November. Gone.

I still haven't finished my back to knitting socks. In fact, I started another pair of socks, and those are sitting on needles waiting to be finished too. I joined a Ravelry group that puts up sock challenges for the month with the possibility of winning prizes if you complete the monthly challenge by the end of the following month. You get one entry for every pair you finish within the guidelines of the monthly challenge. It is definately good group if you want to learn new techniques.



The sock I chose to do has a lot of texture and I thought would be easy to follow along with since it was a mystery sock and clues would be released each week. I am a pretty slow knitter, but thought I could keep up. It is much further along than the picture shows, but I haven't taken a picture since I cast on. I am sure I could if I had as much time to knit as I would like. Or....if I didn't decide to join in another mystery knit for a cowl. I am determined to finish the mystery socks, that are no longer a mystery because the pattern has been released in full. I have also finished my other mystery kal (pic below shows it almost finished), so i have no excuse not to finish them.



I amazed at how many socks some folks can knit in a month. If I could knit that fast I would have a drawer full of colorful socks and maybe even not look at people like they are crazy when they want me to knit them some socks. I am a selfish knitter. That, and something about someone knowing I am doing something for them, and waiting for it, sucks the joy out of it for me. I don't know why. Two Christmases ago, I decided to make a crocheted log cabin for my bf. I bought all the materials early on in the year and got started. A couple months later I decided to make a prarie star quiltghan for my daughter, and a ciuple months later one for my son. I worked on all 3 without any of them knowing about theirs. I worked on bfs at home, daughters at bfs while watching football with him and toted my sons with me so it was wherever I was. I finished all 3 and all (including me) were amazed I had done all of them once they realized what I had done. Had any one of them asked for these, they would still be waiting I bet. For me, the process is just as much for me as the end result. Not sure if that makes sense, but I have come to understand know this about myself and accept it.

So, I doubt I will be knitting or crocheting for anyone this Christmas, but I am hoping to finish the 2 pair of socks I have started by the end of this month. After all, one pair will make me eligable for prizes and who doesn't love the possibility of winning a prize? I will not cast on another pair until I finish these 2. (REPEAT this to myself until I find a good reason to cast some on and ignore myself.)

Welcome to December!

Knitting, Bowling & Dyeing...Oh my!

KNITTING
I started, frogged, started, frogged again, and maybe even did that a third time before I think I finally have a sock started. I am thinking I would have given up on socks if I had not discovered the circular needle method the last time I was knitting, but I could not locate the size of circs I needed when I started this one, so I am doing this sock on dpn's. I am going to finish it and then on Saturday I get to head to the post office to pick up my ChiaoGoo interchangables! I am super excited to get these and can't wait to cast on my next sock on these. Plus, I will be able to get back to doing 2-at-a-time socks, which is good for me. I get bored by the time it comes to do the second sock, so doing them both at once solves this problem for me. It was good to do this first one on the dpn's so I could get comfortable with knitting again. I might even be able to churn out a couple of pairs for Christmas presents if I stay motivated.

Here is where I am on this one...just a basic pattern, nothing fancy:


I found a pair of socks I was working on before in my knitting project bag and I could have finished those, but at some point during my hiatis, my grandson found scissors and made cuts in the skein of yarn I was using as well as the connecting strand. (I keep telling myself)Better the yarn than the cat, or his hair or something much worse. That boy is sneaky...and that is all I have to say about that.

Another procject for this weekend is to weave in ends on some dishclothes my friend picked out from my tub-o-cloths. When I was learning to knit I participated in a couple dishcloth kals and have quite the stock pile built up. I always let her pick out a bunch, but then I have to weave in the ends, because most of them I did not when I finished them. It only takes maybe 10 minutes total...but I keep putting this off. This morning I set them on my chair with the intention of finishing them first thing when I sit down before I get involved with my sock knitting. Weaving in. Blech.


BOWLING
For anyone who may be reading this that may be concerned since my last woeful post, my bowling game has improved. What I discovered is that I had mild lower back pain that was keeping me from standing up straight. I stood up straight and got a 257!!! I think after this past Wednesday I have pulled my average up to 170 again (it was at 158), so I am happy with that. The 257 holds at the moment as the women's high scratch for the season. I don't know if it will hold until the end of the season, but now they remember I am there and still competition.

