Home again

Ok first things first.. a couple of snaps of the shawl I am crazy in love with. So simple, so lovely, so great a use of Manos.. (colourway Agate, about 375 g as I used a titch of it for something else)



Work has such great natural light yes? The pattern is here:

http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/shawls-shrugs/feather-and-fan-comfort-shawl.htm

And did I mention it is a FREE PATTERN (and I am too lazy to do a nice tidy html pretty link.. deal ok?)? Can't beat free with a stick now can you? And even though the picture is um.. well lets just say I was told to embrace my inner poncho ( I<3 Leanne), it can be so much more than that you know? I LOVES it I do.. In fact it has inspired me (along with another lovely and fabulous woman Nancy) to look at things like this:


With a lot more seriousness. Like serious enough that maybe that pink skein is sitting in front of my TV right now calling me. Of course it has competition.. in the FORM OF..



Sigh.. so much damn yarn.. so little time. This HAD to come home from work with me last week. It really really did. I haven't felt the siren pull of something like this for a long time.. now I have enough for a sweater. A scoop neck cardi I think, but we'll see. This bit of heaven has made me its bitch. Oh yes it has.




Just in case you thought the trip up North yielded nada.. you were so very wrong. These are destined for others, and there were 2 more, but someone (MARILYNN) couldn't wait and had to scamper in on her day to off to collect her booty. She is too cute.

These are for me. WTF? I don't do sock yarn!? Well I DEFY anyone to resist the siren call of Socks That Rock, because even the non sock yarn Betties (and yes there are a few of us ok?) can go for a HEAVY WEIGHT! Ok and that Lorna's had to sneak in for its close up too. Chris picked the blue out for himself, and I duly promised to *eventually* make socks for him. I also made him leave River City Yarns when it came time to pay. He agreed handily. I love my husband. I really do. :)

We had a fabulous time up in the Chuck we did. we saw lovely family, ate ridiculous amounts of food, went shopping and best of all we made a really sweet new friend. Here she is, Princess Toshi.




She is a very well travelled pup, from Australia and has now achieved permanent resident status with Chris' Aunt Norma and Uncle Tom. We think she is very lucky to have them. :) She is a Jack Russell/Rat Terrier mix and just as nice as pie. Nicer in fact. She warmed up us and even deigned to sit with Chris for his morning OJ.

What a gorgeous doll she is! Max stayed with my Mum and Dad, but will be introduced next time we go up. We think they will get along famously.

What did you do this weekend??

Thankful

I think sometimes I need to be reminded to be thankful for what I have. I know we all need that kick in the pants once in a while so why not document it?

Today I am thankful for these monkeys. Now what? You say? Well jeeze, lookit them! These are Telus (which we hates with the flaming passion of a thousand fiery suns, but that is really neither here nor there right?) monkeys that have yet to be corrupted by the evil machine. By evil machine please the sentence previous to this one ok? And holy hell who doesn't like cute pictures of animals? Why do you think cuteoverload does so well? I bet even Mussolini and Satan liked/s puppies or kitties right?

AND as usual, I am thankful for :

This mornings offering is a cinnamon/french vanilla latte with cinnamon/splenda topping in a mug made by me. Oh yes, I threw this back when I was taking a wheel throwing course. My last one in fact. I have been missing pottery lately, not that knitting doesn't fulfill me, it really does, but something about wheel throwing seems magickal. I dreamed about wedging clay last night. I think its a sign no? Besides, you can NEVER have too many sturdy thrown mugs right?

I am also thankful for Baby Panda Mei Lan who keeps me happy and amused for many hours of the week. Honestly, when I feel stressed out, I click on PANDA-CAM and a few minutes of watching her sleep, play or just be a panda is enough to reduce stress and make me smile. Don't believe me? Try it for your self. The link is on the side there. AND I found a couple other panda cams the other day! WHO KNEW?!?

And finally.. this:

OMG HOW CAN ANYTHING BE SO CUTE?

Today's post brought to you by the letter R, number 4 and sincere lack of cynicism. Happy weekend all!

As promised..

Momma Panda says I love you too Mei Lan..

See I told myself I COULDN'T update until I took, and posted these fine pictures of Chris in his new fancy sweater. He is *such* a good sport isn't he? The sweater sure came out nicely, and he has ACTUALLY WORN IT! Its enough to make me wanna knit.. no wait a minute.. don't start down that road again Missy!

