Mish Mash Make Up & Contest

To make up for yesterday, I have pictures!

Here is picture proof that am now indeed dressing to match my socks. In fact, Amanda wanted to ask me where my purple headband was when she came to SnB on Monday and I was wearing the get up. Someone, please tell me that I do not need a second pair of Crocs in purple just to go with this obnoxiously loud outfit?!?!?!?!?

Then, on Wednesday, I had this lovely little box awaiting my pick up at my PO Box. I wasn’t expecting anything so I had no idea what it was the name and address didn’t look too familiar to me. However, when I opened it up, I squealled with delight…

Inside was this lovely little coffee-themed coin purse made by Sonja of Georgia. She sent it to me filled with one of my all time favorite candies - Andies Mints along with a lovely thank you letter thanking me for posting the instructions on how to carry a stitch pattern down the heel flap for clog or sandal socks. Thank you so much Sonja! I’m in awe of the lovely dainty zipper as putting zippers in anything has always scared me, let alone to put in such a small zipper in such a small item - wow!

On Tuesday I had a hair cut appointment down in Loveland in the morning (don’t ask - let’s just say I spend another $35 this morning) and DH’s car went back into the shop (after being there last Tuesday) and was there until last night I might add and goes back for yet more testing next Wednesday *sigh* But I try to make lemonade from lemons whenever I can. So, I stopped into one of my favorite LYSs, Woolen Treasures. I bought more sock appropriate needles - US 2 and US 3 short Bryspuns and 2 16″ US0 Addi Turbo’s to try the two circ method that Snow is always raving about. But, upon the success of Heatwave, I picked up some more Fixation. The multi-color one is subdued enough and more manly colors that I’m hoping to talk DH into occassion wearing socks other than his dress socks when he wears shorts The sage green will be mine (of course) and perhaps the toes of DH’s if need be.

I’ve also been playing around with a few things this week since I finished Heatwave. Though I’ve only been doing so rather late at night while trying to watch the last few episodes of X Files season 1 so it hasn’t been entirely successful. Can you guess what it is going to be when it grows up? Those at SnB on Monday are not eligible. But, if you’ve been reading my blog for a while you’ll likely have a good idea of what it is. Anyone who guesses correctly will be put into a drawing next Friday morning and will recieve a goodie from me.

Revealing…

First up, this weekend was the secret pal reveal. So, I opened the card that was included in my last package. And, this is the card I discovered inside! A reprint of a cloud chart from 1936. Inside, I discovered that my pal is Kathy, of Kathode Ray Tube (love the pun, by the way). And, boy, was she right that we have a lot of things in common! Stop over and say hi to her if you get a chance. Perhaps we can encourage her to write a little more often

This has been a great round of secret pal giving and recieving! BTW, stop over and say hi to the gal I was gifting too… Jami… I’m running a little behind on her last package because of the large amount of “bed” time I’ve had lately and last week’s snow.

And, despite no huge chunks of knitting time this weekend, Skyway Scoop is well on its way to the finishing stage. Of course, that means I need make a final decision on how I’m going to do the finishing around the arms and neck. I have some ideas and it might just be a bit of trial and error to make the final decision.

The back is done, the front armhole shaping is nearly done and the neckline is making some significant progress. I think I’m really going to like this tank top! I keep thinking how great it will look with my white capri pants and my thin white cotton cardigan Of course, it’ll also look great with the second attempt at Clapotis as well whenever I get that wrapped up, LOL! *sigh*

Oh, and in non-knitting news, I started water aerobics once again this morning. That means on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I won’t likely be getting around to posting until around noon or so Mountain time…

Secret Pal Strikes Again!

My lovely secret pal struck again! I stopped off at the PO on Monday evening before heading to SnB and had a package containing the lovely items pictures above, plus a card. Though I was warned via e-mail to not open the card until the official “reveal” day as she had given her identity away inside.

She sent two skeins of the KnitPicks Sock Landscape in Spring Prairie, the Spin-Off Socks book, a nice tin of Darjeeling loose leaf tea and the awesomest little stitch markers with polymer clay sushi on the ends from Amyville!

I’m still astonished about the sushi stitch markers. Amanda had sent me the link a while back and she preferred the sweets, but I liked the sushi. I’ve been all about sushi lately as it is yummy, it fits within my new dietary restrictions pretty easily and it is a way for me to get some fish in me without making my DH ill (he’s allergic to fish and gets ill just from the smell).

Thank you so much Secret Pal!!!!!

Excuse Me While I Rant a Bit…

While I haven’t had the worst luck in the Secret Pal Exchanges, I think I’ll be sitting out the next round.

