Happy

Samhain and Halloween

May your candy be sweet and your gathering fun.

We're not going to be home this year to hand out candy because T and I both want to take the kids out. Should be interesting with all of us sick. I guess we just wont be out for long.

Had knit night last night, good times for the most part. Hopefully all that didn't show are well. I wasn't going to but ended up at WallyWorld and bought a pattern and some electric orange fleece to make the pup a coat for hunting/going outside at the in laws during hunting season. Bonus I'll be able to see her when it snows too.

So the colds continue in the house, Se started coughing, Ju is still running her nose, T is getting up in the middle of the night to cough which in turn makes it hard for me to go to sleep when I'm coming to bed at 2am. Ugh, now I just need some food and caffeine (black tea, I'm to lazy to make coffee) And today is a holiday so I was planning to carve our pumpkins and roast seeds and make some kind of pie or whatever. We'll see what happens.

Everyone please be safe tonight.

Sheep and Wool Festival Haul

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Originally uploaded by bhuidhe

Here is all that I gathered at the Fest, I would have liked to have gotten yarn but none caught my eye (or at least not when I still had money) I think it turned out to be a great haul. And the day spent with my kids and hubby, ...... Priceless!

If you click on the picture you can see all the notes on the things purchased.

It's Snowing.....

Well it isn't staying but we do have the first flurries of the year. I tried to take pictures but the snow doesn't want to be photographed. So I took this test instead :D...





No knitting questions but what do ya do. I got this from someone else's blog but I can't remember who's because I was just doing the click links thing.

I did get out yesterday after about one o'clock, but T kept calling me so I felt rushed for being out and enjoying myself. I went to the yarn shop Knit'n from the heart in Woodbury and helped a lady figure out how to do a k2, p2 rib, that was cool. Then I grabbed dinner and headed over to Rachel's to help her pick up boxes and go have a visit at Starbucks and knit. It was great to hang out with my friend again, I missed the time we used to hang out together. I'm really excited for her that she is going to be a homeowner soon and have such a great new place to live.

At the yarn shop I purchased some yarn and a magazine to knit T a hat that was on the cover. The yarn is Cascade yarns Lana Grande in a great burnt orange and the magazine is Knit Simple Fall 2007, it's a really cool pattern. Only problem is that his head is bigger than the pattern can handle so I had to figure out how to up it and then when he tried it on this morning it was a bit to shallow so I need to pull back my decreases and fix that, I may just frog the whole thing and start again my added on stitches suck, but I'm kind of mad at the hubby right now so I may say I don't care. Also just a note, 2 hour pattern took 4 without tassels and braids and crochet, and I need to find a crochet hook somewhere size K.

Well the natives are restless so I'm going to go get breakfast started and hope they chill.

If I could be sweet.....

So I'll do a couple photos today for my post. Later I'm going shopping with my mom, we're just going to get out of the house together with the kids. It should be nice, now that I no longer live there, we fight way less. That's not to say that we don't fight, but it's like a once a year thing instead of 30 times a day thing (just so you know that was an exaggeration), I guess were a lot a like, I just like to think I'm cooler and way less annoying. Which means that I have the same view every child has of their parents, they are so not cool and they embarrass us, not that she does that anymore. But on another tangent, I'm going to show you some pics and explain them as the month goes by:


Or Not, the server is down and the kids are being insane so I'll try again later for the pics.

AOTN: Fetching for a Friend, November Mystery Socks, and a bunch of UFOs that should be.

(AOTN = Actively On The Needles)

Update

So, it's been crazy busy around here and I've had no time to knit on the shawl or anything else.

Saturday: SCA event for the Shire, River Revel II. I was busy from the time I got up until the time I got home and went to bed. The event went well, we had more people than we thought we were going to get so that was cool. And we had a lot of people there that are at least some what known in this area if not the whole kingdom and they said that they would push for even more people to come next year. We're very close to two very large groups that could easily come and play but many choose not to, and that sucks for our shire. I'll find out Thursday how everything pays out and if we lost money on another event or if we actually broke even/gained. I will say I am very happy with the quality of people that came if it isn't going to be quantity.

