FINALLY!!

Yeah, yeah...it's about time - I know. My life has gotten to the point where finding time to get anything done is tough! So, it's a rainy yucky day here in New England so I'm not doing my long training walk today. EEEK... I'm already a bit behind in my training for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. I did do 7 miles yesterday, buttt that's neither here nor there. I was supposed to do 12-15 miles yesterday.

Ok, onto the good stuff. I've got pictures of lots of things!! Only...I've discovered my once talent for photography has left me. I've no patience for the right lighting anymore, or the timing or focus for that matter. So for my terrible pictures - we must use our wonderful imaginations!

First my Secret Pal Package!!! It is yummy! 4 skeins of Laines Du Nord Guinco Marino Yarn in a gorgeous color - I would say it's very close to the color of Key Lime pie! MMMM. Those half shaded shots I put in hoping the sunlight would give a better version of the color, and I'd say they do! She gave me a link to a wonderful pattern for an Irish Hiking Scarf (a beautiful and simple cabled scarf) to make with it here. Also, she wrote me a lovely note card, and that green mesh-wrapped box was stock full of chocolate goodies - A BIG bar of Dark Godiva chocolate and multiple mini Milky Ways and Three Muskateers and Caramel chocolates, which didn't last as long as they should have...ummm I think I ate literally half of them right after I took the picture and my girls only received a couple of pieces. Mine, Mine all mine!!!!

Here is what I'm currently working on I ripped out a sweater I had on needles for about ohh I don't know...let's say several years and started this one instead.-- It's a Kristin Nicholas design from Knitting Today's Classics from a section of the book called "Trout Fry", it's the "Travelling Cable Pullover". I'm using up that Classic Elite Montera I bought years and years ago. I wish I could find a photo of it, but can't seem to find one available online and I think taking a photo from the book, wouldn't do it justice.

and a detail shot:

ok, it's a bit wonky right now, but when it is blocked and finished it will look much better. uh...i hope.

Oh and here are some of the stitch markers I made: This first set is with iredescent glass beads in pale greens and blues.

Oh bother...I shouldn't have bothered with some of the rest of these: these below are a really light pale green glass that's crackled and they are made with plated silver rings. They really are pretty, but I'll have to re-take the photos.

Here's a slightly different set made like the first ones.

And the worst shot of all does these no justice at all: They are an olive green glass bead with cranberry fleur designs on them and beads above them are cranberry centered glass. The bottom beads are gold irredescant beads.

And just for fun if you can even see them - these arephotos of an egg my husband made for Easter. I hope you can see the detial, but it looks a bit fuzzy. Now I've got a sense of humor, but my husband is uh...well... like a boy in his sense of humor.

The egg below has drawings of members of our family on it, and on the back is a pic of Finnegan (our dog)...squatting (to put it nicely).

The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

Believe it or not, I am knitting something new, and I have a lot to share. My Secret Pal package arrived with lots of goodies and I finally got mine sent out to my pal. I will post pictures of the beautiful green yarn she sent, and the goodies. I have so many pictures to share I'm a bit overwhelmed. Between work, and Easter and training and fundraising for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer I've practically been struck frozen! Every time I start to do one thing, my mind nags me about getting the other things done, so I switch and switch and switch again, and thus, I am feeling like I'm actually accomplishing nothing. When I'm totally overwhelmed I'll take a few moments to knit a row or too on an old sweater design from this book. Kristin Nicolas is my new favorite designer. Well...kinda always has been actually. There is a design under the "Trout Fry" section on page 36, that has a "Travelling Cable" pullover, and that is what I'm working on.
Someone has written to see my new beaded stitch markers, and I haven't taken photos of them or posted them yet. I will - very soon. They came out nicely and I hope someone is interested in purchasing them.
The only other thing that is on my mind is training training training. I have done a total of 16 miles so far in my training and need to do much much more. Oh and anyone who is willing to help me make my goal - PLEASE DO!

Templates, beads and knitting blocks

You may notice I've changed how this blog looks again. Spring is coming, and I really need changes. All kinds of changes. And what am I knitting now, that should be one of the various sweaters I need to finish, but instead I've started a new scarf for my daughter! It seems ridiculous - even as I work on it - I feel like by the time I'm done, she'll no longer need it. But then again, I live in New England... We could have snow in May! For some reason knitting is not 'hitting that spot' for me of relaxation and happiness and motivation. Maybe it's the weather change - I don't know. So, I've set my scarf down and I've turned to beading instead.

I have been working on my beaded markers and I love how they are coming out. I'll post pictures soon , and then maybe open an Etsy shop? I'm so new at this, I'm not sure how to go about it, but I figured I'd create first - work on the rest later. If anyone has some helpful information I'd appreciate it.

I need sunshine and warmth and joy! Right NOW! Winter has drained me down to nothing but a nub of unshaven frumpy misery. Of course it doesn't help that I had a close friend pass away. I need a spark of new life - some brightness. I need a project that brings back my inner glow and giddy childlike wonder! Suggestions?? Anyone??

Secret Pals

I found the missing email from SP10 that told me who my secret pal is. Phew - I feel better now. I can't wait to get started. I feel like I'm studying her blog like I'm having a final exam on it next week. I just hope I can find nice enough stuff to rival her last SP! It pretty much looks like no one sticks to the suggested spending amount. I mean - how could they with all the stuff they put in each package? And multiple packages in the same month on some sites? Uh oh... What have I gotten myself into? Perhaps I can take out a second mortgage on the house?
I need to think about what my next project is going to be as well. I've decided I'm going to tackle something deep in my knitting basket - something old maybe. I just have to decide whether or not to rip it and maybe soak the yarn and dry it and start over, or to just continue. Wow, that was some long run-on sentence! I wonder how different the yarn will look if my knitting tension has changed drastically over the years. God, how I can't wait to get this ancient stuff out of my way so I can do something new, and exciting! I think if I had a bottomless pit of a bank account, I would just drop the work I need to get done today, and run out to WEBS and buy enough to fill my car. I have a Saab station wagon, so I'm not kidding around here. Maybe I'd even buy a floor loom and start a weaving project. I love the sound of someone weaving. Squeak Squeak squeak thump thump thump. My fantasy life is short lived. Work is needling me I have software testing to be done. Yup, I've just admitted it - I'm a bit of a computer geek. Although - who out there reading and writing blogs is NOT? Calvin is snoring beside me on the couch and serving up ripe reminders of his breakfast just under my nose. Perhaps the methane is making me delirious but oddly, I'm hungry. OK that's just plain disgusting. I'd better just leave now before I say something really odd.