Knit Project: Travels Fingerless Mitts... PLUS, I WON!!! ~.^

Life is crazy! Tis the season :D

Between knitting, sewing, getting food organized for Christmas and trying to clean around the house... Life has been a non-stop whirlwind.

Since finishing my pair of Rathtrevor by Jane Richmond, my newest obsession has been on fingerless mittens. 

Let's start with a couple of new ideas...

Cozy Travels Fingerless Mitts
I found a ball of bulky yarn in my stash and looked up a bunch of different patterns in The Knitting Book that I got for Christmas last year...(Someone obviously knew me ~.^)and came up with these. They are so warm and cozy... They are a bit big for me but it's a cool first try! They turned out better than I had expected...

But then...

I wanted something a bit more elegant and pretty. So I used the same pattern, chose a finer yarn and adjusted the number of stitches and came up with...

Elegant Travels Fingerless Mitts 

I found a ball of Martha Stewart Crafts 100% merino (colour: Buttermilk) in my stash and thought "I just have the one ball so why not try it out." I have to admit it took me a couple of tries but I think I've got the pattern almost perfected. I finished one piece. I seamed it up and tried it on. The fit is comfortably snug. But I like the look of it. Because of the stretch it looks almost lacy... The width of my palm is about 9cm. I will play with the number of stitches so see the different fits I get.

PLUS!!!! 

I WON an ebook copy of Journey from reading Melissa's MisoCraftyKnits blog and entering the giveaway. Journey is a NEW book of knitting patterns by Jane Richmond and Shannon Cook.  All three of these fantastic ladies are incredibly talented crafters from Vancouver Island, BC. This TOTALLY made my Christmas! I am so excited to start on these patterns. Squeee! ^.^ 

Finished Projects for This Week!

1. Christmas Decorating? DONE!

I love seeing the house done up at Christmas... *sigh*

2. Marian Cowl by Jane Richmond? DONE!

I really enjoyed knitting this up. It is so warm and cozy. 

And because it calls for super thick yarn... it knit up in no time.

 I may have to knit up a couple more in different colours.

Love Love Love!

3. A Cowl for Mark

 When I started, I was  knitting up a hat. 

But when Mark took a look at it he thought it was a cowl. 

Which gave me the idea to turn it into a men's cowl.

I just started knitting it up a few hours ago... 

 Now... DONE! :D 

(Mark wouldn't model it for me... *pout*)

I'd say that's enough for this week. 

Time to rest up tomorrow so I can get ready

 to tackle the projects for NEXT week!

(which may or may not include the baking of some goodies)

^.^

Knitting: Moving on to... The Marian Cowl ^.^

In light of yesterday's weather development I decided that it was high time that I make the Marian cowl by JaneRichmond that I've been itching to make since last spring... I bought some Lion Brand: Wool Ease, Thick and Quick yarn in Charcoal, brought out my 12.75mm 24in circular needles and got ready to go.

I wanted to try out a few rows. So I started it late last night to see how comfortable it would be for my hands to handle knitting. I stopped after a few rows to take a few pics but kept going. I got so into it I forgot to stop. It's knitting up so fast and easy. I could have stayed up and finished it but my body was screaming for sleep so I got about 3/4 through it and put it down. Now I'm ready to finish it up!

But first... To Christmas-ize the house a bit!

Stay tuned!

^.^

Christmas: Advent Calendar Blues... :(

I bought a crafty advent calendar called Adventivity by Gina Carpenter (Author) and Laura Hambleton (Illustrator) a few weeks ago and was very excited for December 1st to arrive so that I (and maybe my darling son) could put together some cute paper crafts for Christmas.

However, as it turns out...  It is definitely not something my 5 year old could handle. The punch outs were a bit too intricate for his short fuse to take.Which is totally fine. Hey, more fun for me, right? :)

But what really got me was that as cute as these appeared, this calendar is turning out to be a disappointment and I don't think I will ever get it again.. For one reason and one reason only.

It CLEARLY states on the attached cover holder...

"Includes materials to make 25 projects."

When (so far) it actually doesn't. You need to provide your own materials to complete each project and make it work.

So far...

Day 1: a pop-out star for a card... they provide the paper punch out of the star and you provide the card. The star doesn't work on it's own without a card supporting it.

Day 2: (this one wasn't too bad) a candy cane mouse... they provided the paper punch out of the mouse and you provided thread for whiskers and the candy cane (of course).

Day 3: a light catcher... they provided the cut out and they EXPECT you to have coloured cellophane candy wrappers lying around to paste into it. for the stained glass effect. Wha? Even if I did eat candy with cellophane wrappers, before opening this up, I would never have known to keep them for this project.

Day 4: a paper guardian angel... they provide her head, wings and arms and you have to provide pink card stock for the body (not a problem) but also a paper doily... A PAPER DOILY. I haven't seen one of those since I lived with parents.

Day 5: (This pretty much solidified my decision not to get this again) an origami Santa. They didn't provide the origami paper. So YOU have to provide the origami paper. Specifically, origami paper that is red on one side and white on the other side.  So "technically" I cannot make this project because they DID NOT include the material to make it.

So the cover lied. So far it BARELY includes materials to make 24 projects now. I'm tempted to give up on it because so far it has only frustrated me.