Superhero pose!

Checking his watch!

Peeking coyly..

I feel kinda silly as that had been finished for really long time now. Long enough for me to finish 2 pairs of mittens, 2 scarves, a BEAUTIFUL shawl (that I will take pictures of tomorrow at work because thats where I forgot it!) a ginormous square for a baby blanket (that I couldn't talk about until it had been given to its recipient, which DUH it has!) and adding to an afghan that is perpetually in progress. Brackets much? Anyways, I have been doing something really really radical lately too..

Knitting from my stash! OMG! Like totally freak me out! I am finding great joy in doing these small projects.

Mini Clapotis from Knitty. Used Cotton Silk blend yarn (lost the label sorry ya'll!) doing 3.5 repeats of the increase section. I love wearing scarves lately, the weather here is so wonky its a good thing to have one on you at all times.

I have knit a Clapotis before out of some seriously ugly super wash yarn my Mummy gave me (it was the same colour as my skin.. euwwwwww) then over dyed it. It came out kind of , um.. funny looking, so now the dogga sleeps on it. Think he knows he has a *designer* sleep blanket? I reckon he could care less.

Feather and Fan scarf out of a 100% wool yarn called Landlord that has been languishing in my stash forever. There are matching mittens to this too, but really they are not that exciting. I bought a gorgeous new coat at the Bay on clearance (Perry Ellis Portfolio! 70% OFF!) that was crying for new mittens and scarf to go with. OK it sorta matches the lining cause the coat is indeed black, but YUMMY!

I am really digging the feather and fan lately. Such a nice easy to do, looks harder than it is finish to it. Much like the Clapotis.

This weekend we are heading up North to see the Family and do some shopping. I shall be Hitting a few local Edmonton yarn shops (HELLO RIVER CITY!) and may have new and wondrous things to show you when I get back. Chris just keeps muttering three little words to himself.. I swear its the only thing keeping him going at this stressful place of work right now. POKER CHIP STORE. Apparently there is one in WEM, so guess where we are headed? Heh heh.

In other news: Make 1 Yarn Studio Turned 1 year old well.. today actually. But our party was on Tuesday night. I have to take minute to thank Amy and Sandra for having such an amazing shop, building such a fabulous community and having totally terrific taste in staff. (giggle). No, really though, you two are too amazing for words. I love you both to bits!

TAG! You're it! (it's ALL ABOUT ME)

Wow! I have been tagged by the beautiful and knocked up Tara. 5 reasons why I blog huh??

Reason the first:

I am an attention whore. No really. I know some of you will be shocked and dismayed at this startling revelation, but tis true. I like people knowing certain things. And lavish praise, oh yes LAVISH PRAISE!

Reason the second:

Its a great way to document my knitting skillz and what minutiae in my life I am currently obsessed with. You may ask why I don't have a paper journal? I find I am much funnier and less waaaah waaaaaah waaaaaah when I know other people are going to read it. I tried to keep a proper journal once, but when I went back and read it I was so mortified at myself I ripped it up. Public shame is a good motivator for me NOT to take myself too seriously. Seriously.

Reason C:

I too can avoid the mass email thingies. I like the family/friend units being able to catch up on stuff I would normally forget to tell them and know we still think about them. I LOVE they can see a slice of our lives. AND SOME PEOPLE WHO SHALL REMAIN NAMELESS SHOULD START A BLOG SOON TOO OK???

Number 4:

I enjoy inflicting random pictures of things I am OCD about on you all. Cupcakes and kissing llamas? Coffee and balls of yarn? How else will you know what to buy me for gifts? Where else would you be able to access my amazon wishlist?

Finally V:

ALL THE COOL KIDS DO IT SO WHY CAN'T I?

Now I think I want to tag........... Michelle. You ARE ON BABE!!!

Ok now for the brass tacks: We have been having a little tornado of family stuff going on which is why I haven't updated re: Chris' sweater. But rest assured it is done. He has worn it, and I will post photos ASAP of him in his best Sears Catalogue poses in it. He looks MIGHTY SPIFFY if I do say so myself. Of course I am VERY biased. :)

In Other News:

Da Vinci Gingerbread syrup is a god among syrups. Don't believe me? Come on over and I'll make you a latte or cappuccino that will prove me right. See mine today? Look up there silly, its at the top o the page.

Happy weekend all... I do love you!