Love my kitties!

Mine all mine!

I finally acquired a first edition copy!

I want to knit this...

Testing from Blogger app for iPhone

This is a test!

Wow..... 8/29/11.... Really?

Wow... Its been over three months since I blogged? Actually it feels like a lifetime ago. Many things have shifted since the end of August. I think this blog needs a fresh coat of "paint" first. Stay tuned!

Sunrise this morning....

Mustard Radian - wearing it!

I forgot to share the photo of me wearing the Mustard Radian. Sorry the face is so UGH. I took a bunch of pics and this was the best (un-blurry) photo of the bunch. I love it!

Quercus KAL - FAIL

So I failed.... I got all spun up on the Quercus before I checked my stash. I don't have appropriate yarn to work this project. I have made a commitment not to purchase any more yarn this year. I am going to knit from my stash for the rest of the year. So I will have to put this lovely off for another time in the far away future.  I am sorry to Robin and Courtney for getting this going and then having to pull back.

Shifting again.....

Jimmy and I have finally come to the conclusion we can't share office space. 90% of of the time when he is working from our home he is on a conference call. Sometimes he even has two phone conferences going on at once.

We decided I needed an office of my own since I will be working from our home very soon too. This weekend we started the shift of all my "stuff" to one of our bedrooms.











I still have 2 bookshelves of knitting books to move into this space. Oh and the yarn stash. Stay tuned!

Quercus KAL

Did you see this on Facebook yesterday?

Knitty
It's Monday and the First Fall Knitty Surprise is UP!

A gorgeous easy-to-wear cardigan from Julie Turjoman:
http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEff11/PATTquercus.php
_________________________________________________________________________________

A few of us are starting a KAL for this sweater. We plan to cast on mid September. If you are interested in knitting this with us please let me know! If you are in the Columbus Ohio area we are going to try to have a cast-on party so we can all cast-on together.

Perhaps we can set up a "page" on Facebook so we can talk and track our progress together.

Remember the Jalapeno Steek?

Do you remember the Jalapeno Steek sweater? Or here.

This sweater never really felt/fit right. The 3/4 length sleeves were almost to my wrist. The neckline never felt right,  I realized I didn't wear it a singled time last winter.

I decided we needed a bunch of felted coasters around the house. I tossed the Jalapeno Steek sweater into the hot wash and dryer twice and out came some felt. I cut that sucker into 24 coasters.





I have the felted arms remaining and I am hoping to make a couple Kindle cases from them. There is a special person we may be giving a Kindle very soon and I would love to include a case. Stay tuned for photos.

Blocking the Mustard Radian!

iphone_pic, a photo by bean counting knitter on Flickr.

I am glad I was aggressive in going down a size because it fits!

Project:
Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard
Yarn is Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in the mustard colorway.

Things I like.....

Is that gorgeous? I received an email today from Classic Elite Yarns with a link to down load the pattern. It is the Utsukushii Wrap. I think this might be a winter knitting project for me. Here it is on Ravlery. Go ahead. Add it to you queue. You know you want to knit it too!

The other day my husband sent me this request via email:

______________________________________________________________
KNITTING REQUEST PLEASE
1 message
Jimmy **** Sun, Jul 31, 2011 at 2:05 PM
To: Cath <******@gmail.com>
http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/features/crafts/knitting/ravenclawillusionscarf
Sent from my iPhone 4
______________________________________________________________

I am giddy with joy because it isn't everyday he asks me to knit him something. Yesterday I received a sale notice from Webs so we decided on the yarn/colors and placed an order (under $19 bucks with shipping). I told him last night he is making me step outside of my comfort zone with this project. I have never done illusion knitting and my color work knitting is next to nothing.

I like both of these as they make me happy.

Tickled Pink

This week we received our first order from Green Bean Delivery. What is Green Bean Delivery you ask? From their website:

Green BEAN Delivery connects Midwest food producers with Midwest communities through its year-round home delivery service. Our direct line to organic vegetable producers and local artisans guarantees our members the freshest organic produce and groceries on the market.

They deliver fresh produce and other items to your door! This is the box they delivered in and it kept the produce inside nice and cool until we could put it away.




This is what the ordered consisted of:

1 Each	Apple, Fuji
1 Each	Avocados
1 6 oz.	Blackberries Local
1 Pint	Blueberries
1 1 lb.	Carrots, Baby
1 1 lb.	Green Beans, Local
1 Each	Limes
4 Each	Peaches, Yellow
1 10 oz.	Peas, Snap -
4 Each	Plums, Red,
1 24 oz.	Potatoes, Red Local
1 8 oz.	Spinach, Baby
1 1 lb.	Strawberries

This is a green smoothie that consisted of blackberries, carrots, strawberries and spinach. Yummy!