The only defence I have for this book is that it was all open. Not sealed. The projects were all there, labelled and you could have (if you wanted to) looked ahead to every project to make sure you had ALL materials you needed to make everything. But for me, that totally defeated the purpose of this calendar. I wanted the wonder, excitement and surprise of having a small precious gift for the day.

When I opened that first window and saw that pretty picture of what I was going to make that day I was so excited. Then realized that I didn't have everything I needed to complete the beautiful project. And I had to scrounge around to see if I could find what I needed to make it work...

So it was no longer a gift... It felt more like a chore.

*sigh* Live and learn...

Knitting: Rathtrevor Fingerless Mitts... DONE!

Aaaand they're DONE!
I am so in love with these mittens! They are cute and cosy and I loved making them!

I made a couple of modifications to Jane Richmond's Rathtrevor pattern to my liking. For instance, I didn't make the forearm as long as the pattern instructed. I just wanted them just passed the wrist.

Also, the pattern instructed the "hand/palm" in a stockinette stitch then bind off but I decided to do the stockinette stitch until the last four rows and then ended with the same rib as the wrist. I think it ties it all nicely together. :)

Soooo... What next?

~.^

Hey There! Long Time No See!

Hello all! Long time no see! :)

I took the hiatus from knitting for what seemed like an eternity and did other things with my time...
Such as:

• Seeing my little boy fall absolutely in love with Kindergarten!
• Getting the opportunity to work on my voice over work. 
• Watching my darling husband take on the challenge of a new job... as well as biking and swimming three times a week...
• Working at honing my beginner sewing skills because... well... I NEED to craft! :)

I remember looking in the closet in the spare bedroom last week and happened to stumble upon my fabric stash. I remembered that I wanted to try a cowl pattern  I found on line. It didn't quite work out the way I liked so I started playing with the fabric a bit, found what worked and then got totally hooked. I sewed together some cowls out of my a few different types of fabrics: fleece, flannel, some coordinating "fat quarters" and some funky fabric called "missoni." I totally got addicted to making them... so er... now I've got a TON! A few went to my sister in-law's craft booth at the Christmas craft fair last weekend. And the others are just waiting around for Christmas... ~.^

Here's a few styles I tried with different fabrics...

top left: Three coordinating fat quarters
top right: Missoni fabric
bottom left: solid fleece and brushed cotton in plaid print
bottom right: Three coordinating fat quarters and solid flannel

But now...

I'm sooo super happy to be knitting again... However, I have learned my lesson and I'm taking it slowly and carefully this time! I decided to start with a project just for me...

The cooler weather is taking it's toll on my hands so I've started a fingerless mitten pattern by Jane Richmond Designs called Rathtrevor from her Island collection.

Here's the first one so far. Please pardon the double pointed needles. I'm just getting the hang of using them and wanted to see how the wrist fit.  :D


Wish me luck!

Me: So Many Changes... But They're Good Changes!

There are a lot of new and exciting things happening in and around our lives right now:

-I turned 40 and I am trying to figure out my career path...

-Mark is embarking on a new and exciting job of his own...

-Kai is turning 5 in October and has started French Immersion Kindergarten... and so far he LOVES it!

Kai: "Mommy, did you know that 'mouse' in French, is 'souris?' "
Me: "No Kai, I didn't know that. Did you learn that at school?"
Kai: "Yup!" *giggles like crazy*

-My dear ol' friends Ron and Jennie will be expecting their first child in a couple of months... Squee!

-My wonderful friends Kelly and her husband James had their second little boy, Thomas James. (That's him in the picture... In my defence, he had just woken up and was hungry. I hope that once he gets to know me better he'll smile with me in the next picture. *fingers crossed* As long as I don't come between him and his feedings :D But what an absolute cutie!)

-My lovely friend Missy is trying her hand at teaching clinical at UBC. And I KNOW she's kicking ass at it! Because she's incredibly awesome! Woot!

So many changes...

But I'm so full of crazy giddy optimism because they are all incredibly wonderful changes that is sure to bring more happies to everyone!

*love and hugs to all*

Knit Project: *wince* Ouch! That Hurt... :(

"Sniff!" - pencil sketch by Jenn 

So i was looking around the house for a particular set of knitting needles and remembered that i had left them on my half-finished beaded mesh cowl that i was knitting a few months ago. it was a new design of mine and was hoping to get it done by fall but then i gimped up my wrists and arms with my extreme knitting marathon-ing. so i went to the doctor and she told me that i carpal tunnel. so she told me that i had to stop knitting... so i did.

but  after a few months of not knitting and resting up as much as possible, i decided to start up again slowly and pace myself. when i opened the project bag where the cowl was, i saw that the wooden tip had broken off of the cable connector and almost half  of the 218 stitches had slipped off the cable. all i could do was wince and then utter a heavy sigh. there was no way i could salvage the project. so i began to unravel the cowl. i wound it back onto the ball of yarn and let beads fall off the project as i unraveled it. it was frustrating and heartbreaking at the same time... but definitely a learning experience.

i was really excited about this project but i guess i just have to be a bit more careful.

oh well... next time.

*extremely heavy sigh*

I Survived My Life So I Could Finally Live It!

