I am a bad blogger!!!!

I missed the entire month of May! Well,I guess I was busy with end of school year stuff and spring planting. Oh, Well!!! I haven't done too much knitting though or spinning for that matter. But did do some today even though it is sooo flipping hot here. From really cold to really hot.... can't be happy medium. Any way, I am still working on Bristow even though I frogged the front again. I should just do it and finish so I can start the right. I am still working on the Faroese shawl. That is coming along almost to the border now. I did do a bad thing and ordered a whole cone of Zephyr yarn. It was half the price of anywhere else and so far great service at Sarah's yarns. Looking forward to my yarn should be here at the end of the week. This is for the Mystery Stole 3. Great idea and can't wait to finish my swatch and see what I did to do either go up or down a needle size. Well, when my son's camera battery gets charged I will post pictures of my shawl and other things.

May Already!!!

I know, I know...not really original but hey who cares....I have been super busy these last few weeks. I work for a grain elevator so it is spring planting time finally and so my job goes nutso for a few weeks. So I work ten hours not a lot of time left for knitting and blogging and such.

Knitting wise I seem to be addicted to knitting the Faroese shawl...it is easy and challenging all at the same time. I like the lace gusset so that is the only challenging part and the rest is garter stitch so ....easy and you please and with my brain needing a vacation it is the perfect project for all those busy days. I don't think I have knit anything else this entire month. I did sew up half a kimono and one sock. I did do a few rounds on my second sock but it looks pretty much like it does in the photo on the last entry. Everything else is the same too. I should do a second baby sock to go with the first but don't know if that is happening any time soon.

I have exciting news....I was able to win an ebay bid for a wheel....I am so excited in a few weeks a new wheel....I can't wait I might clean the house for the new addition. Well, got to go and decide what is my UFO for this month. I am thinking Bristow cardi really REALLY need to get that front done.

See ya....

April Already!!!!

Wow the month of March went by way too fast. Between finishing up
Basketball for DD to starting wrestling for DS. It has been a lot of traveling, not so great weather and changes at work. It was alot running around and such. I did almost exclusively knit on my Faroese Shawl. I am up to about 300 stitches so far only have to get to around 500 when it will be almost done. At increasing 4 stitches every other row. It might be a while. I think for the month of April I WILL get my left front done. I need to get that done some time this century. I love the yarn(knitpicks andean silk) just feel like I have to concentrate on what I am doing with all the cables and watching the pattern. I think I will start the left sleeve too.

I will take pics soon and see what progress i have made on the shawl and then be able to see the progrees of the cardi too.

I have been researching spinning wheels. I have two spindles and like that but am finding it slow to figuring it out. I think I have got the idea just need a bit of a reassurance as to the technique. I am trying to find a guild in the area. I do know of a women who spins near me I just have to ask around for her name. I am going to start a spinning wheel fund and maybe by the end of summer I will have enough to buy either a Louet S10 or S15. I just bought more merino roving on ebay. May try my hand at dyeing some of it since it is white.

I have also been scrapbooking lately too. I went to a weekend retreat a couple of weekends ago. It was wonderful to get away and just relax and do something I enjoy without all the worry of dinner, kids and guilt about not being with my family. It was well worth the money. I got 28 8x8pages done. I just have to finish the albums I started not to mention the thousand other things I have to do. I should make a list. ...

I will try to post more but don't count on it. It is getting busier here all the time. Especially with spring planting right around the corner.

Snow Day and March UFO challenge

cozy

cabled scarf
bristow left cardi
my second sock....

I finally got the pics uploaded...Yeah!!!! We had about 7" of snow last night and more to follow today so no work or school today.

This month I want to concentrate on getting my cabled scarf done and the left front of Bristow done. I have started 2 new projects this month. I am doing well with that. The list is ever growing. We now have: Faroese shawl, cabled scarf, Cozy(lacy shawl), Bristow cardi, and second sock. Five projects on the needles. Hopefully, I can get this down to about 3 this month.

But I am knitting so that is good now I have to some scrapbooking too. Maybe this snowy weekend I can get something done there as well.

Update on the UFO Challenge

I have bee working on my Cozy pattern from Knitty. Cozy is coming a long I am on the second skein so that is good and the pattern is looking better than the first time I did it. I am using bigger needles this time and it is making all the difference.

Bristow is at a point that I am going to just have to finish it so I don't forget where I am in the pattern. It might be this weekend. We are scheduled to have a winter storm so that means staying home and knitting and crafting. Hope it won't be too crazy with 3 kids and hubby stuck home too.

The Faroese shawl is coming a long as well. It is beside my bed waiting patiently for me to finish. It is easier than I thought so it is an easy knit.