DYEING
I have decided that I am going to finally learn how to dye wool/wool blends. I have threatened it in the past, bought some supplies to experiment with, but now I really am going to do it. I want to expand my shop offerings and see how it goes. If it doesn't work out, I will have lots of sock yarn to knit with for years to come. I have had quite a few potential buyers disappointed about my thread not being yarn, so I figured I would give it a go. I am going to experiment for the next couple of weeks, then I am hoping over the Thanksgiving and Christmas break I get, I will have the process down and I will be able to dye a bunch of thread and yarn. I have been scouring tutorials and I think I am ready to actually try a batch this weekend. In the meantime, I am buying various types of superwash to sample and experiment with then I will stock up on my favorites for my dye-a-palooza in December.

This weekend, I am going to dye up some thread. I have the hanks soaking and they will be all ready to go. If I still have energy tonight, I am hoping to actually get them dyed tonight and possibly have tomorrow to do another batch. It's the rinsing I hate though, and the more I dye this weekend the more I have to rinse. I am looking forward to what looks like minimal rinsing with wool dyeing. But I do so love my cotton threads!!!

Bowling Blues

No, it is not a new color of thread I am offering...it is how I am feeling about my bowling lately. Since the start of this season I am sporting a 158 average. On top of that, I feel pretty darn lucky when I can get into the 160's. Why should I have the blues then? Because, I ended last season with a 175 book average. I did have a 178 game one night. It has been a few weeks ago though, so I don't remember it well.

I have decided I am going to get some coaching. I need someone to help me figure out what I cannot. Usually I am really good at self-coaching/correcting, but for the life of me I cannot do it now. I am wondering if I have lost the love of the game, or if the change in team mates (2 team mates that I have bowled with for the past 3 years could not bowl this year) or maybe just the league itself, has me not as excited about the sport.

Whatever it is, it makes me sad that I feel this way about bowling and that I can't find the spark to reignite the excitement. Maybe the coaching sessions will help...I will have to see.

Pretty Threads All In a Row

I have been working on winding up my most recent batch of threads. I have sent out the special request orders, now all I have to do is take pictures for my Etsy shop, label them and then start planning my next batch.



I was very pleased with this last dye run. I have not done any dyeing since April while I was busy house-hunting and moving. It always takes a little bit of time to figure out the best set up for my equipment and my work area. Now that I don't have to worry about breaking it down each time or moving it around since it has a dedicated space, I should be able to work a little more efficiently. Super excited about that!

Off to snap some pics and label. Visit my shop...Bre-Aly Threads on Etsy (Shameless plug)

Knitting Revival

Setting up my office, I came across a bunch of sock yarn that had forgotten about. I have been on a crochet kick for the past couple of years, so socks weren't on my radar. Finding an abandoned WIP sock project reminded me that those particular socks did not fit me and I think I became discouraged. I had completed a few pairs of socks before that, so it wasn't my first pair, but I think that is what turned me back to crochet for a while. I have wide feet, and when I got to a point where I could try them on, it didn't happen. I can gift them to someone with regular size feet, but I think since it has been so long, I don't know if I will be able to figure out what pattern I was using or where I left off if I do find the pattern. I am not able to improvise, so they may be a lost cause.

Since it has been a while, and I am not as comfortable with knitting as I am crochet, I decided to go back to knitting 101 and make some dishclothes to reacquaint myself with the sticthes. My first attempt came out wonky, but not terrible. It is a dishcloth after all, it will get the job done and no one will probably know any better.



I don't seem to work on crochet and knitting projects at the same time. It's not that I can't, I just don't for some reason. I guess I get bored with one and give it a rest and then go back to the other for a while. I think when I first taught myself to knit that I didn't crochet for a couple of years at least. Maybe the break gives me time to rediscover and get excited about it again. After I was finished putting all of the sock yarns I have unpacked in the "sock yarn cubby" of my yarn collection, I sat there and stared at it for a little while, petting it occassionally, then decided to go look up some sock patterns. I think my fall and winter will be filled with knitting projects since my excitement for knitting has been renewed.