"Jenn"
(Self-Portrait Using Crayola Crayons 64pk)

As the last few days of "my thirties" comes to an end and I'm thrust forward into a new decade, I find myself pondering...

What have I got to show for it? Well... Hmmm...

I look back and see a blur of the past twenty -to even as far back as thirty-five- years (yes I still have memories from when I was a wee little lass) and have come to conclusion that I think I've accomplished far more than I give myself credit for.

But right at this moment, my biggest personal accomplishment was that I survived.

I lived in a home where memories of bad times overshadowed any memories of good times.  I was surrounded by different kinds of abuse for a lot of my early life. The details may shock you... or they may not. But the moments were very real, they did happen and I will never forget how they have affected me. But I won't just list them here. If you want to know, just ask and I'll tell you. (*This is more for the people who only know half the story and want to know MY side of what I had to go through so that they can stop trying to guilt me into doing what THEY think the "right thing for me to do" is. So I leave it to you...) But I managed to get through it day by day. Hanging on to the promise of tomorrow. And much to my surprise...
I survived.

I wanted to continue into post secondary education. So I decided to go to college. Sadly, I didn't finish my schooling. But I definitely learned some valuable life skills in that time. I was learning what it meant to take responsibility for my actions and that I had no one to answer to but myself for my triumphs and my failures. I was learning to make hard (even heartbreaking) decisions. I was learning to bask in the pleasure of a good decision and learning what it meant to struggle in the regret of a poor decision. I was learning to search my heart for what I wanted and what I needed. I began a journey of self discovery. Going to college and realizing that I could choose my own path, was the first step. It was liberating. It was terrifying. But...
I survived.

I got a retail job while going to school and moved away from home and lived on Mister Noodles for months at a time...
I survived.

I lived on my own in a tiny little apartment for a time. The ultimate test of freedom and accountability...
I survived.

I found a wonderful job as a music teacher. Dealing with days and nights of trial and error. I was discovering what worked and what didn't work for each individual student. I was learning to trust my instincts and going with what I knew and then to successfully pass that knowledge onto my student. I loved seeing my students learning music. I loved listening to them. I loved seeing the moment that realization hit them when they understood what I was asking them to do.  I loved to see them doing well. I loved helping them when they were not doing so well... *sigh* Although it broke my heart to have to stop... I never forgot how much joy it brought me...
And I survived.

I fell in love... I found someone who would listen to me; someone who would help me get through my pain; someone who would fight for me; someone who loves me unconditionally. On occasion he was even someone who kicked my ass when I needed it. But don't get me wrong. It was rocky. There were challenges... There still are and I know there always will be. But...
I, and my heart, clearly survived and I know WE'LL survive together. ~.^

I got married... I managed to get through the wedding unscathed and beaming like a goof. I am one lucky girl. I've never felt more loved and cherished in all my life. I love my husband with all that I have and all that I am. He makes me feel strong. I couldn't possibly have found someone more perfect for me than him. I love what we have together. But as with everything... You need to work hard for the things that mean the most. In our relationship I learned a fabulous new word... COMPROMISE! :) My partnership with my husband is full of tougher decisions. But instead of them affecting just me, they now affect us. At first it was weird going from "me" to "us." It was certainly an adjustment. I had to swallow my pride... a lot! But again...
I survived.

I gave birth to my wonderful boy. I had an incredibly boring pregnancy only to be thrown more excitement than I thought I could handle when it came time to deliver the young lad into the world. From the induction of childbirth to my epidural malfunctioning. My husband was my rock. He was as strong as he needed to be to get me through it. I felt as though my world was going to end. And although I felt like I was going to die, I didn't. Hence...
I survived.

I'm a mommy now. The toughest role I could have ever imagined but at the same time the most rewarding. I've made mistakes and I've done things I'm not proud of. But I've learned that just because I'm a mommy doesn't mean I have all the answers. No one ever told me they were sorry while I was growing up. No one ever thought they were making any mistakes. I'm always learning. I'm always making a lot of right and wrong decisions. That will never go away. When the decision is right, it's magical how smoothly everything goes. But making the wrong decisions... that's where things get a bit hairy. But I will tell you that the most wonderful and beautiful thing about dealing with my poor decision is looking at my son, telling him how much I love him and how sorry I am. Then seeing him run into my arms to tell me "it's ok" and/or "I'm sorry, too!" And then hearing him tell me how much he loves me... As incredible as this mommyhood stuff is... will always be a challenge. But I know...
I'll survive.

(Hmmm... It's funny looking at everything laid out in front of me as I write this post. I see my view changing. This wasn't where I was planing to go with this post. But here I am... As I grow more confident and proud in the realization of where this is taking me... This is turning out to be quite the therapy for me. I needed to do this for me.)

Everything that has happened in my life has gotten me to THIS moment. I've learned so much. I've learned so much about myself. And I realize more and more that with each passing moment that I had "survived", I was on my way to living. Living a life of my own making. To be honest it now gives me a sense of pride knowing what I've done and all that I have accomplished to get where I am today...

So I will no longer question what I have to show for my years on this earth. I will simply say...

"Just look at me. I am here! I am living this life! THIS is what I have to show for it! And I couldn't be happier or more proud. So Forty (and beyond), Ready or not... Here I Come! Bring. It. ON!"