I love sandwiches but I don't like all the calories that go along with bread. I have found another use for my kale growing in our garden. Kale wraps. This one is ham, cheese, hummus and kale. Yummy!



I finished my first BFF sock. I am tickled pink how cute this sock is.



Poo is getting older and sometimes he just doesn't get his body completely into the liter-box to do his business. A neighbor gave me an idea to use washable rugs under the liter-box. I had recently found a way to use cut up old t-shirt to make knit rugs. I solicited my Facebook friends for stained up t-shirts they wanted to get rid off to make a few rugs. I picked up this monster, size 19 and 47", needle to knit it with. YOZA that is a big needle you have there.



I started cutting up the t-shirts. Here are a couple of the "yarn" balls ready for knitting.

10,000+

I knew it was going to happen soon and I have been very excited about it. I was trying to figure out a way to have a contest for the 10,000 person but I couldn't figure out the logistics of proving they were the ONE! By now you are probably like UGH what is she babbling about now..... My blog has officially had over 10,000 hits. Thank you so much to everyone that has come to my little space and read/commented. I appreciate you all.

I have a Poo update. This week his Pemphigus (read about it here in an earlier blog post) flared up so hubby took him to see his Vet. He is back on some medicine to see if we can knock it back into remission. We are going test his blood sugar daily to make sure he doesn't need an insulin dose change. He is still running around the house and he spent some time out on the patio this morning before it gets to hot. We are hoping he gets better quickly, as has been the case in the past.

This is a photo of the affected skin.



Attention Harry Potter fans you will love this. I went to Knit Knite last night and had a blast. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I am pretty sure we were very close to be evicted from Panera. One of the Knit Knite ladies, Ann, knit a Golden Snitch. I am also very jealous of Ann as she is going to Sock Summit next week. I wonder if she is taking the Golden Snitch with her? Maybe she can take me instead?



Here is an update for my 2011 finishing project. This is to be a donation blanket, It is the only project remaining that was started prior to 1/1/11. I better getting knitting. Actually Molly has said to pass it on to her when I am done knitting on it and she will finish it up. I may take her up on the offer.



Here is the progress on the first BFF sock by Cookie A. I need to get cracking and finish these socks.

I am a magician!

I finished Fannette by Melissa J. Goodale this weekend. It is knit with Regia Hand-dye Effect. Here it is in the unblocked form. Not very impressive in my opinion.

Gave it a bath with some wool soak. Oh yeah and if you don't know it the salad spinner isn't just for spinning salad. It is great for removing water from hand knits without the risk of felting. So there is your tip for the post.



David Copperfield eat your heart out! This is true magic...



I was knitting this as part of a K-A-L on Ravelry. I was notified this morning that I was the first to finish the project so I am the winner of ond skein of Handmaiden Sea Three. I feel sort of silly since I didn't even know there was a prize. It was a very nice way to start Monday!

This project was also mentioned on Knitcircus's blog last week here.

Poo is still a Rockstar!

Poo's fan club, Ria, Twittered me yesterday asking for a Poo update! Poo is only too happy to oblige. A couple weekends ago we took Mr. Poop, as his loving Vet calls him, on a road trip overnight to my MILs.  Here Poo got behind the wheel while Daddio went into the gas station.





Here is our nephew, Mr. Ham, with Poo. It was their first time meeting each other but you would think they live together. Poo is not shy. If he likes you he will pile up in your lap immediately. Unlike our other villain, Kiki. Poo is doing good. He is still diabetic despite no longer taking steroids. He gets a shot every 12 hours. He has good days and great days. As long is they are good or great we aren't complaining.



I pulled this beauty out of my garden this morning.



I sliced it up and tossed it with a very light coating of olive oil, sea salt and pepper. The slices then went into the dehydrator. I am hoping they will be perfect with some hummus tomorrow evening when I attend Picnic with the Pops with a knitting pal.



Speaking of knitting.... This is a progress shot of my Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard. The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in the mustard colorway. I was aggressive by going down an additional size when I cast this sucker on but I think it might be ok as I just posted to Facebook the following:

Ummm I think I need new jeans because I was just able to pull the ones I have on down without unbuttoning/zipping.

I am so grateful for the loving support of my friends and family (you know who you are). This last year has been difficult but I wouldn't change it for the world and with all of you I was able to get through it. Thank you!

EZ Garter Stitch

I have been on a spiritual path for a few years now. I wont get into my beliefs here but I will say I have been running across my connection with something greater than myself repeatedly this year. First, was standing at the ocean in Florida. Another time was at the Redwoods outside of San Francisco. This time was on a walk through Glacier Ridge Metro Park with my better half. It was a very hot late afternoon so we walked a very short trail through the woods.



