Look at me! I'm all pretty and new! This was Ed's weekend project. Redoing my blog using Drupal. I think I like it so far...we'll see...still working a few things out.

So, what have I been up to? A LOT. I've been knitting like crazy...or at least it sure does seem like I've been knitting a lot. Let's take a look, shall we?

      

Left to right, we have: Dundee knit in Berroco Comfort Sock, Red Sox for Little Billy knit in Louet Gems Sport Cherry Red (Garter Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch), a sorta secret project for work. I'll fill you in on that when it's done. I've also been plugging away at the Hemlock Ring. I think I'm just not cut out to be a blanket knitter.

In other news WEBS bought a bead store, so I've been investigating that

and here's my finished bracelet -

It's the Færy Queen Cuff from Beading Daily (that's right...there's a Beading Daily, just like Knitting Daily! How exciting!)

 

I had a Mary Kay party to figure out wedding makeup. It was a fun time!

And finally, I don't know about anyone else, but I am SO ready for winter to be over. This was Saturday morning, and we've got another storm coming in for tomorrow night.

The deck is basically gone. I do not remember the last time we had this much snow! I am not a fan of winter. It is hereditary. My dad is not a fan of winter. Ever since I lost some of my weight, I have been cold all the time. Not really in the summer, but I have pretty much been an icicle since late November. This means I wear my jacket inside...at work...I get laughed at, but that's okay, at least I'm warm. Sometimes I wear it at home too, but that could just be out of laziness/tiredness. Speaking of being tired. I have had the worst case of Februaries I've had in a long time! I've been tired and cranky and just altogether not fun to be around. Now that it's relatively light out when I wake up and I can still manage to eek out some sunglass time on my way home from work, I'm doing better...thank goodness! Oh, but my parents did bring me back a very cute spring-feeling purse from Vegas. Unfortunately I cannot link to them because it doesn't look like they have set up their website, but the company is called Vert, and they are all about organic/environment stuff, pretty cool I think.

Yeah, it's pretty lame to be posting about weather, but I'm still recovering...

It's February and we're having a thunderstorm...odd! It's been raining for like three days now, and we're supposed to get a lovely mix of wintry weather tomorrow. Very exciting (or not, as I am still over winter weather).

I've been working on a pair of socks for the store, and the cuff/leg is just going on and on and on. I really want to be done so they can go in the store and sell the yarn, but there are so many other things I want to knit! I REALLY want to finish the Hemlock Ring this weekend. Maybe if I can manage to get myself past the heels tomorrow...I mean, the foot is just stockinette, so knit-knit-knit won't take as along as a pattern (at least is doesn't in my head!).

They didn't deserve it!
They didn't DESERVE IT AT ALL!

And that's all I'm going to say.

There's just too much distraction swirling around me. Aside from the internet (which lures me in and doesn't let me go), there's that whole wedding planning thing, and house search.

Now, granted the wedding planning thing isn't necessarily bad, but when you want to knit your sister mittens before winter is over, it's a problem.
I'm also working on the Hemlock Ring Throw. It's coming along nicely, but I was soon bored, and was lured into surfing websites for stuff I didn't need to know.

Anyway, wedding stuff is coming along quite well. My dress is ordered. (I love it!) Bridesmaids dresses are picked out. Flowers are picked out. Ceremony and reception sites chosen. Photographer chosen.
I'm feeling much less stressed about it, which is good.
I have slightly modified my colors. Brown and Pink. I didn't initially go for the pink because everyone thought I would, but I started thinking about it and couldn't imagine not having pink involved in my day.

I've got a lot of knitting I want to get done in the next month, so I'd better get going on that!

Here is a picture of my Clapotis and Teddy SuitToday was the shower (Your usual baby shower...not too interesting. I tried to stay away from the food. Had a tiny bit of pasta salad and a big bowl of fruit salad). Last night at 9:30 I finished the Bliss Blanket. I actually cut out one repeat because I knew there was no way I was going to finish it in time. It was really scrunchy when I finished it, so I was concerned that it wasn't going to be big enough, or soft enough, but a soak in Eucalan (using it up as quickly as I can, so it can be replaced with the grapefruit scent) and a good tug and pin on the blocking board fixed all of that. It generally takes forever for items to dry at my house this time of year, but I had a solution! Crank up the heater in the bathroom, put the blocking board on the tub and close the door. It was really warm in there, and after half an hour I turned off the heater and left the door closed for about an hour. It gave it enough drying oomph to be dry when I woke up this morning. It is nice and drapey. I hope they like it because I really didn't want to give it up.
It was a relatively easy pattern, and after trying it, I don't know why I was so afraid of entrelac! I'm looking forward to doing another project.
I used 7 skeins of Artyarns Supermerino in color 160. It's a great yarn. Great colors, and it's pretty soft too. Yup...kinda sad all I have left of it is the picture.
I've started the Hemlock Ring Throw. I'm really liking it so far. I hope it continues to go at a fairly fast pace. I'm to row 35 and it's only 8:00. I haven't worked too many hours on it. I did watch my beloved Patriots after all. We're going to the Super Bowl!! 18-0 baby!! :)

