Blogstalking / Catchup

OK, I have been distracted from my blog by my family, work and actual crafting this past week or two. So, here's a little combi-post.

This week's blogstalking topic is how we get from A to B. Well, there's not a lot of public transport in this neck of the woods. And even if there was, there's no way I'm standing around in the heat, waiting for it to arrive (and have 6 of them arrive at once!!!). Soooo, I drive a car. Everywhere. This morning I drove to a friend's house in the next development to me. There isn't a sidewalk between our neighbourhoods, and they're on the same side of the road! No way I'm walking (and as already mentioned, it's HOT).

And don't forget, I'm a mommy. So I have a 'van'. I would've been happy with a mini, I'm sure the boys would've loved that too. But my DH is American. And paranoid about the terrible drivers in this part of the world. So I have a lovely silver Chrysler Pacifica. I have to admit, I like the size, now that I have it. It wouldn't be a vastly interesting picture, so here's something inside 'the van' that IS pretty cool.

A customised Bezzie Ball......

One day soon, I'll get back on a PC and be able to post links again. In the meantime go to www.rkbezzie.blogspot.com where she has a link to her etsy shop. Everyone go buy one, they are cute and awesome.

Last week's blogstalking was all about the purse guts. Here are my two current purses - a Namaste messenger, for when I know I can do a bit of knitting whilst out, and an everyday straw bag, which suits the hot weather down here in Florida's permasummer.


The insides of the messenger bag, including a current WIP - the mason dixon log cabin blanket for my sofa.


And the insides of the straw bag........

.....which until an hour or so ago, held this WIP, now an FO.......
.....embossed leaves socks, fresh off the needles and onto the only sock blockers I own (yes, they ARE my feet)


And a close up of the stitch pattern....


LOVE this pattern. Love the yarn (Koigu PPPM). Love the colours. I see more embossed leaves in my future for sure.

What a post - 2 weeks of blogstalking, a WIP and an FO. If there were some pron, it would be complete. Next time.....

I wanted to say a huge thanks for all of the positive comments I had on my last post. They made me feel like a good mommy and gave me a real lift. :-)

Who Am I?

Over on Knitty, "Blogstalking" has begun. A different subject is given every week and each blogstalker posts about it. This week's subject is "Who am I?". One of the deepest questions ever posed.

I shall answer simply, using these pictures.

I'm a mommy. These two gorgeous boys are my life since the first one was born a little over 4 years ago. I am a SAHM. It's not easy, in fact it's the hardest job I've ever done. But look at them now. This was taken this morning - see, they're still in their jammies, but they are doing a 100 piece jigsaw puzzle. The youngest gave up on his baby puzzle and moved over to 'help' his older brother. Older brother happily obliged in accepting said 'help'.......



......and here they are completing the puzzle. They were so proud of themselves, and of each other. Teamwork at age 4 and 2.....

I hope I'm a successful mother. Whatever that may be.

And I'm a wife. That's not easy either. Especially with a family to distract you from being a 'life-partner'. I'm lucky that my husband has infinite patience and committment to me. A marriage really is a committment - it's the first thing I think about when times are tough, no matter what, we are facing things together (even when we're on opposite sides of the table).

That's me in relation to my closest family members. But who am I when I'm just me? Well, first and foremost I think I am a knitter and crafter. I learned as a child to knit from my female relatives, then didn't take it up again until my first son was born. I can't see me ever leaving again, I love it (and I have enough yarn to knit for a good million years or so, too!). Other crafts are creeping in on me now too. Like sewing. I've always wanted a sewing machine - I'm only 5'2" so I have a lot of pant legs to take up. I may not ever be Christian Lacroix, but I'd like to be able to make my own clothes - someday.

Before I had my children, I always thought I would want to stay home with them. But after having the first, I struggled with my need to go back to work. To feel useful, in an instantly gratifying, 'that was a productive day at work' kind of a way. Looking after babies never made me feel that useful - I guess the rewards are more long-term. So I'm definitely a worker too.

Other things I am: a friend, a reader, member and helper in a MOMS Club, a sometimes cook, a pretty good driver, a daughter and sister, a shopper (I love to support the retail community :-)), a tea-drinker, tv watching, movie-goer. I have no idea what my 'politics' are - there are things about all parties I like, so I cannot say I'm a republican, democrat, conservative, or labour-ite. Which leads me onto a dreadful thing that I am, that plagues my life. I'm a horrible procrastinator. If only I could make a decision.

Now I'll just read this over three more times before I hit publish.......

p.s. I'm a blogger, yay!!!

Friday - the weekend

Was it really a couple of months ago that my LYS closed down? Time flies....

Here are some pictures of the Plymouth Yarns Baby Alpaca Grande I bought in that sale. 6 beautiful dark green skeins for half off. Not a bad day at the office, eh. Now what can I make with 6 skeins.........





I posted some more stitch markers on etsy today. A couple of cute new bead designs. One of them I only had one set of the beads, so they are one-offs.

Work tonight. I saw on the knittyboard that there's a knitting book sale at B&N - I'll have to check that out.

Have a fabulous Friday night out......

A Very Important Day for WIPs

Yes, it was a very important day for my very important little wips. 1st day of school for both of them. Here they are, backpacks on and raring to go. I'm such a proud mommy. Teddy was totally awesome as ever and went into the classroom and started playing and making friends straight away. It is a job getting a "bye mommy" out of him. Matt on the other hand. Not so much. Apparently he cried on and off all morning. He was doing that really sad heavy sniff, sniff, sniff, sob that children who've been crying a lot do (er, and adults too), when I picked him up at noon. Poor baby was exhausted. Oh well, he'll get used to it.