(I want to say thank you to the family and friends who have helped me along the way. Your guidance, support and love have been everything to me. I love you all so much! *love and hugs forever*)

Me: Not much to say except...

I'm feeling a bit off...

Yes please...

Jenn

Song In My Head: "Gitchee Gitchee Goo" from Phineas & Ferb

This is such an great song! So catchy! I love it!
Can't seem to get it out of my head... But then again...
Why would I want to? It's awesome!

Give it a listen...

^.^



Gitchee-Gitchee-Goo (Means That I Love You)

Phineas & Ferb (featurng Candace)

(spoken) 

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Ferbettes!
I'm Phineas and this is Ferb, and we're gonna sing a song

(singing)

Bow, chicka, bow-wow
That's what my baby said
Mow, Mow, Mow
And my heart starts pumpin'
Chicka, chicka, chew-wop
Never gonna stop
Gitchee-gitchee-goo means that I love you

My baby's got her own way of talking,
Whenever she says something sweet
And she knows its my world she's a-rockin'
Though my vocabulary's incomplete

I know it may sound confusing
Sometimes I wish she'd give it to me straight
But I never feel like I'm losin' it (losing)
When I take the time to translate

Here's what I'm talkin' 'bout

Bow, chicka, bow-wow
That's what my baby said
Mow, mow, mow,
And my heart starts pumpin'
Oh, Chicka, chicka, chew-wop
Never gonna stop
Gitchee-gitchee-goo means that I love you

Well I don't know what to do (I don't know what to do)
But I think I'm getting through (I think I'm getting through
'Cuz when I say 'I love you' (when I say I love you)
She says 'I gitchee-gitchee-goo you too'
(Gitchee-gitchee-goo you too)
(Gitchee-gitchee goo you too)
(Gitchee-gitchee-goo you too)... Don't need a dictionary

Bow, chicka, bow-wow
That's what my baby said
Mow, mow, mow,
And my heart starts pumpin'
Oh, Chicka, chicka, chew-wop
Never gonna stop
Gitchee-gitchee-goo means that I love you

I said...

Bow, chicka, bow-wow
That's what my baby said
Mow, mow, mow,
And my heart starts pumpin'
Oh, Chicka, chicka, chew-wop
Never gonna stop
Gitchee-gitchee-goo means that I love you

Gitchee-gitchee-goo means that I love you
Gitchee-gitchee-goo means that I love you
Baby, baby, baby (baby, baby, baby, baby)
Gitchee-gitche-goo means that I love you

(Lyrics from eLyrics.net)

Crafting: Something Different...

So I went the doctor yesterday and she told me that while I try to heal my poor right arm... *sigh* I am not allowed to knit. Boo... :( But those of you who know me... You know that I can't NOT be crafting something. But what can I do? Hmmm...

Interestingly enough... About a week ago my husband and I were trying to organize the office/craft room when we happened to discover the crazy amount of fabric that I own and it gave me the idea to start sewing again. So I wanted to start with a project that was easy and small. And since I am "cowl crazy" right now I decided that I would try to make The Patricia Infinity Cowl by Shannon of luvinthemommyhood.

I found some beautiful fabric sets that I thought would look awesome... 

Black White and Currant II by Henry Glass & Co.

Chinese Takeout by Sheri McCulley

So now we'll see what happens...

~.^

Me: The Search For Bliss...

My search for bliss begins... NOW!

It begins with me deciding where my heart truly lies and what will make me happy... But to be honest, this is turning out to be harder than I thought.

I have done a few jobs... I've been a music teacher, a retail sales worker at the mall and of a huge hardware store (working in many different departments), a grocery store employee and a fast food restaurant employee.

I've worn many different "hats." But I never really got the feeling that any of them truly "fit." (Although being a music teacher really came the closest...)

So now it's time to find my true career hat. Maybe if I try to make a list of all my favourite things (*singing* "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens"... etc. ~.^) I could narrow it down into something that would make me a happy career. 

So here goes...

• I love creating
• I love crafting (mostly knitting, bead-crafting & paper-crafting)
• I love reading
• I love voicing characters
• I love computer/video games
• I love to blog
• I love music
• I love to bake

So there you have it. The things I love to do.  Now, do they mesh together into something awe inspiring? Hmmm... I don't think so. Maybe not yet.  But at the very least it's a place to start.

Stay tuned... ^.^

Me: Good News & Bad News...

Knit Night at
 Good Earth Coffeehouse at Uptown

Last night was our monthly knit night... and to be perfectly honest... I was a little worried.

I had mentioned in a previous post that my wrist was giving me problems (carpal tunnel) to the point where I could barely move it without a surge of pain shooting through my arm from my pinky to my elbow. It's been like this for about a week... So I thought it was because I had been knitting like a mad woman for the passed month and a half. So for a week I didn't knit. It was excruciating not being able to knit because I wanted to but I couldn't...

But then knit night came and I picked up my needles... Much to my surprise, I noticed that when I started to knit, my wrist felt fine. Yay! BUT... Then I noticed that I had to concentrate on relaxing my grip on the needles. When my hands were relaxed, it felt fine. But when I tensed up, it got achy again... *pout*

So... Needless to say, I really want to concentrate on healing my arm. So I'm going to start by only knitting every other day for twenty to thirty minutes. If that get's to be too much I will space the days out even further.  But I can't not knit. I just started a design project...  At the very least I NEED to finish it! PLUS I really really really want to start on my cardigan soon... But it's not crucial. I just wanted to make this sweater.