Don’t get me wrong, the things I have recieved from my present secret pal and my past secret pal were wonderful, wonderful items and I’ve really enjoyed that part. However, I haven’t enjoyed the other part - the giving. I have enjoyed the hours I’ve slaved over hand made items for both of my recieving secret pals and the contemplating and re-contemplating of the items to include in their packages. That part I have really enjoyed.

Where my complaint comes in is that in both rounds now I have been matched up with people who don’t post to their blogs very regularly and then when they do, they don’t even post more than three words that say in passing, buried in amonst other non-knitting blathering they got a package. No private thank yous, no pics in their blog. It makes me feel like all the time I spend trying to really personalize their packages is not appreciated. And, well, if what they have recieved is not appreciated I can certainly use the $60 (and usually when all is said and done much more than that as I never include the priority mail costs etc. in the total) spent over the course of the three months for my own personal stash enhancement or acquisition of more or better tools.

If any of you out there reading this are in the secrat pal exchanges, please take the time to share your goodies and show your appreciation on your blog, or at least in private e-mail! Frankly, I’m running out of steam for the last package since I’ve had no indication that my recipent has enjoyed her package at all (yes, singular, I combined the first two because she celebrates a birthday in March so I made this package extra special for that). And I was planning something that alone takes up 2/3 of the price amount and would most certainly put this person well over the total price to be spent over the three months. *sigh*

Show Your Secret Pal Appreciation!

Happy Mail Day!

After a bit harrowing Friday and Saturday I had a pleasant surprise in my mailbox to lift my spirits…

Click above to view the contents…

Not only was there a lovely pair of purple socks with a basketweave pattern in the leg made from Lorna’s Laces Shepards Sock and the extra yarn, but Dawn included a lovely card and a big purple flower which is crocheted I think. It’ll look great on a bag or perhaps a bucket hat.

They fit lovely and are of course one of my favorite colors!

Thank you so much, Dawn!

Yes!

I got the cutest ever e-card in my inbox today from Fiberphile, my sockapalooza recipient who is now the proud owner of Spearfish v1.0. The card even involved sheep

What makes me happiest is that the socks fit her! I think they look mighty fine!

I chose a blue because it seemed she had quite a bit of blue things in her FO gallery and it seemd that she liked lace details, so that was the true beginning of the Spearfish v1.0 socks.

This was such a nice thing to see and hear about today as I just got home from the most hairied round of errand running. Well, it was really errand interrupted. I set out to check my PO box for my own socks (no socks, empty mail box) and my car died. With some really creative driving I was able to get it to the garage and I got a ride back home from them (sans the rest of my errands, including lunch). So, this was a great day brightener!

The Well-Traveled Socks…

While packaging the Spearfish Socks to head out on their 1516 mi journey from here to thier new home (yes, that is clue) I realized these are quite the traveling socks. They were inspired by scenery in South Dakota, knit in Colorado and will be living 1500+ mi east and slightly south (yes, another clue) in yet a third state. Too bad I didn’t drive the hour up to Wyoming and do some of the knitting there, LOL!

If you’re curious to see the wrapper I designed a little closer up, click here.

In other news, I’ll be adding another button over in the upper right in the not too distant future. In case you didn’t know, Snow is a big bully. Don’t let her musings on kielbasa toes fool you. She twisted and twisted my arm to join her Blackwater Abbey KAL. It’s an ongoing one with no formal start or finish date, so with the low pressure I decided I could join in. I’m not sure what I’ll be knitting for it yet. It might be socks or it might be one of the totes. We’ll see. I probably won’t have time to get to it for a couple months anyway so I have time to think about it. Give me a holler if you have a suggestion for me… And, join with us yourself why don’t you?

Sockapalooza Done in Nick of Time!

Designedly, Kristi Spearfish Sock Pattern (v 1.0)
Lang Jawoll Superwash (83)
US Sz 1 DPNs (set of 5)
Completed March 12, 2005

Here is a look at the lace detail…

There is nothing like finishing in the knick of time, LOL! I just have to make a band to wrap them with and get my postcard for Ft. Collins. I might cheat on that and get one for Rocky Mountain National Park. We’ll see I guess. Then off in the mail they go tomorrow. I hope they fit well and that she likes them. It was a blast designing them.

Speaking of designing them, I’ll be tweaking a few things and will have the pattern available for purchase later. I’m suspecting at least a month, if not two as I’ll have to knit another pair with the changes and I don’t have any appropriately colored yarn in my stash.

