Open House

We went to Open House at Noey's school last night. It was so fun....our first Open House!! I feel like a little kid...I get so excited over these things!!
Noey was so proud of all her work. She couldn't wait to show us everything.

I'm not so happy with this cheapo acrylic! It splits something awful. I don't remember that happening when I made the hat and mitts. Maybe I just got a "bad" skein. I love the pattern though. It's a simple Feather and Fan pattern.
I know my mom will like it too.

This jumble of yellow-ness is supposed to be the Baby Bolero from One Skein. The body and sleeves were easy enough, but I can't seam to save my life!

Lookie what I got!

My postcard came today! Isn't it pretty? I just love it! My swap partner was the lovely and talented Raellyn.
Raellyn lives in Eugene, Oregon which coincidentally is where I went to college. Go Ducks! Thank you Raellyn! I love my postcard. (and hopefully I will get yours to you soon!)

I've been tagged!

My good friend, Karen, tagged me with this fun meme:

Seven Things To Do Before I Die:

See New York City (I've been all over the world; London, Paris, Rome, Sydney... but I've never seen NYC)

See Mount Rushmore

Learn to play the violin

Knit socks!!

Ride a century (100 mile bike trip)

Okay, I could only come up with 5....I guess I've done everything else!

Seven Things I Cannot Do:

Math in my head

Chew gum

Carry a tune

Grow my hair out

Drive an automatic

Again, I could only come up with 5

Seven Things That Attract Me To My Man:

His sense of humor

His sense of family responsibility

His values

How he adores his daughter

How he laughs at my jokes

His intelligence

His sense of fun

Seven Books I Love:

Memoirs of a Geisha

Stones From The River

A Cure For Dreams

Breathe, Eyes, Memories

She's Come Undone

Where The Heart Is

The Hobbit

Seven Things I Say:

Jeez Louise

Darn It (per Noey)

Just let me finish this row

5 more minutes

I don't think so

Sure

No problem

Seven Movies I Have Loved:

Yours, Mine, and Ours (the original)

This Property is Condemned (with a very young and extremely handsome Robert Redford!)

Out of Africa (with an older but still attractive Robert Redford!)

To Catch A Thief (with the ever so suave Cary Grant)

Finding Nemo (the first movie Noey ever saw)

The Rookie (because Joe liked it so much!)

Crimson Tide (the first movie Joe and I ever saw together)

Seven Lovely Ladies I'm Going To Tag:

Lynda, Shar, Stacey, Tracey, Shannon, Shizzknits, and Stephanie.

***Disclaimer*** I know that some of you do not like to do MEME's, please don't feel obligated or offended!

Out of the mouths of babes

Conversation in the car on the way home from a birthday party at Kid Concepts:

Noey: "Mommy, can I have my birthday party at Kid Concepts next year?"

Me: "I don't know, we'll have to think about it. It's pretty expensive." (like $500.00)

Noey: "Please Mommy? I really want to."

Me: "I'd have to start saving my money now!"

Noey: "I know how you could save money, Mommy."

Me: "How?"

Noey "Stop buying yarn!"

Me (under my breath) "Ain't gonna happen!"

Cuteness

Whew! I've been busy this week. Since I spoke with you last, I finished the baby sweater, and then made a hat to match.

Noey wanted to model the set for me.
She kept asking me "Was I ever this small, Mama?"

A close up of the cute little hat. It's a cross between the Umbilical Cord hat and my favorite Easy Roll Brim.
It looks so tiny!

and then I knit up a One Skein Wonder for Noey's friend, Hannah, who is turning six next week. I'm not really a yellow or orange person, but I love these colors. And the yarn is so soft!

and finally I started a Feather and Fan scarf for my mom for Mother's Day. I'm using the same yarn I used for her hat and fingerless mitts.

We had a lovely Easter. We went to early service at church....no crowds...but I was disappointed that they didn't do the traditional Easter story.

Then on to Grandma and Grandpa's house for brunch and the egg hunt. Nothing like the excitement of a 6 year old to cure the blues! Noey woke up that morning and said "I can't believe today is Easter!!"
Of course the Bunny spoiled her rotten. That's what happens when you're the only child, and the youngest and only grandchild in the area! I've never seen so much chocolate, and to tell the truth I don't want to see any more chocolate for a while!