So the good news is I can still knit... The bad news is I can't knit as much as I'd like to... *pout*

But all that being said we did have a great night knitting, chatting and sipping beverages!

Woot! Funtimes!

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Family: Wow! That's Some Imagination...

It may look like he's tinkering "under the hood of a car" or something but this little guy is actually using his toy wooden screws, nuts, screw driver and wrench to attach wooden pieces (from the Melissa & Doug Take-Along Tool Kit) in the handle/space on top of the stool. 

It bought tears to my eyes to see his imagination take off like this... For awhile there it was all about logic and "making sense" but it's nice to see him pretending and playing with his toys now. He even brought up his traffic cone from downstairs to make it look like he was doing construction! Lol! Yay!

But I think the most awesome (and frightening ^.^) thing about this picture was that just before he started doing this, he was looking through that "101 Things to Make & Do On the Weekend by Rob Beattie" book. He absolutely loves it! Of course, he did laugh out loud when he saw that there was a project for making a piggy bank... But he got really excited when he saw the scooter and go-cart... Eep!

:D

I LOVE IT!

Family & Food: Carrot Apple Morning Glory Muffins... YUM!

This morning at breakfast I said, out loud, that I felt like making muffins today. Kai looked at me and had the look on his face like that was the most beautiful words to ever come out of my mouth besides "Yes! You may have that cupcake!" :P He asked if he could help me. How could I possibly say no?

The two of us walked to the grocery store and I knew we needed some of the "heavier stuff" like flour and a 2LB bag of carrots so I brought my backpack. On a beautiful sunny day like today I really needed to get out of the house.

So we got the groceries, walked home, had lunch & while my darling little one was eating (s...o...   v...e...r...y...  s...l...o...w...l..y), I decided to start on prepping the ingredients. When Kai finally finished his lunch (after about an hour), he came over to help. He's a great help with this kind of stuff. I'm amazed how patient he CAN be. It's a bit of a shock sometimes. Especially considering how often he just "flies off the handle" when he gets frustrated with something (which is more often than not.) :P But he did very well and I'm very proud of him... And  the muffins? They are YUMMY!

^.^

The recipe came from an awesome cookbook by Julie Rosendaal called "Getting Started"
The book is cute, witty and the recipes are simple but classic. For instance, I had NO IDea how to make ribs in the oven until I read this book. Plus is has a several sections of information and advice at the beginning of the book. My favourite section is "Tips From Mom." I learned to make buttermilk  AND learned how to test if an egg has spoiled from reading this section.

It's my favourite recipe book full of great information and great recipes!

Design Project: Sparkly Mesh Cowl is S...L...O...W... Going...

My sparkly mesh cowl design is coming along but sadly I've had to cut back on my knitting a bit. I seem to have done something to my right wrist and it is causing some pain to do anything at all. So this already SLOW project is taking SO... MUCH... LONGER. But so far I'm happy with how it's looking.

I'm really getting the hang of knitting with beads. It's a lot easier that I thought it would be and I'm enjoying the little bit of sparkle it is adding to my design. I have a bit of a pattern emerging. we'll see if it holds up.

^.^

Me: I can smile again!

I went to the dentist yesterday to get a chip in my tooth "looked at." Normally I have to come early to take their "anti-freakout" medication :-P if anything was to be done about it! But since they were "just looking" there was no real cause for anxiety. And I wasn't sure if I could handle getting it fixed without the aid of a mild sedative (I had some frightening experiences at the dentist as a child). So I would need to make another appointment because I would need to take the medication some time before the appointment.

So they took some x-rays to see if there was anything else that needed work so it could all get done at once. After looking at the x-rays he said that everything looked fine. The chip was all that needed to be fixed...

*starting to feel anxious*

It was too late for me to take any medication so if I were to get the work done then it would be without the sedative.

*anxiety brewing*

So... after a few excruciating moments of thought, I decided to suck it up and just get it fixed right there without the meds. They asked a few times if I was sure and after I gave them a firm "yes", we got right to it. The thing is... I just didn't want to go through all of this again. The rescheduling, the waiting and the anxiety all on a different day. Honestly, I just wanted it done. And it seemed pretty silly for me to make another appointment to fix it when it was possible to get it done right there. So I chose to get it done!

Needless to say... They were very gentle, compassionate and caring. The hygienist even held my hand when I was getting frozen. She was such a sweetheart. And everyone in the office was cheering for me and saying how proud they were of me.

They are so fantastic! :-)

It was such a great feeling...

Design Project: Beaded Mesh Knit Cowl

I LOVE beading... I LOVE knitting...

Who knew I could put the two together?

I needed a project for my skein of Malabrigo sock yarn in the beautiful colourway: Zarzamora (grey, lilac, blue & green) but I wanted it to be something a bit different... Something special.

Now I JUST finished knitting up my Lacy Mesh Linen Cowl and I really liked how it turned out. I thought about doing something like that with this yarn but I wanted it to have a little bit more oomph to it. So then I thought about adding beads to it. 