This entry was so inviting on a hot muggy afternoon.



And here is the photo that captures my spiritual collision. Something about the sun shinning through the treetops just stops me in my tracks. :-)



I received the newest EZ book, Knit One Knit All. I am not sure what I will knit first from it but there are a few items on my list and those include Add-a-Booties, Chambered Nautilus Tam and Icelandic Overblouse.I also ordered some of EZ's favorite stitch markers when I placed the order from Schoolhouse Press. I am still not sure about if I like the stitch markers or not. I will let you know....

Tip, Watermelon and heart melt.

Do you have a pet? If so, do you notice how they have this way of doing the cutest things? Over the weekend we were out on the patio and Poo piled up for a nap on my foot. Our cats have this uncanny ability to make our hearts melt on a daily basis and I wouldn't trade them for anything. :-)



I subscribe to Rawmazing, which is a whole raw food blog. The other day Rawmazing posted a recipe for Strawberry Watermelon Lemonade. For some reason I had to make it ASAP and make it I did. Let me tell you it was so amazing I have made it a second time. I cut the recipe in half both times since it was just me and my hubby. The first time I used the Agave as directed but the second time I used Truvia because I wanted to cut down on calories. Delicious! If you are interested click on the link above and get blending. I highly recommend.



So as a knitter I am required to repair my hand-knits occasionally. Last year, I think, I created a little box for a small amount of yarn for each of my completed projects. When I finish a project I toss a bit of the yarn in the box so that when I need to repair something I have an exact match.






I do believe I have I identified that I am a sentimentalist. Every time I open this repair box I am fondly reminded of all the various projects each little bundle of yarn is tied too. That makes me very happy.

Mustard and God through the trees!

My husband and I took a long weekend and went to the San Fransisco area. Here is a shot of the Golden Gate Bridge from Baker Beach. 



We dined in this cute little Italian restaurant in the Knobs Hill area Saturday evening.



This was the view from the balcony of our hotel. We stayed on the harbor in Berkly.



Muir Woods was amazing. I am so grateful we were able to see the Redwood trees. I had a spiritual experience and this photo captures it for me. I have wanted to see a Redwood since reading Richard Preston's The Wild Trees. 



I recently finished the knitting on a shawl I am going to wear in Molly and Dave's wedding. Last night I finally soaked and pinned it down for blocking. EEEEEEEEEEEE Blocking is magical for lace knitting.

The pattern is Shoulder Shawl in Cherry Leaf Pattern by Jane Sowerby. The yarn is Blue Moon Fiber Arts Marine Silk - Sport in the Shadow colorway.

I started a new t-shirt sweater this week.  The pattern is Radian Yoke by Wendy Bernard. The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in the mustard colorway.

Not for my BFF

iphone_pic, a photo by bean counting knitter on Flickr.

I started a new pair of socks, BFF Socks by Cookie A, yesterday. They are for me and not for my BFF.  I have been excited to get my fingers into these little cables for a while now. I will have a great deal of air travel in the next few days so these will be a good distraction so long as TSA doesn't object. I have flown a few times now with knitting and haven't had any problems. But you never know....

I don't like to knit with wooden needles this small (because I am pretty hard on my needles and have broken a fair share of them) but TSA recommends wooden needles over metal so I am sacrificing. Hopefully I wont become stressed with turbulence action in flight and snap them. That would suck a big bunch.

Gave birth?

The garden is growing like crazy. I think the catnip and the spearmint, on either end of the L" are competing to meet in the middle. If that happens it will take out everything in its path.The oregano might have a lot to say about it anyway.



The herb pot is coming along nicely. We have used some of the basil already. I have some in my green smoothy today.



The kale and the romaine are crowding out the chard. I have some kale and chard in my smoothy too.



I feel like I gave birth over the weekend to my Nermal Thermal. Now I honestly have no clue what it is like to deliver a real baby thankfully and yes there wasn't any blood or pain involved. Well wait there was some wrist and hand pain when I knitted for too long on the size 3 needles with the fingering weight yarn. Does it count?

I started this sucker on January 17, 2010 and finished knitting the last stitch and sewing together on 6/5/11. This project was so awesome. Never once did I doubt I would finish. Never once did I want to throw in the towel. There have been so many projects over the years that I just dreaded the thought of how much time it would take to finish them. Never once did I feel that way. Once I did text Molly to tell her that she gets a medal for knitting this twice.






I am traveling to San Francisco this week, where it has been in the 50's day and night, and I am taking this along for the trip.