I've joined The Great Bookmark Exchange...

I'm excited about this new swap that I just joined...it covers all of my favorites: books, knitting, and swaps. Here's my exchange survey:

1. What genre of books do you enjoy most? (i.e. mystery, romance, horror, historical, biographies, autobiographies, fantasy, sci-fi, etc) I enjoy mysteries, Christian fiction, books on travel, cooking, knitting fiction.
2. What sort of bookmarks do you like best? (long, short, lacy/elegant, fun/cute, corner, tasselled, etc) I'm not picky, but I love fun, quirky long or short bookmarks...tasseled or book thong-type bookmarks are nice, as well as knitted or crocheted, etc.
3. What are your favorite colors? My favorite colors are jewel-tones (bright batik colors), or cherry red, or a combo of chocolate brown and pink (think of chocolate-covered cherries!)
4. Are there any colors you don't like? neon colors, or baby pink,blues, mint green, or yellow; plain brown or orange aren't favorites. :)
5. What sort of "theme'' would you like your bookmark to be? Hmmm...I like themes regarding: knitting, wool, sheep, dragonflies, coffee, chocolates...Bible verses, too.
6. Are there any "themes'' that you wouldn't like?? no scary or "new age" things, I guess.
7. Can you send internationally? Prefer to keep shipping within the USA at this time as I'm already involved in another international swap, but I am willing to do international shipping.
8. If your partner wants to send along extra goodies (like tea, candy, cocoa, etc), what do you enjoy? And is there anything you don't like/can't have?? I love coffee (esp. Dunkin Donuts), cocoa, Swedish Fish candies, nuts, and all sorts of chocolates.
9. What crafts are you going to use to make your bookmarks? Is there a particular craft type you would like to receive? (knitted bookmarks, plastic canvas, etc) I will either make a knitted bookmark, or a beaded book thong type with theme/crystal and glass bead in colors of swappers choice, or even a quilted bookmark, depending on what the swapper likes best from their profile. I also can cross-stitch, but not crochet. I like the same above types, too.
10. Do you have any allergies??? None
11. Do you smoke, have cats/dogs, or anything that other members might be allergic to?? We have a smoke-free home, have 2 dogs and 2 cats, but the cats aren't around the yarn.

Happy Groundhog Day!

Yes, it's already February 2nd...my, how time flies! Did Phil the Groundhog see his shadow in your part of the world? He won't see it here, since we're expecting an inch or two of snow today. I'd love a nice big snowstorm where everyone can stay home, no electricity outages, fridge full of good food, coffee and creamer in abundance, and tons of knitting time. No snow here! They call this New England?
Today I need to send a secret pal package overseas...I can't wait for her to get it. Here's a skein of BMFC lightweight "Beryl"...it's SO luscious and colorful in person. It's going in "the box" and sent away to be loved and used by another knitter.

My Creative Crafty Friend Learns to Knit Socks!

1. Don't mess with C when she's eating homemade and "just out of the oven" banana/carrot cake with a yummy glazed frosting.
2. C is smiling because she's learning how to cast on her first pair of socks tomorrow...she has NO idea how addicting it can be.
3. C is the mom of 2 teens as well, and needs all of the mom-knitting-time that she can afford for therapeutic reasons.

A Ducky Day

The temps are low, the skies are gray, and school work is done for the day...perfect time to knit before starting dinner (or finding something to defrost for dinner). I spent an hour or so frogging (ripping out) about 7 inches of my supposedly "no brainer" cardigan...because I lost two stitches while knitting and talking at the same time...I think I lost them during the creation of some picots, but whatever, because I'm back to the correct number on my circulars. :) I'm not sure if the correct number of stitches was really important on this item, but they're correct so far! The nubbly skein of purple was not fun to frog, either.
On the other hand, I should be instructing C on the "class sock" from Sensational Knit Socks
for her first pair of knitted sockwear. Hmmm...here she is, hiding behind a fork. She's my awesome partner in crime for quilting, beading, shopping, sushi dining, bookstore hopping, etc...and now she'd stepping up to the plate and getting beyond knitted scarves. Go C!!!

A Sound Mind?

Yes..this has to do with knitting...bear with me. During my Bible reading this am, a particular verse kept popping in my head: "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind "(2Tim 1:7). Where IS this "sound mind" of mine this week?
It sound silly, but arguing with J, my 15 yr old son, about his "NEED" of being able to text message on his (actually, it belongs to his parents) cell phone 24/7...pretending to be a Star Wars action figure for S, my 7 yr. old...and discussing the upcoming meeting with an Army recruiter with B, my 18 yr old...ahhh...this is why I knit.
I love my life, my hubby, my kids, my church family...but I enjoy the restorative effect of knitting!!! The feel of the yarn through my fingers, the clicking of the wooden needles, the repetitive patterns that seem to keep this ADD-type head of mine active, the ability to create something from sticks and string, as S calls them...this is what knitting does for me. I know that the good Lord loves me, and has allowed me to enjoy these perks of knitting.
Back to knitting...see the skein pictured here? The skein of BlueMoonFiberArts (AKA Socks That Rock) lightweight yarn in the colorway of "Lovers Leap" has become an object of my affection. Yup...it's only been in my possession for 3 days, and it sits elegantly on the top of my unseamed Kureyon sweater on my dresser. The Blue Moon yarn is now my most favorite touchy yarn...I can't wait to cast on a pair of socks, but it's SO nice in the skein. An object of art...almost! So, I guess I must purchase more...in any and all colors. Won't they look nice in a cute basket on the corner of my dresser? I'll post if I do.
It's time to get the kids up for school...we have a home school group that meets twice a week here, and today's the day. I'll be bringing my purple cardigan WIP for my free time today.
Knit On...

"My Purple Thing" or My WIP

This mound of Araucania Yarn ("Pehuen") is actually a beautiful 100% Cotton hand dyed yarn from Chile. Lots of texture and color variance. I'll have to get the light right on a skein cake to do this yarn any justice. What am I knitting? It's a lacey back scoop cardigan with picot edging, to go over a simple solid T or blouse... and I have a fused glass shawl pin to go with it. I'll post when finished. This thing is actually all knit in one piece on size 15 needles. Fast and fun. I can't talk and count simple CO or BO at the same time, though.
I'm sending my secret pal from the Knittyboard Rutabaga swap some goodies....some STR yarn, some chocolates, some Koigu, some other yummies, some reading, etc...some markers....I'll post a pic of the box when it ships...I want it to stay a secret until my pal receives her goodies!

My Tuesday with Kids, Knitting, and a Birthday

Oh my...how time flies! After spending a bit to fix my frazzled computer this weekend, it slogged down to a s...l...o...w speed...rending it useless, for all purposes, basically...after I automatically updated to Windows Service Pak 2...So...I deleted it, till I can speak to my computer geek friend, Zeke...and voila!!! It works fine. So happy am I. :)
Boy, this yarn/knitting stuff is obsessive. I have added to my knitting lair some STR in these 2 colorways, and I've been packing a box for a secret pal swap...and saying I "HAVE" to go to the LYS to get her "stuff"...and getting more yarn for me...well, to knit for gifts, of course.
Kids think that mom is nuts to fiddle with sticks and bobbly yarn to knit the current WIP which is a back scoop cardigan.


Today was C's 43rd birthday...learned how to make wonderful stitch markers with her beading supplies, then went to an art gallery and had our fix of colors, textures,etc....but never made it to Dunkin Donuts! I'm going to get her to knit some socks yet!