I'd never added beads to my knitting before. I was intimidated by the thought because I thought that it would be incredibly complicated. But, after watching a couple of how-to videos, I realized it didn't look as difficult as I thought. So I decided to give it a shot!

So here's my yarn, my beads (bigger seed beads in silver) & my incredibly tiny crochet hook (1mm)... 

Wish me luck...

*clickety clickety click*

A-a-and a few hours later...
(err... I mean last night. It got so late I had to go to bed after knitting this row.)


Voila!

So here I go on another knitting adventure! Squee!

^.^

Family: Wow... A Nice Quiet Morning...*sigh*

Today was the kind of morning that I live for... It consisted of a GREAT "hassle & argument free" breakfast, cute & quiet conversation and (to top it all off...) quiet COLOURING TIME!

I love colouring with my boy. I get to sit and chat with him about fun things and in turn I get to colour. It's really calming in almost a therapeutic kind of way. We have LOADS of colouring books of all kinds. The flavours of the week are Cars and My Little Pony. I love that he adores both cartoons. He has his favourite Cars characters and My Little Pony characters and he also knows who my favourite character is (Fluttershy) and he whenever he sees a page , he saves it for me... (awww... *sniff*) 

While we colour he commentates on which colour he is going to use next and on what. He puts a lot of thought into it. Sometimes maybe a bit too much thought... Like whatever colour he chooses will alter the fate of humanity. But then he snaps out of it and yells out "I love ALL colours in the world!" then put his hand in the colours box, blindly chooses a pencil crayon and colours with reckless abandon. 

*sigh*

Me: Well... What Do I Do Now?

"Eggcarton Tulip" by K (in preschool class)
"Beaded Bottle Decoration" by K (at home)

My darling boy is four and a half years old and he'll be going into kindergarten in the fall. Where has the time gone? It just seems like yesterday he was just learning to eat solid food.

*sigh*

I'm now at a point where I realize that for the past five years I've been a mommy (and of course a wife...) and really that's all. I like to think that I put everything I have into my family and for that I have absolutely no regrets. But as September grows closer I am finding it difficult to find purpose beyond what my life was these past five years...

I could try to go back to what I knew before my son came along. But I'm not the same person I was back then. My thoughts, dreams & goals were that of a completely different person. Sooo... What do I do now?

I have to admit I am a bit scared. I'm afraid of not knowing where I'm headed. My thoughts occupy two different poles. I either have no direction at all OR I feel scattered and stretched in all different directions. But honestly?  I'm mostly afraid of disappointing people with the choices I make. I know. I know. I shouldn't care... but... well... I do. And that's just part of who I am... It really is.

The thing is... I've grown up surrounded by disappointment, a serious lack of encouragement and a sense of little-to-no self worth. I was bombarded by this on a daily basis while growing up and it got to the point where I had become numb to all of it. All I knew was that I've disappointed people and people have grossly disappointed me. And that's just the way the world works. So I learned to NOT have any kind of expectations (whether high or low) for myself or for others around me. That way I didn't have to worry about disappointing others and they, in turn, couldn't disappoint me. Basically I didn't care and I didn't have to answer to anyone... Not even to myself.

It wasn't until I met someone who actually wanted to know what my dreams were and really wanted to try and make them happen for me. Then I found that there were people who honestly thought I could make something of myself. That I could make a difference somehow. People who tried really hard to help me realize that I NEEDED to make a difference, if for no-one else, then for myself. Up until now I thought I was only affecting MY life. But now... There is one other (little) person's opinion that I have to consider. The opinion of my impressionable little boy.

How can I possibly teach and encourage my son "to work hard towards his goals", "to believe nothing is impossible" and "to follow his dreams" when I haven't been doing that for myself? The answer is simple... Either I can become a hypocrite and lie to him about how "this is exactly where I want to be" and that "all my life's goals are completely fulfilled" and to "do as I say, not as I do..." In which the end result is me wandering this earth miserable as sh!t on the inside and loaded with regret. OR... I suck it up and work like hell to find my happiness so that I can be the kind of person that my son could look up to and be proud of.

Hmmm... Tough choice, right?

I think not! Now my only road block is... Where the hell do I start!?!?

*facepalm*

Blargh! I'm right back where I started!

But... At least this time I know what direction to head in... *phew*

Knit Projects: Finishing It Up... Blocking!

So I've finally found the time and space to block my two spring/summer accessories (my Strathcona and my lacy mesh linen cowl that I have yet to give a name to :S). I've never blocked anything before so this is all new to me. I really hope I did it right.

I can't wait until they are dry so I can see them on! But... I WILL wait patiently...

*sigh*

*foot tapping*


*tapping grows louder & more impatient*


GAH!


*runs to grab a hair dryer*


Lol!

Design Project: Lacy Mesh Cowl

My latest design project... A lacy mesh cowl for spring and summer made from linen. This is my first time working with linen and I have to say that it does take quite a toll on your hands. First off... It gets to be pretty heavy. Even after the 2nd ball I started to feel the weight of it. And secondly... It's a bit of a stiff yarn that can get pretty rough to work with... Literally. Although, my hands became really soft and smooth from working it, the downfall was that it became hard to work with over long periods of knitting.  But on the plus side, I've heard that after blocking it softens right up. So that will be my next step. 