Project Spectrum - Searching for Yellow and Orange

I've realized we don't have much yellow or orange in our lives.

This is about it! My Fiestaware. This all belonged to my grandmother, who gave it to me shortly before she died in 1993 at the age of 93. She bought it in the 30's, used it everyday, and ran it through the dishwasher. We use it everyday and run it through the dishwasher too. It's lost some economic value because of the dishwasher, but it holds so much sentimental value!
I love the bright, vivid colors. (despite the dishwashing!)

The yarn is one of 2 skeins I bought at the not so Fabulous Fiber Fest last fall for $1.00 each. It is the softest cheap acrylic I've ever felt! I'm making a One Skein Wonder as a birthday gift for Noey's friend Hannah.

My office is right on the edge of a beautiful canyon (someday I'll post a pic of my view) I spotted these on the walkway last week, and brought my camera to work today.

I found this in my parents' backyard. We had given this to my mom for Mother's Day a couple of years ago.
Noey picked this out especially for Grandma. My mom loves flowers and has a beautiful English garden in her back yard.....but only this plant had yellow or orange!!

May I present to you...

my very first sweater!!

Now, I've made numerous scarves, hats, OSW's, and fingerless mitts, but this is my first sweater, albeit a small one! I completed the knitting portion last night about 11:30pm, just need to sew up the underarm holes, weave in the ends, and sew on the buttons.

Top Down Baby Cardigan

Pattern: Free pattern found here

Yarn: Moda Dea Sassy Stripes in Crush 2 1/2 skeins

Started: Monday, April 10, 2006

Completed: Friday, April 14, 2006

This little sweater has given a huge boost to my confidence. I had been feeling stagnant in my knitting, felt like my skills and knowledge were not improving. I was tired of starting then ripping out so many projects because I just couldn't get it.

I LOVE this sweater. And I'm just so dang proud of myself!! Thankfully, my friend is not due until August, so I can fondle and admire this little cutie for a couple of months.

I ordered a Top Down Cardigan pattern for myself as well as one for Noey. They should be bascially the same as this one, right? So... maybe... just maybe... I'll be able to knit myself a sweater!! Looks like Sitcom Chic and Shawl Collared Cardigan are on hold indefinitely. I only wanna go top down from now on!! (but first I have to make the matching hat!)

Hoppy Easter!!

The Easter Bunny was at the Redondo Beach Farmer's Market this morning!

Well, my Spring Break came and went. It's just a blur now! I had a very nice week and got a lot done. My goal for the week was to be productive and I think that was accomplished.

I worked in Noey's classroom every morning, and also was able to participate in Art to Grow On where we made really cool kaleidoscopes, and help out with the Easter Egg Hunt and Bunny Hop.

I started a Camisole Top knit in the round, then ripped it out. Started a Ribby Shell, then ripped it out as well. I had big plans that I could make a tank top of some sort to wear for Easter, but that didn't pan out.

So this week, Noey is out of school and I am back to work. I've been having the blues this week, not excited about blogging or knitting, or anything else for that matter. Don't know what's up with that.

The Shawl Collar Cardigan is going well and knitting up really fast. The back is finished and the right front is only a few rows from completion. I really like the way the collar is worked, but I'm afraid it might be too big. I've checked and rechecked my gauge, but it seems to be growing on me.
As soon as I realized it was so big, I lost all motivation to finish. Besides the warm weather has kicked in and I wouldn't be able to wear it until fall anyway.....

so, I started a new project!! A Top Down Baby Cardigan for my coworker, Tabetha, who is having a girl in August. I'm planning to make a hat to match.
I got the idea, pattern, and yarn suggestion from Tracey (who's due in a couple of weeks by the way!). I'm using Moda Dea Sassy Stripes in Crush. I started on Monday night, and should be done this weekend.

Day 2

Gosh, I wish I didn't have to work....I'd get so much done!!