How is it already the MIDDLE of January???
Where did the time go? What have I spent all that time doing? (Aside from ignoring the blog!)
I've done some knitting. I knit a Clapotis out of Malabrigo Silky Merino. There's pics on Ravelry, but I am planning on posting some here. I LOVE it. The pattern was just complex enough not to completely bore me! The yarn is so so soft! The only problem I have with it is that it is shedding. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but I chose to wear it with a white shirt. I guess I'll just have to pick up a darker one. It did look pretty spiffy though. And so cozy!

Ed's brother Fritz and his wife Tenaya are having a baby...a boy. The shower is Sunday (don't ask me how that crept up on me either!). I knit the Teddy Suit from Baby Knits by Lois Daykin. It went reasonably well. The main body and sleeves were not a problem, but the mitts and boots. Well, I knit them, but they are not being included. The mitts did not look like the picture, and since the boots were knit flat and my spatial abilities are less than stellar, I could not figure out how that blobby shape was going to turn into a boot. I cried for about a minute. Then it hit me, why am I crying over this? They aren't knitters. They will never know that it was supposed to have boots, and they probably won't even appreciate it as much as I want them too (sad, I know, but I can't help myself from knitting gifts, besides, it gives me something to complain about). I then threw said blobby shape at Ed, and he figured out the thing in half a minute. Eh...I'm still going with purchased socks. The boots were making me claustrophobic anyway (I never liked feet pjs). It's still awfully cute anyway. Also on Ravelry. I'll get a pic up here, but it is on the other computer, which will not be turned on today.
I've also been working on the Bliss Blanket from this month's MagKnits. It's my first foray into entrelac and I really like it. Of course, right now, I'm bored with it and want to be done with it already, but that's par for the course lately with me.

I'm having serious issues with my stash. Or rather, the size of my stash and my seeming inability to control myself. I have big plans for the next year to knit the stash down and finish my uncompleted (snoozing) projects. I've been working on that darn blanket for Ed for almost a year and a half now. I have a vest that's just about half done that I really should dig out. I'm never finishing the shawl I was making to wear to Deb's wedding (November 2006) so I should rip that and repurpose the yarn. I started knitting Chelsea a sweater AGES ago, and then decided to frog and make a hat/mitten set. Still haven't frogged that. I don't think I'm ever going to finish the Log Cabin I was knitting her, and at this point, I think I may just keep it for myself. Not that she doesn't appreciate when I knit her stuff. She's a six year old who is very appreciative of knitting from her auntie (well, according to her, I'm not really her auntie yet, but I am :)), but I feel bad giving her a blanket and not giving Billy one, and I don't think I have it in me to knit another one. Then there's the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I look at Dena's every time she wears it thinking "gee, I really should finish mine." I don't even want to think about how wrinkled it is now.

This turned out to be a far longer post than I was planning, and I don't even think I'm done reflecting on everything that needs to get done. It is helpful to list it out though. OH, and I promised Anna mittens. Would be nice if I could get those done for her before she doesn't need them again!

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone.
I've been knitting my fingers to the bone with holiday stuff, etc. (well it feels like it, but I guess I don't have much to show for it...and I will show it...maybe tomorrow).

Just a thought to keep in mind as we welcome the new year (and yes, I'll probably have the obligatory look back on the last year post in the next day or so, but this was very important to share).
When feeling down on your body image, don't EVER look at pictures of yourself from a week in Florida when it's January in New England and you haven't really seen sun in six months and you are as pasty white as I am. It's frightening! Yes...I have reached frightening paleness. See, I usually visit Florida in November, so I get to stretch out what little color I end up getting during the summer (I get color...I just don't lay out...bad for the skin and all) until at least Christmas.
I may have to make an emergency trip to Florida just to up my self-esteem!! It's gotten to the point where people have asked me if I feel okay! Yes, I am fine, just apparently embracing my inner Casper.