But for now it is my "something light and pretty" accessory for the warmer weather! Yay!

It started with this...
Punta Yarns: Rope-Light Hand-Painted Linen
I fell in love with the colours... light lavender, blues, greens, and yellows

I cast on a whack load of stitches... and chose an openwork mesh pattern.
Then I just kept knitting... until...

VOILA! A cowl emerged!

It was so much fun and easy too!

Knit Project(s): So many... But surely there's room for just ONE (or TWO) more?

So I've finished my Gemini for the TTTKAL and I know that I said that I should really take a small break from knitting to get my "mild carpal tunnel" under control but... I just need to have something on the needles. Well...  at the very least something besides the two or three that I consider "side projects" and really don't have to get done any time soon.

Okay... so... let's review the projects that I am now working on...

1. I have my FIRST lace project that I started a while ago and is ongoing but goes sooo S...L...O...W...L...Y. Because the "spun silk yarn/lace" by Sweet Georgia Yarns feels so soft, delicate and a super thin, I'm going slowly and being extra careful... Plus with the use of smaller-than-comfortable needles I have to take more breaks or else my carpal tunnel makes knitting a bit painful... But it is knitting up beautifully. Just slowly. ^.^

2. ALSO... I have some time sensitive mystery projects that shall remain a mystery until I have completed them. But there are TWO more projects for that...  ~.^

SO what's one... or two... more projects, right? :D

And so there is this... I'm SO in-love with this... 

The Saoirse Shawl by Norah Gaughan

(Pics are from the Spring 2009 issue of Knits by Interweave.)

Norah Gaughan has got some beautiful designs. I am IN LOVE with this shawl/wrap-skirt. I found the pattern in the Spring 2009 issue of Knits by Interweave. The wavy ruffles are so feminine and the colour is fabulous. This shawl was knitted using Berroco Seduce in the "Gris-Bleu" colourway (47% Rayon / 25% Linen / 17% Silk / & 11% Nylon) It looks so amazing! We'll see if I can find the exact yarn... and of course how many moneys it's going to cost us... But I just can't wait to knit is up!

I am also torn between knitting up another Gemini by Jane Richmond (but this time the longer sleeved "modified Gemini") or trying my hand at knitting up another one of her designs... the Grace.

*sigh* Decisions... Decisions... So now I'm off to prioritize these pretties... Woot!

Family: *singing* So Happy (Painting) Together...

To my recollection, I don't have any fond memories of painting when I was growing up. It was one of those things (one of those MANY things...) that I didn't think I was very good at so then I thought it was totally out of my reach. Until now... 

The thing is... I know nothing of technique. I know even less about the styles. I just know that it makes me happy. And I know that Kai enjoys it too! So as we wandered the aisles of the new Target store at Tillicum, we found a Dinosaur Train painting book that we apparently HAD to have!  Then on Thursday we all painted together! I think we did pretty good job don't you think? So forget technique... Forget style and just have fun with it! And in the immortal words of Bob Ross... "Happy Painting!"

Knit Project: Gemini... DONE!

Woot Done! 

I actually got it done today and with a mere 3 minutes to spare!

It's isn't blocked yet but it will be this weekend!

Knit Project: Gemini... Yay! Sleeves!

i think i'm making some progress on my Gemini for the knit along :) the stockinette stitch for the body was getting a bit monotonous so i decided to start on the sleeves. it was perfect because the first ball of yarn had come to it's end so why not? double pointed needles were no where as complicated as i thought it was going to be. after watching a couple of youtube videos (particularly this one) it turned out to be easy peasy lemon squeasy :) so now it's full speed ahead on the body and then... DONE! woot!

one thing i found about the sweater... when i tried it on to check the fit i was shocked at how roomy it was. i'm glad i read the pattern super carefully and found the note about choosing the size that is 4 inches SMALLER than my actual bust size. otherwise it would have ended up huge. but it will definitely be a comfy short sleeved sweater. i'm so excited. i can't wait to get it done! yay!

Me: Just Passing The Time...

So guess what I'm doing!??!

Yup! You guessed it.

I'm multi-tasking :D

I love playing World of Warcraft. But ever since knitting came back into my life I haven't played as much. Then I started missing Warcraft and thought there has got to be a way for me to do both. 

So I booted up the game and looked for spots where I could make time to knit. So I discovered that as I fly from flight-point to flight-point it gets

a little boring watching the same scenery go by... 

So THAT'S when I decided where to catch up on some knitting. I would knit during my flights! It's brilliant! Because let's face it. My Gemini top has got to get done for the TTTKAL. And it's perfect because I've just separated the sleeves from the body and so now it's all knit knit knit for a long long while... Now I have the best of BOTH worlds! ^.^

Family: Where is the time going?!?

Seriously... Time? How could you steal my baby from me?

My baby boy is now about four and a half years old. When the heck did THAT happen? Don't worry... These feelings are nobody's fault but my own. Serve's me right for browsing old forgotten folders on my computer's desktop and finding fun little videos of my darling baby boy as an infant learning new things, as a toddler being goofy and as a kid just plain having fun. There his is... My little one... Helpless... and totally dependent on me.