Now that these have been off my plate since Saturday night the vixen Clapotis has been getting attention again. Pics and progress report on that to come tomorrow…

Secret Pal Strikes Again!

I headed to the PO yesterday afternoon in a huff about a publication I hadn’t given permission for. The offending rag was not in my PO box, but instead I found a package from my SP4 to wash away my rant.

I resisted ripping it open right there in the PO and instead rushed home. As soon as I had the envelope unsealed this love aroma came wafting out. It was a very sweet, yet floral scent. I reached my hand inside and first discovered the Cachet Journal with it’s spiral binding (always great for arting in, that way the book stays open and flat) with black pages! I haven’t had the pleasure of working on black pages in a journal for a long time. In fact, ever since I discovered my preferred paper for binding journals has a bleeding problem with their black. And, the cover is in my favorite color - PURPLE! Wheeee!

Upon dipping my hand in the envelope again, my hand found a box of jewelry proportions. I was shocked! Inside was a love memory wire coil bracelet all beaded in blue and purple with wonderful accents of a shocking lime. I *love* it! I don’t have much in the way of bracelets so this is a wonderful addition to my jewelry collection. I think the bright spots of the lime are my favorite.

Hmmm, I still hadn’t uncovered the source of that lovely smell that had permeated the entire package and its contents. The next item I removed from the package solved the mystery. It is Mango soap from Ten Thousand Villages! Ah-ha! I think it must be more like mango blossom as there is definitely a floral scent mixed in with the sweet, but it makes it smell very exotic and intoxicating.

At the very bottom was one last little giftie - a retractable tape measure in blue! This is great. I have one that is clear that resides in my main “accessories kit” (a clear make up bag with my gauge/needle sizer, calculator, darning needles etc.). However, I just got this lovely new tote bag from Target a week or two ago and with somewhat sizable projects (like Clapotis) I don’t have room for the entire make up bag, but there is a small bag attached to this tote bag that will hold some stitch markers a calculator and this tape measure. So, now I don’t have to go hunting down which bag I have my kit in because I’ll have a tape measure in my two main project bags!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I know you’ve probably left on your trip by now, but hopefully you’ll see this when you get back.

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Yesterday evening was movie night. I watched The Prince & Me with Julia Stiles before DH got home. I’ve always been drawn to her movies. I love the characters she plays. I think because they remind me of myself, only her life always turns out. Anyway, that was not a DH movie, though I think I may have to put it on my wishlist so I can add to my Julia Stiles collection. Then after supper DH and I watched Bringing Up Baby, as it was just releasted by WB in their Classic Comedies Collection a week or two ago.

With all the movie watching I’m in the home stretch on the Sockapalooza sock, having nearly completed the gusset. Not bad considering I hadn’t picked up knitting needles in the two days prior. I won’t have much knitting time today as I’ll be busy getting all currently enrolled persons into their respective classes today (class doesn’t start until next Wednesday but I like the students to be able to get settled before the actual classes begin). But, I’m hoping to knock off a little early on all that and enjoy the nice weather we are to have today and knit and little bit outside with Emma. I know I’ll be needing the calming factor. Opening up the classrooms always makes me irritable as you always get at least a handful of people who don’t read ALL of the directions and then can’t get into class.

Poor, poor Clapotis has been banned to the project bag, not to be taken out again until the Spearfish socks are complete. She’s lonely and sad and wishing that I would get done with the darn sock!

Joys of Trading and Progress Update

I brought the two Sally Melville books to SnB last night and ended up trading Amanda for these two lovely hanks of Interlacement’s Houston rayon/cotton boucle yarn. There is 2500 yd there with a label gauge of 6 sts/in on US 4 needles. I’m not quite sure what I’ll be doing with it at this point, though I have a few ideas. I don’t think the photo is very accurate in the color, but it’s a cloudy, windy, rainy day out today so this is the best I’ll get. It’s kind of a dusty mauve as in some lights it looks kind of pink, but in others it looks more lavender. I do know that it looked great with my plum jeans I was wearing last night

In progress news, I have 2 or 3 more repeats before I start the heel on second Sockapalooza sock. It’s funny because I remember the first sock looking better without blocking than this one seems to be, but I think that was because I photographed it on a glass… But, anyway I bring you another progress pic…

I put the sock aside for the last 30 minutes or so and picked up Clapotis and made another drop. I think I have three more to do before beginning the decrease section if I recall correctly. It looks awesome in this yarn! But I’m really needing to focus the majority of my knitting time on the sock. I have less than a week now to finish it. Clapotis is just for me, so there is no real deadline.