I donate to my school....I get a thrill everytime I see one of the kids wearing them....the pom-pom is kind of sucky...but oh well....

In addition, I'm working on so many more projects...I've had to stop myself from STARTING ALL THE THINGS!!!!!!!

I worked a bit on my beaded socks, a bit on the feet blankies (they hurt my hands, can only do a few rows at a time), have to finish the Seraphina....and I've wound some yarn in ANTICIPATION...

Still have 5 days before I go back to school....and 2 upcoming parties....and a day to correct papers...boo, hiss....but still plenty of crafting time...yeah!!!!

So join Wisdom Begins in Wonder, Tami and Natural Suburbia for more 2012 ending finishes.

No Fibery Goodness for Christmas

So the Hubs said he did not get me any fibery goodness this year.....and in this Tower O' Presents...there was none...

BUT!  we then went out to his parents and he had three presents sent there...the ones from etsy..I introduced him to etsy this Christmas season...and what came home with me?

A Soakbox kit in Lace Kelly!  I heard everyone was buying these at Rhinebeck, but I never saw them..then. of course, I wanted one...I need to have what all the "cool kids" have!





I'm also waiting for two fibery orders I made.....but in the meantime..two of my clubs came in....
Ewereka Yarn in Sakura

And Mad Club Geek Tour: Into the Black....Washburne

I see fun, stripey socks in it's future....

WIP Ending 2012

My last WIP post of 2012....I am thinking of joining the YOP group for next year....I still have a ton of projects in progress...and I'd like to clean them up a bit....today I am planning on a jammy day and will be working on projects all day...I already have two finished for Friday...let's see how many more I can complete...

This picture contains four projects...two long suffering sock projects...the Kai-Mei. I realized that I have dropped stitches on this, so need to go back and pick them up; the Beaded Camo socks, which are actually pretty easy; the Deidre cowl (olive yarn) from last week...I am on the third skein, so almost done; and the Hubs Feet Blankets (blue and green Caron yarn)....This is the third pair I have made him....the last pair were a little big...because he was around when I was crocheting them...and he kept saying, "they need to be bigger.." Yeah well then they were too big!

I finished a book the other day...11 Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart.....I love historical romances...I don't read modern ones, but love the historical ones....still reading Pride and Prejudice, I am on the visit to Huntsford...and my classroom book club book, 100 Cupboards.....

I got the first season of Falling Skies for Christmas and plan on watching and crafting today...Please check out what others are doing...Tami and Yarn Along

ETA: Tin Can Knits is offering a free pattern until  Jan 1...I got Drift..a beautiful shawl pattern..nice and thick..not lacy..

Merry Christmas Eve

Finished Friday!

Puzzle Scarf!  This was such an awesome, quick knit and I LOVE the scarf!!!!!!

And my Ugly Tree-gurami!!! The pattern was in an Interweave Crochet Spring 2012.  I thought I'd decorate it with beads...yeah..not such a great idea!

ETA:  The pony beads were the only ones I had with holes big enough for the yarn..
I thought I'd have the cowl finished, but no such luck....maybe for next week....

Today is my last day of work until Jan 2...and I really need the break!!!!  It's been a tough year so far and I can only see it getting tougher....

Please check this finishes out too...here, here and here (I've been having a very difficult time loading Tami's Amis)

In Progress?

I am still working on the Seraphina shawl....I need to finish it this week....In addition I started a cowl for a friend for Christmas.  I made her one awhile ago, same yarn, different color and her husband washed it and it felted....so new cowl....And I am reading 100 Cupboards with my students in Book Club...

Check out other WIP's here ...the other two sites haven't done their link yet....

Still Raw

                               

The Voice Tribute

I am still raw...and so sad....and our students still have many, many questions....and sometimes I just feel like sitting down and crying with them all....

I did not know any of the victims, but I know people who know them...Connecticut is a small state..

Leather and Lace

Yesterday I headed down to the Leather and Lace Trunk Show at Madison Wool.  I needed to get away from the news for awhile.  I had planned on going Sunday, but the weather is suppose to get nasty today....

I had a great afternoon visiting with Dayna and local fiber artist, Laura Lyons.  During the afternoon, Laura was creating a needle felted snapping turtle freehand.  Her friend had snapped a very cool picture of a turtle crossing a road...it was covered in moss...and she was recreating it in felt...

It was very cool!  (And I just figured out how to do collages!)

So what about the Leather and Lace Yarn?  It was very cool!  Here are some pictures...

The whole collection












I think one of these is Dayna's the owner...I did not write down names, sorry...but the website shows them all with proper identification.

She put tattoos in hers, very cool!

It was fun to see all these cool fiber art pieces....I'm very glad I went...and yes I came home with some yarn and some fiber!  One is a gift....more on the other later!  Hope the end of your weekend in better than the beginning was....

Devastated

I teach in Connecticut, about an hour away from where this happened...we are all devastated.

Friday? Is it yet?

This has been one rough week at work...and I am so glad it is Friday....and I am hoping for a snowstorm next week and a snow day....

I have finished one tiny little thing...