I also started my second sock so that is easy too. I am hoping it comes out close to the first one.
Someday I will find my camera and post pictures of my finished objects.

Well I have to go I will post what my next month's concentrated objects will be later.

I have a dr appt and various other errands .

Things started and things finished....

Well, I went to a crop this weekend and got 3 2pg layouts done so that was good. I finished my sock today at work....yes...work is a little slow. I started and finished in a week a baby sock. I still have to sew it together but it is done. I also finished my baby kimono from MSD book in purple I need to sew that one together too. But I did finish knitting it though so that was a good accomplishment this month. So unfinished object challenge is working.

Baby kimono done.
baby sock done.
my first sock done.

Working on
left front of Bristow
Faroese shawl
Irish hiking scarf
Cozy...(this maybe be headed for the frog pond though)

Feb will be Bristow and Shawl still I think.

It is still cold here and getting colder. I also have some great movies for knitting maybe when I find a few minutes this week. I don't know though. Maybe tomorrow will be movie night. DD has a thing she is going to. I don't have to take her yeah!!! Thurs is a Bball game. Friday possible movie night...too. Sat bball game again Sunday afternoon and evening...prime knitting time ....Superbowl....

I will post pics when I find my digi camera....misplaced it somewhere.

Lots to blog about...

Not liking this winter idea....but it has warmed up a bit so I really can't complain.

I have been listening to Pixiepurls podcast. She found a blog that is encouraging everyone to finish some of those UFO's. So I will follow that. I have finally finished the baby kimono. Just have to stitch it up. So one down just another 7 or so to go.

Let's see what are my UFO's....

Irish cabled Hiking scarf
Bristow cardi..back is done bout half way on the left front.
Faorese lace shawl
A simple sock
prayer shawl in merino wool.

These are all that I can think of right now.
Wanted to get some scrapping books done too.
Cards to do and such.

Should also work on some dishcloths/washcloths. ..

There is always something I can find to do.
I have lots of cotton and some sock yarn in my stash to do something with have to work on that.

I will be working on Bristow predominately for the rest of the month. With a few rows of the Faro Shawl.

Will post pictures later.

Winter has arrived

Winter has come woke up to -17 degrees F. This morning.....very very cold....I must go and shower and face the cold.

Knitting and paper crafting are going to my world this weekend.

New year, new blog.....

Well, it has been a busy week or so. Had an enjoyable holiday. The weather here has gone crazy. It is raining here in ND in January. Usually it is -20 or something and with some snow. We have the snow but rain....never at not as long as I have lived here. I have not kept up with the journaling my christmas very well. I have done to about Dec 10 but that is all. I will try to find time later and do it then. I did start knitting a shawl with a lace inset. It is coming along nicely. I do have ten other things I should be finishing but we all know how that goes. I am going to start doing the Artist's way and see if I can keep my creativity going. Let you know how it all goes.

Talk to you all later.

Journaling my Christmas Day #2!

Well I am no expert on blogger either. Some day I will learn how to get pictures to go where I want them to. This my day 2 entry. I spread the journaling across the two pages.

Here is the Journaling in a more comprehensive manner.

Christmastime has always meant snow and ice . I grew up in Ohio and snow was generally present. I made snowmen and snowball fights with the neighborhood kids. The winters never got terribly cold. Thermometer at zero was cold, snow crunching under foot...nose a bit cold...uncomfortable, yes, but not life threatening.
I live in North Dakota now, winter has a whole new meaning, -20*F isn't unusual, the cold is life threatening if out for more than a few minutes. My kids don't usually play in the snow like we used to. I have learned to always wear gloves and hats...etc because it gets COLD! I still enjoy the season with lots of clothes and coffee.I do lots of indoor thnigs but the live nativity is one I will brave the COLD for. It is a special event and one new tradition to add to our family. My kids think snow is just a season to get thorough until spring. I hope one day they can appreciate the snow for its beauty than the ugly side of the cold that goes with it.

There it is in a nutshell. the snowflakes were made by me and my daughter. It was fun to make them again.

Journaling my Christmas

I have decided to come back to blogger. Journalspace wasn't letting me do things I wanted to do.

I know how this all works so I am back.

I am taking this class online about journaling your Christmas so far it is lots of fun. I am remembering making snowflakes.

It is fun to creative with paper and scissors again. Back to basics for me. I post my Manifesto/committment to being creative every day during this season.

This one of the things I have been working on. It is the baby Kimono from mason dixon knitting. I am knitting it for my newest great niece. She is a few weeks old so I have to hurry to get it done.

It is a new thing for me. I hope to do more knitting out of the book like the hand towels and some of the dishclothes. I really do enjoy the Mason Dixon book. Great knitting. Thank you Secret Pal for the book.