Dusting off the Shelves

Whew...this blog is dusty! I doesn't seem like it has been over 3 years since I posted anything.

Since I posted last, I have moved twice (hopefully the last time was the last time for many years), my grandson started Pre-K and I have made a bunch of things, some big things, but mostly small, quick things.

I made 3 afghans for Christmas 2010, 1 each for my daughter, my son and my boyfriend (I don't know what else to call him, cuz this sounds so teeny-bopperish). It was a great surprise to all of them, especially my daughter and bf as they saw me working on two of the others, but never all 3 at once. Those were my big projects for that year.

In 2011, I joined a block-a-month CAL on Ravelry and was able to make 3 or 4 throws from that, so sort of a mid-size project on a monthly basis.

In 2012 I focused mainly on crochet squares for various charities. I didn't like my set up in the house I was living in, I didn't have easy access to my stash (no more yarn closet like I had in the previous house) and any large project just didn't have room to spread out.

I have pictures in Ravelry of all my various projects, so probably won't crowd up the blog with past stuff. Hopefully I will have new pretties to show going forward.

I am in the process of setting up my very first dedicated craft room! When I head that way my daughter always laughs and asks me if I am heading to my girl cave. Not sure I like the term girl cave, but I do like that I have it, whatever it is called. I took out some built in shelves and painted a wall and assembled some cubicles so I can display and stare and pet my yarn stash anytime I want to.

So this:






Has turned into this:







It is still a work in progress, as I have to figure out how to set it up to be a good workspace for my thread dyeing as well. At first I was hoping I could install a sink down there and have an actual dye workshop, but there would have to be some layout changes to the whole downstairs area for that to happen, so I gave up that idea for the foreseeable future.

As it is, I am very happy in my new home and with the weather getting cooler, I am definately looking forward to sitting down with my yarn close at hand, my DVR full of shows to catch up on and start (or finish!) a project.

I have finally moved into my new place. I still have stuff at the old place though. I have a bit of time before I have to get it all out. The new house looks so nice without all the clutter though. Heaven forbid I get RID of any of the clutter though. Actually, I am making a sort of possible garage sale pile in the garage. Once it is complete, perhaps then I will decide if anyone else will think it is worth buying and have a garage sale, or if it looks like a pile of junk, perhaps I call the "got junk" people and have them come pick it up.

I am still in the process of organizing my bedroom and doing all the stuff that comes with a move, so I haven't had as much time to knit or crochet as I would like. I do have an entire closet...yes an ENTIRE closet for my thread/yarn stash and thread-dyeing venture. I will have to take a picture of my treasure closet to post on here. I am quite proud of it. I am not so sure what my man will think when he finally moves in (whole other drama there *sigh*), but I did tell him I was claiming the extra closet as my hobby closet. I just don't think he realizes the scope of my hobby. LOL Mind you...this is not a small closet. I think it may actually be bigger than our clothes closet...but really, I don't know what point I am trying to make there...it's just delicious to open up and look at!!!

My Grandson turned 1 back on March 22nd. I can't believe a year has gone by already. He just started walking in the past week, and while he doesn't say actual words yet, he is quite sassy and opinionated and gets his point across quite well when he has something to "say".

I will try to take some pictures to make the next post more interesting. Since I am so *good* at posting on a regular basis. I really want to post more, I just get so involved reading everyone else's posts that by the time I am done, I have to go do something else and my posting goes out the window. I enjoy following everyones blogs though...truly a delight to see all the various crafts everyone does!

This week...

I have been able to do a little knitting. I am just stuck on dishcloths. They are mindless, quick projects, so I do lots of them. Plus, I am in 2 KALs, one is weekly, one is bi-monthly, so I always have one going.