I had another successful and productive day. After working in Noey's class again this morning (which is really fun by the way). I headed straight over to Walmart. By the time I came out it was pouring rain! But that didn't deter me, I went on to Beach Knitting in Manhattan Beach. It was not easy to find, especially in the rain, but eventually I did. It's a nice, cozy, little shop. It's relatively new, I think 6 months or so, and they have a fair selection of yarn. Hopefully they'll increase their business and inventory in the coming months. We have so few yarn stores in the area.
I found Cascade 220 Tweed, which is hard to find, to make Glampyre's Easy V Neck, and the white Lily Chin is to make the top of cupcakes from One Skein.

When I got home I finished up the cat I started yesterday. It's made from yellow chenille and a pattern I bought at the Fabulous Fiber Fest last fall (that wasn't so fabulous)
Noey picked out the fabric, back then her favorite color was yellow. (now it's purple) It happened to come with an orange ribbon, so it's perfect for the April Project Spectrum! Our colors are yellow and orange this month.

Kitty is resting on the finished back of my Shawl Collar Cardigan. This is really a quick knit. I finished the back and started the right front in less than 2 days.

After that I made myself a skirt. It turned out really nice, love the colors. I didn't have any elastic for the waist, but other than that it's done. Unfortunately I have nothing to wear with it, and I have no coordinating yarn in my stash!

Good Times

Noey and I had the best time on Saturday. She convinced me to go see Ice Age 2: The Melt Down. I'm not a big fan of crowds and I usually don't like to go to movies during their opening weekend, but she talked me into it. (there were tears involved). I've read on various blogs that some of you knit in the movies, so I decided to give it a try. I'm working on another pair of fingerless mitts for a girl at work. I thought I was doing great, I slipped my markers without dropping them, I even managed to increase a couple of times. But when I got it home I found that I had inadvertantly picked up a stitch. I couldn't figure out where, so I frogged the whole thing and started over. So much for knitting in the dark!!

After the movie, Noey and I went to a Rock and Gem Show in Torrance. The show is run by a bunch of grandfatherly rock hound types all of whom were smitten by Noey! (well, who wouldn't be?) They wanted to show us all kinds of different rocks and tell us all about them. The phosphorus rocks that glow under fluorescent light were spectacular.

I am on Spring Break this week, Noey is not! That means lots and lots of ALONE time!! Today I got to help out in her classroom for a little while, then I went grocery shopping ALONE....I was able to get everything on my list in less than 20 minutes and didn't have to spend 10 minutes in the toy aisle!! I cleaned the house up a bit, worked on a sewing project, (a stuffed cat for Noey....pics when it's done) then I sat down and knit for the rest of the afternoon.

I started yet another new project. Sitcom Chic is not cooperating, so it's having a little time out. I was looking for another magazine when I came across the 2005 Knit It....I think this was the first magazine I ever bought. I happen to have the yarn in my stash to make this Shawl Collar Cardigan, so last night I cast on. I got gauge with size 13 needles, so this is going very fast! I'm just about done with the back.

Now for the rest of the week.....

Walmart

A trip to Beach Knitting - a new LYS in Manhattan Beach (I'm just looking. Really.)

Finish the cat for Noey

Sew a skirt for myself

Start a tank top/camisole to go with the skirt (Cotton Ease from my stash)

Haircut

Taxes

After seeing my stash in its' entirety on Saturday, I feel a little guilty about this....I ordered more yarn and it arrived today. It's actually an addition to some I already had in my stash. I had a couple of skeins of Cascade 220 in Sapphire Heather, and I needed a couple more to make this cute top down cardigan. So you see, in order to use up my stash I had to add to it!! Makes perfect sense to me!

Full Frontal Yarnity

I couldn't come up with a clever way to display my stash like Wendy, so I decided to go with the full on frontal view. This is about 95% of my stash. The other 5% was not worthy of being in this shot. There is a small child in there somewhere.
During the 35 minutes it took to set up and 25 minutes it took to put away, I had some strange thoughts! First, I realized I may have an addiction problem! Second, I realized there are hundreds, if not thousands of dollars worth of yarn here. (no wonder I'm always broke!) Third, I wondered what would happen to my yarn if I died?? Joe could sell it all and think he was rich!!