Now it has come to my knowledge that he has a mind of his own. He has his own opinion of the world around him. And sadly, only ever seems to need his mommy when he needs to be driven places or to kiss his "owies" better. He's growing more and more IN-dependent and I'm having a really hard time letting him make his own decisions and seeing where they lead him...

Basically... I think I'm just having a hard time letting go... *sigh*

Plus... as if THAT wasn't enough of a kick in the gut... :D

Today was the Mother's Day pancake breakfast  at Kai's preschool. Where the teachers cooked chocolate chip pancakes for everyone. Then afterwards each child presented their mom with a gift. A ceramic tile with their handprint on it and a huge card with their hand cutouts representing flowers.

The poem on the card reads:

"I miss you when we're not together,

I'm growing up so fast.

See how big I've gotten,

Since you saw me last?

As I grow, I'll change a lot,

The years will fly right by.

You'll wonder how I grew so quick,

When and where and why?

So save this card in a safe place, 

And take it out each year.

THe memories will come back of me,

When I was small and dear."

Talk about Awwwwww.... :')

Knit Project: Gotta Get Knittin'

Lots of stuff has been going on. So it's been a few days... A trip to the mainland for a friend's baby's first birthday. A congratulatory meeting with friends to celebrate the news of their first baby coming into their lives. And all this crazy sunny hot weather has made it impossible for us to stay inside...

So I have decided... that today... albeit another day with the beautiful sun out in the sky and the nice breeze blowing... Today WILL in fact... be an inside day for us. ^.^ not just an inside day but a quiet knitting inside day!

The thing is... I really do need to catch up on my TTTKAL knitting. Life has been so busy that I'm totally exhausted by my usual knitting time that I'm too tired to get any knitting done. And when I DO try to knit,  Bad things start to happen. I start nodding off mid-row and lose track of what I've done... or I zone out and I've messed up stitches so bad that I have to undo all the work I've done... or I've nodded off and awoken with a start by the fear that I'm about to impale myself with the needles while I'm knitting... :P But... Not today...

I finally got my needles this past weekend. I ordered the Knitter's Pride Comby Sampler Set.  It's an awesome little set with a pair of Symfonie Dreamz round wood needle tips in 4mm size, a pair of Symfonie Cubix square wood needle tips in 4.5mm size and a pair of Nova metal needle tips in 5mm size. So my plan is to try out the different types of needles and maybe see which type of needle I prefer and then maybe get a full set. Right now, I'm using the 4mm Symfonie Dreamz tips on my Gemini top for the knit along. It's knitting up pretty nicely. But sadly I underestimated how slowly knitting with smaller needles is.  So I'm plugging along as best as I can. And honestly? What better time is there than now? The house is relatively quiet (Kai is having some quiet time in his room) and I've got a great big cup of tea right beside me... So my needles say: *clickety clickety click*

^.^

Knit Project: Gemini

Well here's my Gemini... So far. I just finished the round of lace... and so now I wait.

I don't have the needle tip that I need to do the rest of the body so I need to order it and pick it up on the mainland this coming weekend. So until I have that in my hot little hands... This is where I stop. But what do I do now?

Hmmm....

I think it's time to pay Azeroth a visit... ^.^

Knit Project: Gemini

It has officially begun! This afternoon I cast-on my Gemini for the Tees, Tanks & Tops knit-along. And I have to say... This pattern is an absolute dream to work with. It is so straight forward and clear. then again,  I don't know why I'm surprised... All of Jane Richmond's patterns that I've worked from (so far) have been awesome and easy to read.

I was a little unsure about this colour but even after purchasing other yarns, I still keep coming back to it. So I say what the heck... GO WITH IT! Plus it's a cute summery colour. So why not?

I'm so excited about this project! I can't wait to finish it!

^.^

Knit Projects & Gaming: Purse Knitting, Warcraft & The TTT Knit-Along: And the Project I Choose Is...?

None of the ones I had previously listed! Wait... WHAT?!?!

Lol! So I went to the knit along's forums to say hello, got some more information and let everyone know which projects I was thinking about doing. I got a whack load of support from people to try a project that I had originally wanted to try but it required the use of DPNs (double pointed needles). I had stated that I had never used DPNs before and they were very encouraging and giving me pointers... To the point where I finally made my decision about what project to make...

So I decided to TRY...

The Gemini by Jane Richmond

Photo: Gemini by Jane Richmond

I love this shirt. you can wear it two different ways for two different looks. Wear the lace in back as a more casual top... Or you can wear the lace in the front for a dressier look.

I'm so excited. I can't wait to get started on it!

PLUS! Since I can't get enough knitting going at once... I need a big project for knitting at home AND something to take with me when I go out. Some good ol' purse knitting.

Photo: The Lovely Cowl by Miso Crafty Knits

Ta-daa! So I also started The Lovely Cowl designed by the talented Melissa of Miso Crafty Knits. I missed making this for Valentine's Day but better late than never. ^.^

AND... Last but certainly not least, I've really been missing me some World of Warcraft... So my Pandaren and I are  back on Azeroth! Woot!

WoW: Pandaren Shaman

Now I just have to try to organize my time to accomodate everything. Bu-u-ut I feel pretty good about it...  *biting nails* Wish me luck... Lol!

SO... Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take full advantage of the BEAUTIFUL sunshine and get out and enjoy the day with my little boy! 

~.^