Sunday: The Twin's Birthday Party, that morning we accidentally all slept in until 8:30a, so the day started off with a run, and I still wanted to sleep more. I did some quick grocery shopping, baked a cake, made a noodle salad, cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, T did the rest of the house, bless him. We had a decent turn out considering the late invites, I told everyone way early but didn't get invites out until the last minute. We had plenty of food, and just enough pineapple carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, pics to come. I finally got to start reading HP7 that evening after the monkeys were all in bed and everyone left, I read until 1am and decided I needed to sleep and then read all day Monday until just before T got home. He of course bought himself a copy just in time to read mine :D. We'll give one to my sis for her birthday and all will be alright with the bookcase :P.

Tonight, T is at fight practice and I think I may just go to bed, I should knit on the shawl but at this point I'm so far behind whats one more day.

Fate...

So a couple of weeks ago, T let me get out of the house and go to a spinning gathering at Color Crossing. The gathering was a different day, I was mis-informed, so shopping had to still happen. I bought a skein of Tofutsies in a lovely green and white color, I'm thinking knee highs, maybe knee high monkeys. Well even though the skein looks small it can actually get two socks from one ball, but I figured not two knee highs.

Fast forward...

Last night I went to the lace chart class at the Yarnery and I got a 10% off my next purchase, well I had to get something it was only good for a week. I know I'll get another ball of Tofutsies, but what dye lot, shit! Look at two different balls, eh, this one looks good.

Fast forward again...

I was just sitting here and thought I should check the dye lots, yup that's right, they are exactly the same. Freaky is all I can say. Now I don't know how the dye lots work on this yarn and if the whole market gets the same one but at the store I didn't see the dye lot number and thought they were like some acrylics and just all the same, but obviously not. Damn Lucky is all I have to say and I have some Monkeys to make.

Border Skirmish IV

The family went to Illinois this weekend for Border Skirmish, it was pretty good. We got to the hotel at around 12:30a and the girls didn't settle down and sleep until 3ish, so little sleep was had. T fought well, Northshield crushed the Middle Kingdom. I bought some color books to copy for the kids to have some period-esque coloring sheets. I also got some pretty cards for my card weaving loom for after I've learned and they then look more period than big white cardboard cards and I got a little satchel filled with Baking Soda, Borax and Cinnamon scent for T's armour bag. We went to court, it was good, the girls got restless so we left a little early. I spent a big chunk of the day with EKat, a very nice lady that I'm excited to see at WW, I got a lot of chatting in with people, that was nice. We left for home later than we would have liked and had dinner at Steak n' Shake, We were officially on the road by 8p and were home by 12:30a, unloaded the kids and went to bed. Sunday, we spent in Hudson and home, spending too much money at Target, Fleet Farm, County Market, and "Time to Sew". We're buying stuff to prepare for WW, I'm going to make the monkeys diaper covers for if it gets too hot and hubby and I are going to be making a quick shade fly.

Sorry no pics were taken on my end, we were in a bad place to take pics of the fighting and I was so busy with the monkeys that I just never thought of it.

A whole jumble of things

I finished my first pair of adult socks ever this morning, they are wonderful. Not by any means perfect, but none the less wonderful. I'll have pics when my Hubby comes home with the camera, it's of course in the van with him at work. They need a good washing anyway, I'm going to have to look up the directions for Sockotta.

I some how missed the coming out of the newest Kushiel Legacy book, so I promptly looked at the library website, no where in the system, so I purchased a discounted one off of Amazon. Now I probably shouldn't have because we just dropped just under $100 on books at B&N in Maplewood, one book for each girl, three for me (one knitting), and four for the hubby, oye. Anyway I should thank Julie for being so kind as to let me know that it was out on her blog, I need to stay up on these things you know.