This is the one from 1/4/09 weekly KAL, the pattern is called Rose Trellis:


These 2 are the ones from the 1/11/09 weekly KAL, the one on the bottom is called 7 Ridges and I used P&C light blue and seamist, the one or the top is called Citizen Kane and I used P&C brick red:


I have the mid-month cloth for January on the needles still, so will post that next week. I am also working on the Absorba the Great bathmat from Mason-Dixon knitting...I work on that when I don't have a dishcloth going...Yes...it does happen
occassionally. LOL

Most of my weekend was spent preparing my thread to list on Etsy and eBay. Finally got that all done and it is even labeled. I get lazy sometimes, and save the labeling for later, but I told myself I could catch up on TiVo if I put the labels on, so that is what I did. Am I the only one who has to bribe myself to get stuff done? Hope not.

I hope everyone has a great week, and maybe (not promising) I will have something more exciting than dishcloths to post next time!

Where has the time gone?

Soooo...it has been ages since I actually posted. I check in on everyone else's blog regularly, but never seem to find time to actually post to mine.

First, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, in whichever way celebrate, and that the New Year looks promising!

I have been knitting a lot in the past few months...have a doily on the hook that has been there for ages that I need to finish. I made about 30 dishcloths for a contest in Ravelry, but when there were a few people who were like 20 cloths ahead of me with a week to go, I gave up. No way I could knit 20 more cloths, I was doing good to get one a day done, plus, they weren't letting up, so decided to do other stuff, and attempted to catch up on some KAL's. In varying color combo', this is what they looked like:



I donated all of those cloths to a lady I met in my Etsy store. She bought some of my thread, and we continued to convo with one another. I found out that she and her son make food deliveries to the elderly, so I offered to send her my dishcloths to include in her next run. They were a huge hit, and she said everyone had stories about how they used to make them, or their mother, or their grandmother...she said it was wonderful. I wish I could have been there.

That has really been the extent of my crafting. Dishcloths. It hasn't kept me from ordering, I think I have enough cotton yarn to will to my great-great grandchildren. And as I type this...I have even more coming. It was on special. I had to. What if they quit making it? I need to make sure I supply future generations with plenty of cotton. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

My lack of crafting has more to do with a new man in my life. He kind of just happened...wasn't looking...had given up...then *blam-o* there he was. He lives down in Florida, and comes up to Georgia to work quite a bit. He is planning on moving here, so that is good. I have gone down to FL 3 times since I met him...kind of a your turn/my turn kind of thing. So...I have been spending a lot of time with him, and he has become such a positive part of my life...in a time when I really really needed it. Funny how that happens, when you least expect it.

I did some thread-dyeing over the past weekend (previews on my other blog). I am gonna try to get more inventory built up. Sales over the holidays were dismal, but that was somewhat expected this year. I anticipate that things will pick up again hopefully. If not...I will have lots of hand-dyed thread to pass on to future generations as well! (Sure do hope someone in this future generation I keep referencing likes to knit and/or crochet.) My daughter has tried to knit, but she is not as into as I am. She knitted a couple of small things, then kind of moved on. Maybe when she gets a little older. Heck...I didn't pick up a crochet hook until I was almost 40 again after I learned when I was younger, and have only learned to knit in the past year. So there is still hope.

I am going to be moving in the very near future. Not sure where yet, whether I will be staying in GA or going down to FL. I hate moving. And since I moved in to my townhome 4 years ago, which was a pain in the a$$ with the meager items I had, I now have accumulated 3x as much stuff to move. 2 looooong flights of stairs make it even more daunting. So packing is going to be taking up my weekends, with sporadic knit breaks. I did go through my yarn stash last weekend and put it in boxes and mark them. I have 4 boxes...so far. I know I have 2 plastic 3-drawer units in my closet that are also filled with yarn, but I not going to bother to box those up, I will just transport it as it is in the drawers. I believe when I get into going through my closets, I will find bags of yarn I bought on sale and just had to have laying in the back waiting to be rescued. So at least one more (big) box of yarn to pack up. It just doesn't matter if you are moving down the road, or out of state, moving is just not fun. I don't have a choice though, so I figure if I get started, I won't be running around at the last minute making rash decisions on what to throw out and what to keep. Which is why I am doing my yarn stash first. Priorities. For future generations, of course. LOL

Melanie

I finally completed Melanie from Patricia Kristoffersen's Victorian Spiral Doilies. I had started it along with my fellow Raveler's for a group Doilympic CAL. I came in dead last which is probably the equivalent of an Aluminum Foil medal LOL! That's ok though, I am pleased with the results. I used size 10 thread in Natural and Sage Rose.