So there is a knitting update. More later.


This is my tattoo.....granted it is a henna tattoo. Yes, it was temporary. I really enjoyed getting it. I got as part of my weekend to a Christian woman's retreat. We learned about India and Pakistan. It was fun to learn about different cultures and how they relate to our own. We got to meet a couple who grew up in Pakistan. The lady gave anyone who wanted one a henna tattoo. It was lots of fun learning about different religions and investigating my own. I may have to try my hand at henna tattooing too.

Secret Pal 8 posting challenge....

Okay...at least this gives me something to say even though...I should have lots to say about my weekend away....another day.

1. What is your favorite season....My favorite season is the beginning of all of them....the first crisp fall day, the first snow, the first flower in spring and the first really warm day in summer.

2. My favorite place to vacation would be anywhere there are trees and indoor plumbing.

3. I would be an artist...spending my days either knitting or scrapbooking....design things and just enjoying the process.

4. my favorite thing to knit is everything....and crochet I like to crochet baby afghans.

5. Right now....this changes according to mood or season....Ice Cream....with cookies...

6. Favorite way to relax and unwind is a hot bath, a good book and knitting.

So there you have it me in a nut shell. I am a simple girl. I don't even need to TV....well, I do like to know the news but I can use radio for that.
I will do another installment soon. I had a tattoo.....

Secret Pal post.....

Okay...I haven't died or anything but have been busy with my new job. I am a bookkeeper at a local grain elevator. So I am learning new things and remember how to do old things. I have trying to do some knitting from the new book that my secret pal sent me. I started the baby kimono but haven't gotten too far with it. I am doing it in a lilac Lion brand cotton. It is for my new great niece. I just have to get it done soon.

I know that my secret pal is out of the country for the a while but I know she will be back soon. I am trying to figure out some things to get for my secret pal. Too many choices...but will just have to choose something.

Talk to you all soon. I have a retreat this weekend my first time to go away by self. It should be interesting.

Lots of Things.....

These are some of things I made for a craft fair this last weekend. These were fun and easy to make. I only sold two paper bag books and 3 cards but it was fun though. I think I will put some things on ebay and see how they do there.

Let's see what else is new in my life.....

I got a job as a bookkeeper at our local grain elevator so I will be able to use my education as an accountant and learn some new things too. I am looking forward to it but also a little anxious about going back to work after 4 years off.

Seth is doing really well with the potty training. I think we might be close to real underpants. He knows that life is changing but he doesn't know how though. Autumn will watch him until just before school starts so hopefully, the transition will be easier for him. He will also start preschool this fall too. Lots of changes for him.

Thank you Secret pal. I got my book....Mason Dixon knitting. I am already knitting the baby kimono. My niece is having another baby so it will be for her. I love so many things in this book. I can't wait to make the dishcloths and other things too.

Happy Fourth of July!!! We have had a long weekend of various events here and tomorrow is the culmination of everything. We will go to the parade and have a barbeque with some friends. Then fireworks at night.

Then I have to get up for work in the morning. Wish me luck.....

Blog a Book along: Chapter 5 Stress/anxiety....

I am going to answer one of the writing prompts...Do I grow up in an anxiety rich environment? How did it affect me as a kid?

Yes, I did grow up in an anxiety rich environment because when I was 9 years old my world changed. My mother who was my world at the time had an aneryseum that left her alive but partial paralyzed and having to learn everything all over again. I also ended up sick with scarletina and very scared that nothing would ever be the same. All of a sudden my rock wasn't there. My siblings were all a lot older than me and had lives of their own. My father was there but he had my mother to take care of...so there was a lot of anxiety in my home for a lot of years as we adjusted to the changes. I ended up taking care of my parents by the time I was ten. I did the laundry, cooking, and cleaning etc. I don't know what a normal childhood is like because I didn't really have one. I learned more about pharmacology than most adults. Needless to say I had a lot of responsiblity and some say in the household but I still needed some direction and guidance. My father had did the best he could but he also helped me to see that I could do anything as long as I wanted it badly enough.

I learned thru my experiences what I don't want for my children but also learned coping mechanisms to deal with my life without pills or drugs. I have learned mediation as a way to relieve stress and worries. I know my signals that I need to release things. My dh has learned various things thru his life as well and we have practiced them together. We try to have a peaceful household but fun and loving household as well. I don't want to a friend to children I want to be a guide and sounding board. These are things that I always wanted with my parents. I don't like feeling anxious so I have worked to change that. I know some people don't have that luxury of having time to deal with their anxieties but I know once they deal with them, They function better. I think Dyer is not realizing that not all children are totally accepting and free from anxiety. My son has always been anxious and nervous since he was small. My dh and I have shared with him our ways of coping and encouraged him to find his own peace with himself. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't but we do try to him figure out why he worries and if it is something he can change to feel in control of it.