T was gone last week, he seems to have had a good time, lots of good camp time. He said he wished the fighting had some things different but the time he spent in camp was great. I wish I could have gone but the monkeys aren't big enough and there is no convincing T that he maybe should wait until the kids are older instead of leaving me home with them from Tuesday thru Saturday. But whatever.

T got home and a 1/2 hour later I was off to go see Pirates at the theatre, I went to the 11:30p showing and got home by 4:15a, my friend Rach and I chatted for over an hour after the movie, it was great, but we need to find better times to have chat marathons. :D

Oh and let me swoon, yummy on the Johnny Depp is delicious.

And just for those who would like to know, this is the knitting book that I got yesterday.

Happy Belated Mother's Day!!!

I had an interesting weekend, we went to the in-laws on Saturday so that hubby could help put up a patio "cover" it's very open and wood so not really a cover but I'll have to take a pic to show you. The monkeys were pretty good over there so of course on Sunday . . .
Hell broke loose and the monster ran amok. They were into everything and were just being their general brand of naughtiness, now don't get me wrong but when they are up by 8:30 and we couldn't get out of the house until noon. They were actually pretty good at the yarn and wool festival, but they tend to be pretty good when we're out. Ju got to pet some animals and we saw the end of a shearing.

Get this I didn't buy a single thing, I was stunned and I believe in some shock and now regret not buying anything. T said he would buy me a spinning wheel though if I do the research, eee.

Than off to dinner, I chose Acapulco's Mexican, it was good food, HORRIBLE service, T and I are sticklers about service and get very frustrated when things go awry. She was an absolute ding bat, grr. The twins ate pretty good and Se had some beans, and Ju of course didn't eat much, that girl.

Then we ran to the Source so the munchkins could take a bit of a nap, Ju was out, so I just ran in myself, I bought 4 dice for me, 2 for T, two Kabuki comics, and a Knights of the Dinner Table for T. We then stopped at Dunn Bros for some smoothies and Blockbuster for some movies (The Queen and Smokin' Aces). And then home.

The whole days driving was INSANE, we almost had a car accident at the very least 3 times that stand out dramatically, once was super super scary back end of car coming up way to fast, oye. When we arrived home safely, we messed with our again wild children to get to bed, did they fall asleep like good little children, nope, they stayed up until at least eleven being naughty in their room, argh.

So anywho, T wants a "Voyageur" hat like we saw at the festival and of course I'm told no problem finding a pattern, nope no luck so far, so if you know one, otherwise I'll be making something up. We're looking for pre 1600s style. While I researched that, we watched The Queen.

I was disappointed it should have been called Diana, because it was missing the whole part where it's really about you know the Queen. T and I both thought they would show her when she started her reign and the circumstances, how she was in the war, etc, etc. Than I had to wait up for my show to play again at eleven then bed by one for me, T 9.30, I should have followed him. I have a tension headache and need more sleep, but Se decided 7.20 was when we should wake up. So off to take care of the children.

Friday, Saturday, shopping, accosted

So we've been having a busy weekend and it's only half over. My hubby took Friday off so week could work on the house and we actually did. We painted trim, the corners in the 2nd kids room and worked on some garden stuff. Ju got some peat moss in her eye and had to be coddled for half the day, I can understand the hurt but she would giggle and then all of a sudden if you wanted her to do something, scream, cry, whine, grr. Anywho, then Jacque and Rachel came over, we did dinner and burned things (I just found out today we probably shouldn't have because of the dryness but we had a hose right there and watered around our off the ground fire pit). Then T got a call from his cousin Bill and he and Jacque went out to the "metropolis" of Hammond and had a few down at the bar.