I have already started my next doily, Cappuccino from PK's Coffee n' Cream. I am sure it will probably be another month before I post again, I seem to be very slow lately. This may be the last doily I work on for awhile, because the holidays are going to be here before I know it, and I need to start working on my list of knitted and crocheted goodies for presents.

Vacation

I just returned from Tucson, AZ and a wonderful visit with my Mom, Grandma, Aunt, Uncle and cousin. It is always so good to see them all! Mom's house is like visiting a private spa, she has a pool and each day we would go out and float around relaxing, talking and laughing. I got a perm while I was there, a pedicure and I finished (and started) some new projects. We went out for ice cream and got these huge sundaes! One is my Mom's, I promise I didn't eat them both!


I finally finished the Purple Prairie Star for my Grandma, and she loved it!



I also took a picture of Mom with her Prairie Star I made her last Christmas.



I started Melanie, a PK doily that we are doing in my Ravelry PK Doily group during the Olympics. I am using my own colorway, Sage Rose and another solid color that I have not determined yet. I did a few rounds with a cream color thread that upon closer inspection was too creamy, so I frogged back, and I am trying to find a better solid colored thread that I will be happy with.

It was a great vacation that went too fast! (Don't they always?) Now I am back into my daily routine of work. Have a bunch to catch up on I am sure. Next mini-vacation is at the end of this month for my daughter's 21st birthday! I can't believe she is already 21 and a Mom herself! Which makes me a Grandma...which I still have a hard time calling myself. Which is why I have dubbed myself G.B. for Grandma Brenda, without actually being called Grandma!

Bewitching

I completed another PK doily this morning...Bewitching! I don't know what I am going to do with my pile of doilies and dishcloths I am accumulating, but it sure is good therapy! LOL

I did complete the Between Meals doily as well before I started this one, but I haven't been able to get a picture of it yet. The batteries in my regular camera died, and I need to buy some more rechargeable batteries for it. It goes through regular batteries like crazy! I used the camera on my phone to take this one, and it is not the best quality, but I can't get a good picture of the whole Between Meals doily on it. I have the batteries on my Wal-Mart list for when I go this weekend, because it is just a given that I will end up there at some point this weekend.

I have a long weekend, today is my Friday. I took a vacation day for tomorrow, and of course, Friday is the 4th of July. Looking forward to the time off. Of course, it always goes to fast, and as soon as I leave work today the "I only have 4 days until I have to be back!" sets in. So many things I want to do, and 4 days just won't cut it! I hate that about myself...always counting down the time.

Hope everyone has a safe & happy 4th of July!

Between Meals Doily Pic

Just posting a pic real quick of this doily...it is 21" across right now, and I still have 11 rounds to complete. Completed size is going to be approx 30", maybe even bigger after it is blocked.

I am off to clean my car inside and out before the sun comes around the front of my house and makes that task unbearable (more so than it already is). Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Monster Doily & Long Lost (WIP) Star

I will have to post pictures later, once I figure out how to get the whole dang thing in the picture, but my Between Meals doily is going to be HUGE!

I picked it up over the weekend after a little hiatus from crocheting to learn to knit, and forgot how big it already was, and I was only 50% through with it! I have about 17 more rounds to go, and I would say it is already at least 20-22" in diameter already. Huge. My daughter looked at it and asked if I was making a bedspread. Huge.

I think it will turn out very nice, and I am glad I tackled this doily. I have drooled over other Between Meals doilies, so had it on my alphabetized Ravelry queue list. Blazed through the "A" doilies (mostly Patricia Kristoffersen) early on, and between knitting and the size of this one, it is taking a while.

I ran out of the solid color I was using, and Hobby Lobby was closed Saturday before I realized I was going to run out and I didn't have another ball of Frosty Green in my stash. (HOW in the world did that happen? Luckily, I made it through the round (barely) before I was at the point where I switched to the variegated colorway I was using on the next couple of rounds. So, I have to remember to go pick that up after work so when I need to pick the solid up again, I have it.