I also think there is a fine line between worry and concern....I call it worry but maybe it is concern....I worry that my kids as they find their independence they are not harmed badly...I worry that my husband's health doesn't get worse or that he has an accident....I think these things are some things I can not change but I still worry because I love them and don't want to lose them to something that we could have prepared for. So worry or concern.....where is the line and do we know if we cross it?

Secret Pal 8......Thank you!!!

Here are things my secret pal sent me. The yarn is sock yarn and I can't wait to try socks. I might have to take a little while before I do but I will learn to do socks.....

The book is really good. I already finished it. But will probably read it again and again. My secret pal is treating me well.

The knitting is going okay right now. I figured out my left front on my cardigan and that is coming along. I haven't made much progress on anything else because I am working on my paper craft hobby. I am going to do some selling at a craft fair in July so I am busy making things to sell. Plus the kids have been busy as well.

Now that has cooled off...I will be able to make better progress. It has been so hot here and we don't have A/C so it hard to keep the house cool and comfy.
I will try to update about the book in the next few days. I haven't read the last two chapters so will skim those and come up with something tomorrow or Monday.

Blog a book: Chapter 4 Self Reliant.

This chapter was interesting in that I always want my kids to be self-reliant. A lot of the things Dyer discusses are things that we do with our kids anyway. I have to admit that I am an approval seeker because I think when I was small that is how I got attention. In my family I still seek their approval and usually don't get it. I have learned over the years that seeking approval gets you no where. Thus, I am trying to help my kids to get over that approval thing. My oldest, Autumn, does fine with this and we usually discuss the problems she has and I reassure her that she should just be herself and stick to what she believes regardless of everyone else. My middle child, Jacob has trouble with this and is a terrible approval seeker. I am trying to wean him away from this but it is very frustrating. My littlest one, I have been really aware of the little things..ie. spilled milk, I try not to get angry but just clean it up and sometimes include him in the process. I truly believe that we all need to make sure our kids don't blame others for their problems.

I agree with Dyer most in this chapter...as I have figured these things out for myself and try to help my kids find that they have the power within themselves. Don't go looking for something that is right inside you.

Blog A book Along: What do I really want for my Children?

Chapter 3: I want my children to be risk takers.

I do want my children to take some risks. Dyer says you don't grow if you don't take risks. I believe this to be true because the times I have taken risks I have learned something or grown is some way. I understand what he means we have to excited and not fearful. It is a scary thing to change something or do something that takes us out of our comfort zone. I think you need to change the fear to excitement. Sort of putting the positive spin on it. After all fear and excitement cause the same bodily reaction..heartrate increases, you sweat, etc....I think it is all in how you use that reaction. Everytime I get fearful I try to turn that into excitement rather than be paralzyed by the fear. The quote" The only thing we have to fear is fear itself" by FDR. I think fear can be the monster under the bed that we tend to not want to deal with but once we do everything is so much better.

The best thing that I got out of this chapter was about Do your best...to be changed to just Do it. I have one child that is a risk taker and one that isn't. I have used everything in my power to get the non risk taker to takes the risk of being wrong which is his biggest fear. Sometimes he does take the risks and I try to be there to let him know that that was a good job to just take the risk but I know he just thinks it is stupid to do things that you fear. Because it is uncomfortable but it is way a to enlarge your world. So I think I will drop the "your best" part and just say "DO"! Because best is very subjective to everyone at different times.

This is a very interesting book in that it is helping me look at my parenting in a different way and it is also verifying to me that I am doing some good things too.

Knitting......update.....

This what I have been up to with my knitting. This is the back of my Bristow Cardigan. I have since finished it so that is something. I have started the
left front now.
The next photo is my prayer shawl and I finished this one too. It is very warm and feels nice too. I am so tired of knitting with LB homespun that I won't be doing that any time soon.
The scarf is the Irish hiking scarf for the knitalong. I am not done with that one. I like doing it but I have to do it when I am not going to be bothered to much. I tend to get lost on my count. I did start a lace project Cozy from knitty. But need to concentrate on that one too. I am probably going to start another prayer shawl in Merino knit picks iris color. That is a very easy knit and relaxing. I need to have various projects going to meet my needs. I also am trying to learn socks but that isn't coming along like I hoped.


These are the knit markers I made using directions from
www.wormspit.com/stitchmarkers Very nice......

Well that is all of my projects currently. So yes, I did knit and scrapbook too. Maybe I will get some of that up soon too. Stay posted.....