Today, we slept in, or I should say T did and I attempted and failed. I messed around with the kids. T got up helped a little and than off to Menards/Fleet Farm again for things he forgot the day before, and he still forgot some things I picked up late tonight (or should I say yesterday since its past midnight, nah haven't been to bed yet still Saturday in my head). T cut some trim to put in the room only to not have enough painted and/or painted properly, argh. I did some grocery shopping in the town over, came home, had to run back I had forgotten the charcoal for the grill. Came back home again and made my first batch of potato salad, and if I don't say so myself, it wasn't too bad. The potatoes were a little over done, but what can I say, I kept getting distracted by children. After dinner we played outside for a bit to really wear the kids out and Ju got to watch the end of Godzilla, she told Matthew Broderick's character to stay away from Godzilla, I believe her words were, "Get back", I'll have to ask T. Super Cute, she is talking so much now. When she was done with that she gave kisses and went to bed, I don't know what T did because I left.

I got to leave the house by myself. I know you may need to sit down after that one. I ran over to Woodbury, near where I go for knit night on Thursdays, I went to see if the new yarn shop was open but it wasn't and then I went to Borders to drool all over books. I purchased Knitting Vintage Socks for myself, The Knitter's Companion for my sister as a going away gift (more about that in a minute), a book for Ju and the crew on words, definitions, and pictures all together, and a couple blank books. Then one round on the sock since I'm a putz and had spent all my time debating what book to buy since the ones I really wanted weren't there. Over heard some crazy discussions while knitting said round. It went something like this:

Bleached Blonde High Schooler (BBHS): "I just realized the other day that I'm not the center of the universe." [this is to her friend]

Some other rather load chatter from across the room and just so you all know I was completely across the cafe when she was speaking of this.

Up stands two cute young girls to leave (not the two HS that are talking). One leaves, the other gets up to go talk to BBHS, we'll call her Super Christian Girl (SCG).

SCG: "Hi, I'm ___ I just wanted to ask you, are you Christian. Because I saw you smile at me when I walked in and just new that you were."

BBHS: "Yes" and than she gets really quiet and I can't really hear the conversation, which is fine with me. I know it was something about school, church, and names but other than that just garble.

SCG leaves, I smile nicely when she makes eye contact, out stage left/front of the store.

BBHS and friend get up and talk about what just happened giggling.

I get up to wrap said sister's gift, I was thinking of doing this while they chatted.

I'm wrapping, thinking I'm free and clear, when SCG and friend come back in to ask who, ME.

SCG: "Are you Christian?" blah blah (something else can't quite remember)

Me: "Nope, I was when I was younger though" (Dumbass shut up, this is to myself)

SCG: "What were you?"

Me: "Lutheran but I don't do Church anymore"

SCG: "Oh, I was Lutheran but now I'm Episcopalian" then something about going to her church and my interest, I'm not listening very well because I'm trying to find an out.

Me: "No thanks, I don't think so"

SCG: "Oh, well I'll pray for you"

Me: "Uh, thanks." (thought, yeah um just don't, too polite to say that)

SCG and friend really leave and I damn near run to the car so I'm not accosted again.

Now don't get me wrong, you believe what ever you want to believe, but I don't want to know. I keep mine to me and you keep yours to you and we'll be great, shoot I'm not even going to say what my beliefs are here because none of you probably care and I'd rather talk about knitting but I need to get this off my chest. Oye friggin' vay. I just seem to attract the extremes of a crowd, this isn't my first time someone has tried to get me to go to church, and when in the hell did smiling start equaling being Christian, I mean really can't I just be nice. I don't get it. And it isn't just Christians other religious groups and even political groups have tried to sway me, I guess I'm just too stubborn.

After Borders I did a quick run to Walley World and then came home, I really dislike it when the move things around, you can't just get in and out quickly, you have to search. And Borders and Walley World moved things around on me, grrr.

Anywho, tomorrow's another busy one, I'm supposed to get to sleep in, we'll see. Then T goes to do his working out and than off to my 'rents for a going away party for the sis. I can't believe it but I'm going to kind of miss her, especially the free babysitting :D.