I also was put on alert that my grandmother would really like a Prairie Star afghan to show off to her friends while she is at her summer getaway up in Showlow, AZ. She tried to snag my Mom's to take up there saying that it might get cold (she did have snow last week!), but Mom wouldn't go for it. So, Mom asks if I can "whip one up for GG?" Whip one up???? There is no whipping that puppy up. My solution is to finally finish the one I started for myself, I only have half diamond motifs left to put on it and then the border, so I could feasibly have it done in a week or two. I can make another one for myself another time. No, I can't "whip it up", but during the colder months, it is a good crochet project that is warm to work on and easy to memorize...a good T.V. project, and easy enough to pick up at a (much) later date and not be lost as to where you were in the pattern.

I have missed crocheting. I like knitting, but I have to say the crocheting is my first love.

Long Weekend

I just love 3-day weekends! Of course, there is never enough time to do everything I want to do, but I usually pick one big project that I have been saying I will do, and put my mind to it. I have started a list of projects to do when I have a few days off, and this time I chose a fun one one, instead of something icky like steamcleaning the carpets. I spent the weekend dyeing!

I recruited help by telling them that if they prepped some thread, they could dye some thread, free reign, anything goes. That seemed to work (this time)! Both my son and daughter dyed a colorway, and true to my word, I didn't stand over them. I laid it out, made sure they had plenty of color choices, and left the room. Both had great ideas, and it freed me up to do others stages of the process.

Last night, I was happily labeling all of our hard work and had most of it listed on the venues I use. I still have a few I need to put finishing touches on and to take pictures of, but I can do that during the week.

Other than that, we had a cookout yesterday with spare ribs, potato salad, and corn on the cob. I just love using the grill during the summer. It helps keep the temp down in the house, and nothing beats a grilled piece of meat. Naps for everyone afterwards, with full stomaches and traces of bbq sauce smudges on noses or cheeks and smiles of contentment. All in all it was a great weekend, with great weather and some really nice family time.

Now it is back to the grindstone, and looking at the calendar to take some time off from work. A few days off does so much to energize me, I need to plan more instead of just taking the usual holiday days off. Hope everyone else had a great weekend, and hey...short work-week! Bonus!

Dishcloth mania

Since learning to knit back in February, I have accumulated a LOT of dishcloths. I had joined 2 dishcloth KAL's, one is weekly, one is bi-monthly. I have learned a ton about knitting over the past few months by knitting these little beauties. Some I was not so thrilled about, some I made a few of. I have given a few away, but as you can see by the pictures, I still have plenty for myself.

I like the quick satisfaction from knitting dishcloths. One or two nights watching TV and knitting and I have a finished project.

I also knitted one mitt, and need to do the other one. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. So that is what I have been up to the past few months. (Please excuse the wayward shoe and the box in the background)

I haven't crocheted at all since taking up knitting, but I am going to start spreading it out and working on both types of projects now that I am comfortable enough with knitting.

Bon Jovi II

The concert was awesome! I had never been to one of their shows before, and they really put on a good one. A couple of observances...I didn't realize Jon was so short. And...I wouldn't dance with him at a club. The man is awkward. Just stand there Jon, smile your killer smile, and shake your booty occassionally, but PLEASE don't dance. My friend Michelle and I just looked at each other the first time he did some moves with a look of "REALLY???" All in all the show was so good, we forgave his dancing abilities.

It has been a long time since I have been to a concert, and if it wouldn't have been free...holy moly...I woulda had to take out a 2nd mortgage. The cost of everything is outrageous, or I am amazingly cheap. Probably a combo of both.

I have the rest of the week off from work, so today I pretty much did nothing. Tomorrow I have a list of things I want to get done around the house before I can reward myself with catching up on TiVo offerings and knitting. Does anyone else have to reward themselves this way in order to get housework done? Just curious. Because if I don't do it this way, I would never get any housework done.

Bon Jovi

I am going to the Bon Jovi/Daughtry concert tomorrow night! A couple of weeks ago a radio station was at the bowling center on league night for an hour doing a drawing for the concert. My daughter and I both entered hoping we would win. I had to twist my daughter's boyrfriend's arm to enter...

b/f: I don't like Bon Jovi. I never win anything.
me: Enter! if you win, Alyssa and I will go and you can stay home and babysit!

and my friend Michelle's arm to enter...