It's a wee stocking!  I'll be making many more of these!!!!  This one is to be gifted...

And speaking of gifts...I received my Nerd Wars swap package yesterday...so full of awesome!

How awesome are these mitts!!!! I love them!

And Gingerbread Peeps!!!!  I've never seen these!  So happy!

Now off to do battle.....with a sore throat and ear..and slightly twisted ankle...have I mentioned this week has sucked?

See what others are making.....here, here, and here

** ETA:  I just linked it to my project page, so the pattern is linked there...

WIP 12/11

So I have not been reading much, but when I do, I pick up one of three books:  The Book Thief, which I started last year and never finished; Pride and Prejudice on the nook is my bedtime reading...and the newest book, 100 Cupboards, which is my Book Club/Lunch Bunch book.

Tomorrow I find out about the new classroom arrangements....meaning I will no longer have the students that I am doing Book Club with....but I decided I will continue to meet with them...our first meeting is this Thursday...yeah starting Monday, I will have a new group of kids....well not really new, as I'm getting all the "low" kids....which I already have....but I have the "high" kids at the end of the day....I'm going to miss them....

So what am I making?  The brown thing is a scarf for the Hubs...he picked out the yarn on a visit to Webs on his birthday in March...It is Plymouth Yarn Nazca Wind....although it feels like a boucle, it is so soft!  It's baby alpaca and mulberry silk...

The teal is the beginnings of a hat for me.  It is made out of Mirasol Akapana...I love Mirasol yarns!

What are you reading and crafting this week?

Please head over to Tami and Ginny to see what other people are working on...

Podcasts

I've tried them and I have such a hard time staying interested in them...at the moment I am listening to a new one to me.....I thought maybe I will like this one, as she is also a teacher....but again my mind wanders...hence a blog post...(eta...still listening....)

I'm not sure what it is, but I can't listen to audio books either....my mind just wanders....I don't own an ipod or anything like that, so I have to listen to them on my computer, but I am going to try listening to them on my nook....

Any tips?

But I would like to keep trying, so what podcasts would you recommend?

New Yarnz

Shocking, isn't it?  The idea that I have acquired new yarnz????  And I have gotten around the picture issue somewhat since I can upload yarn and project pictures directly from Ravelry...who knew!

So onto the pretty, pretty....(eta - a lot more than I thought, as I hadn't posted about any for awhile)

Newest Random Fandom...inspired by Garth from Wayne's World....
"She Makes Me Feel Kinda Funny." 

Isn't that just a pretty skein of yarn?  It's 100% BFL....

Well as co-captain of the Stargate Team over on Ravelry, when I found out there was a "Jack O'Neill" yarn, I had to get it!  It has some of my favoritest colors in it...It's by Woolen Mill St Yarns and is Superwash Merino

Then I received my last Cookie A shipment.  I did not renew this year.  I enjoy the yarn, of course, but haven't made use of any of the patterns...or recipes...

This is a deep rich blue/purple color called: Scheherazade's Sky...gorgeous!

Also with the "Jack O'Neill" I ordered a skein of Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock....the colors got me...It's called Eilis...

In the same order, I received a Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Northern Lights....green and purple, what could be better?

Then, for some reason, I got included in the Loopy Groupies again as a new member and was sent another skein of Lorna's Laces Honor in The Loopy Ewe Shuffle...it's not my favorite colorway, but I now have 900 yards of it....bet it would make a great shawl!  Baby alpaca and silk....

Then I received my latest Mad Geek Tour yarn...this is Into the Black club..color is "Warrior Woman"  named after Zoe...and the yarn is Superwash Wool and nylon...

And I did recently go shopping again.....hmmm...I had to!!!  I was in a swap!  Had to go get some things for my swap partner, so I headed out to Webs...well Northhampton...I was also going to Newbury Comics....but I came home with this...for me....

Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Bowtie

Noro Kogarashi to make fingerless gloves to match the Election Cowl

Madelinetosh Merino Light in Steam Age, this is going to be an Age of Brass and Steam - how perfect!

Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock in Shipwreck...I can't remember why I bought this one...

And they were having a Socks That Rock sale!!!!!!! Both are lightweight
Lucky - because who doesn't need bright green socks?

Rocktober! Says it all!

I also stopped on the way home to pick up some Koigu. I had a hankering...these are destined to be fingerless gloves with coconut buttons!

A lone skein of Lamb's Pride Bulky...I love this yarn since making the sunflower with it...This is also destined to be flowers....I have a sweater that the Hubs felted and I'm thinking of making flowers, felting them and adding to the sweater...I'm going to cut it up to make a cowl...

And finally, I purchased some Ella Rae to make some of Stacey Trock's monsters!

I did not include the sparkly yarn I got at Webs to make earrings for my swap partner or the green thread to make turtles...

Yesterday I went Christmas shopping...and bought some white thread to make snowflakes...and uhm some big box sparkly yarn for a scarf for a friend.....

and oh yeah Downton Abbey Seasons 1 and 2...gonna go watch that now while I craft.....but can't forget to get the Christmas at Downton yarn at Jimmy Bean's Wool.....:)

Yeah I know.....but it makes me happy....