Chat with you later, oh and I may be adding a pic link thing to my sidebar with the books on knitting I own and/or would like to own.

So, it was an okay weekend,

T never told me about the bbq his sis and hubby were having so that was cranky making, but other wise the weekend was relatively good. I got 4 skeins of some Norwegian wool (at least I think that's what the sign said there's no band) it's supposed to be great for felting, and for $3.50 each you really can beat it. A ball of Sockotta in a very strange color. A tea cozy pattern and the felted clogs, the copy didn't copy well. I also got a free pattern for a rug. I then went to Ikea and spent way too much on little crap that wasn't necessarily needed but would be useful. I did all this with my sister and than my sister, my mom, my sis's future m-i-l and s-i-l all met up at the Mall of America and we did a little shopping on the first level, ate dinner at the Rainforest Cafe and my mom got me a new pair of cross trainers for working out. We then had to haul ass cause my sister had another engagement and was going to be late. So my mom rode home with me so I could get gas and not worry about the monkeys. T got home late (2 am) and chattered my ear off trying to tell me all that happened with the sca fighting, I hadn't been able to sleep until he got home and then he wouldn't let me finally go to sleep, but I love him. On Sunday we went to Teri's for some hanging out and picking up of the Ju, we had some bbq chicken and potato salad, did some general just moving and picking up of things and played two hands of double cribbage (we're tied). Other than that, not much happened.

I'm going to a sheep sheering festival mothers day weekend Sunday and I'm way excited, there is to be tons of vendors and lots for kids to see. And T is going with me. Yea! :D

Things recently purchased . . . .

Lil' Monster sign for the house(How appropriate, eh)


Thrumkin Dolls for the kids


Sock Knitting Bag for me


I also ran to Joann's yesterday and purchased a carrier for my sewing machine.

How can that be....

That the Yarn Harlot is even funnier in person than on her blog, the laughing was so loud that C4 (Se, is what I'm going to work with now the C thing was lacking)started crying. He also tried to talk over the YH which I thought was cute but tried to stop, its hard to get a 6 mth old to stop jabbering, I hope Stephanie didn't mind. I with some other gals in the Woodbury Knitting group gave Steph a gift. I bought a 1/2# Papua New Guinea French Roast from Dunn Bros., a Lindt Milk Chocolate Bar, a set of Susan Bates Sock needles size 000-1 US and another set of size 2 (in pretty colors and purchased in an actual store), two balls of Sockatta sock yarn Discontinued, two needle cases, and G threw in the cutest mini sock key chain sock form with a knitted sock attached that looked like a pair G had made for herself. Over all it was wonderful and I wish her the best of luck on her travels and hope the coffee helps keep her spirits up. She is Awesome and totally ROCKS!

The knitters that wanted to be there were said to have been able to double the 400 or so that attended, next time she comes by we'll need a bigger venue. I won a $10 gift certificate for Cafe Latte, and used it right after the talk, I won it for having the youngest already born baby, go Se. Found out there should be at least two more books. YES! I hope the YH takes care of herself on her travels and doesn't have any more flight issues. (I think that's the mom in me talking :P)

KNITTERS REPRESENT!!!! Upper Midwest REPRESENT!!!


Sorry about the blurriness.

She loves me, She really, really loves me . . .

Rachel is such a doll, she happened to have a extra ball of yarn jump into her basket in my favorite colors and decided that she had no choice but to bring it home and pass it on. I've already wound it into a cake, mmm cake, I know what I'll be knitting after my knee highs :D Man I love my friends. She also let me use her 25% off coupon at Borders, I forgot mine. I also had a 10% off day to use so I really got 35% on one book and 10% on the other. I used it on a book for my hubby cause he really wanted this book and was feeling down about some work crap, so I got it for him plus a new coffee mug from *$s for only $7.00. And I purchased for myself this, drool. I can't wait to knit from it.