Michelle: I would like to enter, but I never win anything, plus, I don't want them giving my name away to everyone and have a bunch of sales calls. I just don't know...
me: Enter! You'll at least get a free pen out of it (she loves pens), and if you win, we can go and have a girls night out. It will be fine!

So they both reluctantly enter the drawing. Notice how I made sure that if either of them won, I got to go. :-D

The next day...I get a call from my daughter, about the same time I get a text from Michelle. You guessed it! Both Jerry (b/f) and Michelle won tickets! So we are all going to the concert tomorrow night! I know there were a few others who won tickets as well, so it must have been a small turnout for the radio station. These are pretty good seats, on the floor, one section back from the stage. Yay!

Now...to find something to wear...!

Spring Fever

I have a pretty bad case of it! I was going to take last week off from work, as it was Spring Break for my son, I was going to spend some time with my daughter and new grandson as well. My son ended up going to see his Uncle in Brunswick to try out the charter fishing business, to see if it is something he wants to do over the summer. I was cool with that, and since my daughter and grandson live with me, it wasn't like I never see them. I decided to save the time off for another time. Last week it was absolutely beautiful here. If you don't take into account the pine pollen that was dusting everything it was very nice.

What happened over the weekend? Well, Friday...it was beautiful, until around the time I got off work. Then severe thunderstorms hit around 9pm. Saturday was rainy, and Sunday was sunny, but very windy and not as warm as it looked. So, now I am kicking myself for not taking last week off, since the weekends don't seem to want to cooperate! I am going to ask my boss today if there is a week in the next month or so that would be more convenient for me to take off than another. (Of course in his mind, no week is convenient...but oh well.) I think I just need to get out in the yard, plant some flowers, go to the park, crochet/knit outside on my deck, and do some of the not-so-fun stuff like clean out the garage and the car, but still be outside enjoying the weather.

I have done some dyeing, and again, I thought I would be able to take advantage of nice weather to hang it outside to dry, but that wasn't meant to be. I have become completely obsessed with knitting, so haven't done any crocheting since early February. I feel guilty about that...like all my crochet hooks and thread are peeking over the top of my work basket saying "what about us?" I know they aren't, but still...

I am going to start dividing up my knitting and crocheting time a little more now that I have the hang of knitting. I was afraid to put it down for any length of time, since I was still learning, I didn't want to forget. I seem to have a short memory span until I am really comfortable with something. I have a Between Meals doily that is about 50% done that I want to finish crocheting, and a Prairie Star quiltghan that I want to give to my Grandma. She was so impressed with the one I made for my Mom, that I decided the one I was making for myself, I would finish up and give to her instead, for her birthday. Guess I better hurry, her birthday is in a couple of weeks!

I am off to find out when I can take some time off...then I am going to write a note to Mother Nature to let her know when my week off is, so she can work on nice weather for that week. Maybe if I give her plenty of warning, she will be able to accomodate me? LOL!

Shameless Plug

I am having an auction blitz in my eBay store this weekend. I am having 1-day auctions, that will begin listing @ noon eastern standard time. So far I have 8 listings planned, but once I actually start bundling the auction items up, I may have a few more. Auctions will be spaced out, so they won't all end on the same time on Sunday. I am still deciding on 15 or 30 minute increments between auctions.

Stop in and check it out if you get a chance! Bre-Aly Threads

I had quite a bit of success on the one I ran in February, to make room for new inventory, so hoping that it goes well again.

I can't figure out how I used to work part-time on the weekends. I don't have time to get everything done now that I am not working...how did I get it done before? I do have to admit though, I get more sleep and don't feel as tired, so I guess I was giving up sleep to get everything done before.

Yes...even with a new baby in the house, I am getting plenty of sleep. Now my daughter on the other hand...she may not be. This is the reward for me not trading (or killing) her when she was growing up and tested my limits, or is it revenge?...I get to roll over and cover my head when Aiden wakes up at night while she has to get up. *evil laugh* He and I have lots of bonding time in the evening and on weekends though, he is so much fun!