Knitting In Progress!

Hi!

It is a beautiful and warm summertime. I have had the best time but missed yarn and blogging so much! My oldest graduated high school, turned 18 and we moved. Not far. But a wild time none the less. Summer started very mild considering this is Texas but we are now in full swing "woo, its hot!". I love the hot summer days and the late sunsets.

Yarn wise I am working on knitting my very first sweater. I got this amazing yarn from a friend. 

The color is gypsy and its a beautiful red with light and dark variations. Very soft but tiny! The sweater is meant to be lightweight for spring and summer. It uses thin yarn on thicker needles. (sock weight on size 8 40" circulars in this case). I am a slow knitter still. I just learned a year or so ago. But I am loving how this sweater is coming together. Now I need to get through 11 inches of back and forth. I have not had the nerve to do the math and see just how many rows that will be---I am a little intimidated. I really need to find a great show on Netflix to serial watch and get those 11" inches of sweater behind me. Here is the pattern! It was written by Uncommon Clouds and I am really excited to see how it turns out. So far the fabric is soft and light and working up quickly (relatively...for me). 

Being a new knitter one of my challenges is learning to have a regular tension.

I found some great suggestions!

- Give it time. 

- Try to make the same motion with your hands each time. Rest when that gets tedious.

- Give it time. 

It seems that long, repetitive rows are just what I need.

My next project will be a shawl in some MadelineTosh DK Twist that I found at the yarn festival in Dallas this year! Its so pretty. I really want it finished by the time winter comes for cuddling up with a cup of coffee.

I survived Black Friday weekend!

When did "Black Friday" turn into 4 days? Oh! It was amazing. I am not a big shopper (except yarn stores). I really just love the energy of it. People are all full of food and family love in fancy outfits. I am really big on people watching. I grab coffee and just wander and smile at everyone. They miiiight think I am crazy but they always smile back... so it works for me.

It is funny how late it always feels. It is just so dark so early this time of year.

My big guy was visiting an uncle for the holiday. He had a great time! So, I just had to put the little one to bed and sit the husband in front of his monitor to work through his turkey coma on FFXIV... and away I went.

First, was Walmart. I was nearly hit in the parking lot but that did not phase me. I scored the Nabi 2 at half price. So I am pretty much done for the little ones Christmas. Half price! *cheesy smile* No drama involved either. I walked up, she gave me a wristband. A few minutes later I came back to her and she gave me the box. I grabbed a few other items at irrisistable prices ($4 character jammies...yes, please.) The lines at checkout weren't even long. I was starting to worry about Black Friday. Was it a passing trend?

Next, I hit Ulta. I filled up a bag and then looked at the line and I put that bag down. Don't worry. Black Friday is not a passing trend. The Ulta line proved it. The deals were not beefy enough to warrant that line. Nothing was beefy enough to warrant that line. I could just feel other deals slipping between my fingers if I stood near THAT LINE. It was crazy. So, I left. I hope I find that dirt cheap perfume sampler on Ebay.

I went to a local outdoor mall. It was CHRISTMAS! Christmas music, twinkling lights, people all bundled up. It was right out of a holiday card. *sigh* I wandered. It's what I do. I grabbed some odds and ends over the next two hours and then headed home. I hugged everyone. The holidays do that to me. It's a month of alot of hugs.

This weekend I made cocoa from scratch and finished my shark slippers. See!

These are off to to sit under a tree for a few weeks....just lurking. *insert Jaws music*

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much to be thankful for. Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful holiday!

A Walk at Oak Point Park

We got out this beautiful fall day and took a walk at Oak Point park. I have never been. It is very close to home and I look forward to going back. The trees are all bright colors and everywhere you step it goes crunch from the leaves that have fallen. The grass is sparse so the interesting weeds are really making themselves seen. Such amazing nettles and grasses. The sky here in Texas really is just amazing.

One week off...

Its official! Happy Holidays.

The kids are off of school all week. 9 days. Today is day four. I feel the pressure to "do something" with them". Something warm and memorable. It can be a challenge to entertain with kids that are 12 years apart. One is always waiting on the other to finish having fun so that they can start having fun. And neither has anyone to "have fun with" in this situation. Fortunately, they are both really good sports.

So here we are in what still feels like a strange new place and I want to find "nature" and "beauty" to share with them. Not so much cultural beauty or contrived fun. Play-lands like Chuck E. Cheese kind of turn me off. They get plenty of junk-fueled over stimulation without me seeking it out.

So were to find that? I found a book to help me in my seeking.

Thank you, Lune Blog. I have had her on bloglovin forever and she always inspires me by the pictures of her little ones in the wilderness. It makes me want to move. It makes me feel kind of lazy. Darn mommy guilt.

But, I am excited about getting this book. It looks like a bit of a "nature checklist" of things to seek out with the boys. As for now I will be looking into nearby hiking trails and parks.

Wish me luck?
Mel

I Love Yarn Day

Happy Friday! Even more monumental...Happy I LOVE YARN DAY!!! 

Today I am riddled with messy allergies (ragweed *glare*) but I pushed through and after helping out the teacher at my little guys school I went yarn shopping. Michaels and then Hobby Lobby.

Haul time!!! I figure I will divide them up by store in case anyone wants to go get something that they see.

First Michaels!

And now Hobby Lobby!

The driving force behind my shopping was threefold.

Firstly, I have been serial watching "Once Upon a Time" on Netflix this week. I am really enjoying the show. I believe I am on episode 14 now. There is some amazing yarn smut on this show. But, I had to push pause and search Ravelry when I saw this picture:

Its amazing and I need it. So I grabbed some grey bulky yarn today and downloaded a free pattern for it. 

This one is next: 

Here is the free pattern for it. Thank you, movieknitters!

And I will need Ruby's hat, too. (Pattern) I grabbed the red sport weight yarn today. 

Secondly, I am sending three swaps. My main items are all ready to ship but I like to send fun little extras...candy and tiny crafted items. So I got some materials and fun stuff to throw in there.

Lastly, I have a project...moon jars! They are magical and amazing and I MUST make some. (I tried to get everything at Michaels and Hobby Lobby but had to go to Walmart for the solar lights). I will take pics and we will walk down the road of moon jars together.

Chevron Cowl

Its Fall!!!!

Wow...you know I love fall. I have done posts just on the different flavors I like to hunt out in the fall. This year I have been digging my heals into a brand new goal: debt killing. So I will there will be less "what I like to buy" and more "favorite recipes" this season.

Saving is really amazing. It is amazing how little things really do add up. I am guilty of thinking that penny pinching is thankless. But no. Its so freeing to find more than you expect in the bank at the end of the month. It also appeals to the puzzle player in me. Hunting deals and seeing how little I can spend in a certain amount of time is just fun.

I think the trick to all things in life is to see it as a lesson and keep it positive. Life is too short to not keep your heart and mind in the moment and count your blessings.

Oh...and I crochet!

So this little chevron cowl is on its way to keep a good friend warm and add some color to her winter. I think I need to make one for myself with some yarny fringe. What do you think?

Here is an action shot:

Its abotu 24" long. I think I would make mine just a little longer so I can loop it. She loves tangerine and turquoise but I would probably opt for some purple. I used I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby/ You can buy it online if you dont have a local Hobby Lobby. It feels alot like Red Hearts "With Love" yarn...except this doesn't pill like theirs does. So "I Love This Yarn" is great for smooshy items like cowls and baby blankets. It washes great, too!

This is the pattern I used from Crochet In Color. Its for a scarf but I just crocheted for 24" of the pattern. Then I used a metal yarn needle and sewed it up the side with a whip stitch.