I had a great morning at the gym and returning things to Target. It is so easy when you're on your own.




A quick list of crafting WIPs progress:

- Log Cabin blanket - 16 blocks completed. I feel as if I've spent more time on this than my progress might indicate this week. I guess that's the blocks growing in size though. It is such good TV knitting. Although what I'm doing watching TV these days I don't know. There is absolutely NOTHING worth watching for the next few weeks. Apart from the Biggest Loser. Can't wait for that to start next week. DH and I always bawl at that show. They are so inspiring. (So inspiring that we usually watch it with a tub of B&J's!!!)
- Clapotis - 3 stitches dropped. Still.
- Embossed Leaves Sock - 2 repeats of the second sock completed. I love knitting this, but I like to have a chunk of time - I usually have to hunt down the chart I photocopied and my highlighter pen. the LCB, I can just pick up and do a row of.
- Grow with Me - 5 3/4" out of 9" of the stocking stitch is done. I keep this in my handbag - the Namaste messenger bag is now my handbag. I love it, but it's so big, sometimes it's difficult to find things. Anyway, I'm knitting this pattern in the round so it's a LOT of St St, a bit boring, but it'll be worth it.
- Innocent drinks hats - I lost the ones I made a while ago. I could blame the two small boys I share a house with, but it's really my fault for letting them play with them. I started some more last night. I finished the knitting of 3 of them, then sewed them up while waiting for dinner to cook tonight. They are all black. Would that put you off your smoothie?!
- Sewing - I cut out the fabric for a load more bags and also bought more yesterday. It's washed, dried and waiting to be ironed. Maybe I'll leave the cutting for the weekend - I'd like to make Barbie another outfit the rest of the week :-)

GIFTS from Cali

Excuse the text at the top and then a load of pictures. I'm blogging on our Mac computer and can only get a load of code. I usually load pictures then drag them around. I don't know how to cut and paste to get them in the right order.

I received an amazing package of goodies in the mail today. Or I should say WE received an amazing package. My great knitty friend, Irishgirlie, sent treats for the boys and I. Pralines from New Orleans. I'd never had them before. SO sweet. Yum-o.

And a voodoo ring which you can see on my (hairy {ew}) toe in a picture below. We are debating whether it is a toe ring, or a pinky ring. Mine's definitely a toe-ring. It has to be - it matches my tattoo. :-)

Also enclosed for me was a new Barbie - I guess my blondie did look a bit lonely in her photoshoots, some really fresh scented soap and a cute 'knit happens' fridge magnet.

For the boys there were some Cars the Movie cars, plates and stickers, and art supplies, along with some New Orleans beads, which Matt took great delight in running round the house in all afternoon. The boys set to work with their art supplies immediately.

Thanks so much Carrie, you made the day for all of us today.

And tomorrow is our big day - the boys are starting school. I'll proudly post a picture tomorrow. :-) :-)


Artwork, woot woot!!!!!


Loads of lovely treats....
Matt and Mommy wearing their treats.....
Matt: "Why yes, I have been eating the markers, but looks at these awesome cars".
Gift overload. Gift overload. Gift overload.
Teddy: "look mommy, art supplies" (referring to the tissue paper).

Airplanes

When my husband gets up with the boys in the morning, he makes them a little 1st class airplane cabin with pillows in front of the TV and pretends to start the entertainment system for them. i.e. he puts on a DVR'd episode of Charlie & Lola, or Little Einsteins, or somesuch.

He serves them their morning drinks on a tray. It's all quite cute and I get to have a lie in for a little while, which makes me very happy.

I saw some great fabric remnants for sale in Joann's last week and thought they'd make great pillows for the air-lounge. And here are the boys, enjoying this morning's journey (it's usually a trip to England and when the episode is over, Teddy shouts "we're at Heathrow now"), lounging on their new pillows. They love them :-) :-)

Maybe I should change my cybername to discoknits....and sews :-) :-)

Crafty weekend

First up, Barbie has another new coat. The 'fun fur' that I got in Joann's on sale has little beads dotted through it. I quite like it. I knit it all in one piece to the armholes to avoid the side seams. I just can't seem to line them up quite right. Then I picked up stitches around the armhole and magic looped those babies.

The result? Doesn't she look stunning.

Next big news. I am going green.

Well, a little bit.

I think I've mentioned before my sickness of not being able to throw anything away (surely there's someone, somewhere, who'll be able to use x, y or z, right?). Well, that includes plastic grocery bags.

To be fair, I do use a lot of them for trash, wrapping nappies, etc. But I also have a cupboard full. At least I did until I bought this beautiful re-usable bag while I was in England. I brought it back to the US and have used it whenever I remember to bring it into the store from the car. I have been given some funny looks by cashiers.


Until this week, when my local grocery store, Publix, introduced a re-usable bag.

It's green. Beautiful, eh?! What do you mean, 'no'?

Well, this is where my crafty weekend comes in.....

Next time I go grocery shopping I'll be toting this little beauty. Actually, it's not that little - it can hold same as the brown and green bags combined.

Here's a flash of the fabric I used to line it.

And a close-up.

I learned a lot from sewing this bag together and will definitely be able to improve my next one. But all in all, I'm very proud of it.

It wasn't my only crafty project this weekend. I'll post more pics tomorrow.........

ooh, and I posted the stitchmarkers on Etsy. Something else accomplished. I will be making more of those this week, too. I have a couple more designs of beads to put together.