Can't wait to meet Ms. Harlot :D

Books & Sew

So I ordered some books on Amazon the other day, I'm very excited to get them. Of course two aren't published yet, but hey what can ya do. Amazon says I won't receive any of them until April and that sucks. Now I need to get some sewing done.

I love Birthday money... Thank you Ma & Pa G for the $50 designated for yarn

Bagging It

Content: 100% Virgin Wool
Brand: Reynolds Lite-Lopi
Color: 0422 [Green] | Color: 0434 [Red] (The Red isn't really that bright, but it is a really nice bright red)
Project Idea: I'm going to collect this type of yarn until I have enough to felt into a project bag.

Clogging It

Content: 100% Wool
Brand: Ella Rae Classic
Color: Unknown # [Putty Grey] (1/2 a ball, split with Rach) | Color: 106 [Burgundy] (2 balls) | Color: 38 [Cranberry] (oops, this isn't the same as 106?!?!? Sh*t)
Project Idea: I'm going to make felted clogs from the Fiber Trends pattern, I of course need to buy another Burgundy since I didn't look close enough in the store, doh! Do you see the difference in color, it's really slight and I may try and make it work but we'll see.

Socking It

Content: 60% Superwash Wool | 25% Mohair | 15% Nylon
Brand: Bearfoot Mountain Colors Hand Painted Yarns
Color: Northern Lights
Project: Well hopefully knee high socks, I only could afford one of these balls at $21.00 a skein, so lets hope. I'm going to knit two at one time so that if I run out it will be at the same spot and I can just continue on with a different skein. I need to get a scale so I can evenly split this.

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This was all purchased at the LYS 3 Kittens

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[These mean I named the color, for there was a lack of a name]

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Cabling It

I almost forgot my new cable needle, I like the metal ones but with how many stitches I was flip flopping (C8B) I was worried I would break my needle so I tried this and liked it much better. Way more sturdy, my metal ones I think will be nice for socks.

Well I promised an explanation.....

Here is my first fair isle knit, it's a hat for C4, my newest, he keeps growing and that includes his head. I did a skull motif so he would look tough :D. as you can see it's not great and there are some definite issues, namely, the twists behind to carry the yarn showing through and its a little tight where the skull bones are at the top, I was getting impatient and pestered by DH by then about this being C4's 4th hat and he still waiting for his fingerless mittens. I'm working on that now, hence the next picture of Cascade 220 The Heathers Color 9414 (Blue) Lot 5476, I plan to make his mitts and a hat from the three skeins I purchased and I may pick up some more for a scarf. I'm loving knitting with it, I got it on sale and even though I had to rip back it is wonderful, my personal technique is probably not much to desire but what to do other than practice. I did swatch but I'm not listening to it and I'm jumping ahead anyway, I want the tighter knit and it's really stretchy so I hope it works out.

I have some more pics to show you as well of some of my most recent purchases, Of course these were all purchased before I knew that our fridge would keel over, dumb fridge. There is my most recent Knitpicks purchase for a hat, Hat Trick pattern and Andean Treasure in Granite, for T and of course some more yarn for socks, Gloss in Pumpkin and Memories in Geranium; and some other goodies. Then we move on to an eBay find, 2 balls of Suri Merino by Plymouth yarn in a beautiful red, Color 2055 Lot 661. And don't forget my pyramid of Sockotta, mostly from a discontinued yarn website and one from a locallys, I wont go through all the colors but aren't they pretty :D. And last but certainly not least, On Line sock yarn Sierra Color, also bought at that local lys.
I think I need to get knitting.












I should also mention the wonderful gifts I've received recently I have procured some beautiful stitch markers from 2 gals in my Knitting group. Thanks Steph & Alley and Liz. Along with the tea stitch markers, I also recieved two balls of Wool-Ease yarn in a pretty earth tone and some much needed cable needles, Thank you Steph & Alley, it saved me a purchase :D