August 1 - 7 is "International Charity Crafts Week". Check out this web site to find out more. If you know how, please take some time to do some knitting/crocheting/sewing for someone in need.
I plan to deliver my baby hats to the UCSF ICN next week. I will also send off some hats to The Preemie Project. I may send off something else, too. Depends how I'm doing.
One year ago today, many of our friends were fasting and praying for Paul. We were begging God to spare his life and help him get well enough to come home. God answered the next day with a 6:15 a.m. call from the hospital. It wasn't the answer we were hoping for, but it *was* an answer.
Please keep us in your prayers this weekend with the anniversary of Paul's death on Sunday. As I'm sure you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our whole family.
As you can see, at the moment, I'm trying to make a dent in the attic yarn stash. No idea yet who it will be for -- someone who would look good in these colors, I suppose.
YARN: Lion Brand Homespun (mexicana) and Wool-Ease (gold), stranded together.
PATTERN: I cast on 20 stitches, did six rows of garter stitch, then went to this pattern. I'll finish it with six rows of garter stitch, too.
Now, after having worked with it a bit and after having been spoiled by using Lamb's Pride, I don't really care for the Homespun any more. Thing is, I have about eight skeins of it up in the attic. It is, however, pretty soft. I could use the "delft" color (blue & white, like Delft china) for some baby hats, I suppose. I originally bought it for making prayer shawls and scarves. I'll probably make a few scarves for the holidays. I know for sure I'll make this scarf (I have both yarns in the colors in the picture; I think it will look great.) I don't have enough of one color to make one shawl, so I'll combine some "harvest" and some "olive".
I've also pulled down from the attic two skeins of Divine in "floral fantasy". I think it would make a lovely lacy scarf/stole. I have two more skeins up there. Now, to find just the right pattern for it....
Well, it didn't really use too much of my stash, but it used some. This is a quick birthday present for Pattydeo (Shhh! Don't tell her!). I seem to recall that she looks good in blue, hence the color.
YARN: approximately 1/2 skein Lion Brand Homespun (cobalt) and approximately 3/4 skein Fun Fur (fiji)
PATTERN: No real pattern. With both yarns, I cast on 12 stitches using the "knitting on" method, which I just learned. (Previously, I only knew the "backward loop" method. It's very easy but not the most practical.) I did five rows of garter stitch, then one row of elongated garter stitch with just the Homespun. Then I did one row of knit with just the Homespun (to get back to where I droppped the Fun Fur), then picked up the Fun Fur again and alternated random numbers of rows of garter stitch (both) and one row of elongated garter stitch (Homespun). It's hard to see in the picture b/c the good camera is missing, but it looks pretty cool.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, Poppa & Nana! 42 years is something to be proud of!
Yes, this is a silly picture of the, but it's the most recent one I have of Silly Poppa and The Incredibly Shrinking Nana....
Yippee! Da "new" car! Now we won't have to borrow Poppa & Nana's van every time Grandma & Grandpa visit. Maybe this time, I won't put any conservative bumper stickers on it so that I can park it at Poppa & Nana's without having to worry about its being vandalized or turned around so that the bumper sticker's not showing, etc.
The girls were SO excited. Thing Two was acting like it was a jungle gym or something. She kept bouncing around, singing, "Jump up in the new car! Jump up in the new car!"
Let's see how much I like it when I have to go fill it up...
Oh, BTW, I've nearly finished that big ball of pink Pound of Love. I'm forcing myself to take a break from my felted bag binge in an attempt to finish it off. (OK, OK, maybe I'm also waiting to see if my Secret Pal sends me some cool yarn.) Made a cute "knot pattern" hat today in a "large preemie" size. I'd take a picture, but with the darn camera MIA, I can't!!!
I counted them all out, and between the white ones, blue ones, variegated blue/purple ones, and the various shades of pink ones, I've made 70 hats. In some ways, I'm really excited about that, but I know that if I hadn't taken so many detours to do other projects, I'd have a lot more done. Actually, I *DO* have more done b/c I gave some away for:
I seem to think I've given away another one or two, but darned if I can remember where....
Pretty soon, I'll go up to UCSF to donate the hats to my fave social worker. Before I do that, I'll pull a few out to send off to The Preemie Project. I also have the beautiful white set that Thing Two's friend Devin's grandma made to include (I don't even know her name!).
Oh, speaking of UCSF and my fave social worker....Have I mentioned that we're going to speak on a parent panel in November? They're having a big nursing conference in November, and the day before it starts, there's a smaller, pre-conference meeting, and we've been asked to be on the panel. We're also going to be on a patient committee to give input for the new hospital that's being built. Tres cool. Talk about not wasting our pain....
Hmmm. Not much news.
I ordered some fancy flowers to take to the cemetery Sunday. When I looked online, I found lots of expensive funeral-type stuff, but nothing that really floated my boat for my sweet little boy. So, I called a florist I'd heard good stuff about and made an order. Blue & white flowers in one of those papier-mache vases b/c we're leaving it at the cemetery. It will have a white ribbon with gold lettering reading "We Remember Baby Paul". I'm sure we'll all bawl.
Hubby & Thing One are at the A's game as I type this. Hope they're winning! Thing Two & I are having "mommy/daughter girly time". We painted each other's nails with purple sparkly Barbie nail polish (peels off about 10 minutes after it's dry) and played "beauty shop", putting a zillion clippies & ponytail holders in each other's hair. Then I let her take a long bath. Afterwards, while her hair was still wet, I put it in a bunch of small braids. She'll sleep with the braids in so that in the morning her hair will be wavy. Since her hair's just like mine, it will be wavy for all of about 12 minutes. Now, we're watching "Peter Pan". I think she's about 2/3 asleep, though.
Hubby paid for the Pilot today. As soon as the check clears tomorrow, it's ours. Whoopee! When I told the Things about it, Thing Two asked if it could fly since it's called a Pilot. Logical question if you're four years old, I suppose. I hated to disappoint her.
Camera is still MIA. I still really think it's up at Poppa & Nana's house, but they say they can't find it. I'm SO upset about this. I use that camera nearly every day!
Hubby's button with Paul's picture on it has gone missing, too. He took it off the other day when he lay down to rest, and now he can't find it.
OK, someone's snoring now, and I don't know if it's Jenna or Thing Two. I'd better go see...
STASH-BUSTERS! It's loud, but it's a cute Buttonhole Bag. Sorry the picture's not the greatest. I had to use the old, tiny, no-flash digicam b/c the good camera has gone MIA (!!!!). This was created to use up my stash. I have no idea who it's for. Anyone wanna buy it? (j/k - well, sort of)
For those who care, it's made of:
- Cascade 220 (black)
- Lamb's Pride worsted (turquoise, yellow)
- Galway worsted (orange)
- Lopi (the tiny bit of grey on the handle)
The beads are inexpensive plastic beads from Beverly's. If you can't see the shapes, the ones in the turquoise are black hearts, and the ones in the orange are just plain black pony beads.
Here's my info for the Felted Bag KAL secret pal match-up:
1. List your 3 favorite colors
Bright pinks (various shades), other brights like red or orange, limeade, back when it was popular to have your colors done, I was told I was an autumn. I look good in pumpkin, emerald green, golden brown. If its a household color, my bedroom is dark denim & light brown w/red sheets, and my living room couches are a bright blue.
2. List colors you don't care for?
Hmmm. Not too many of those. Oh grey.
3. List a paperpack novel you would like to read (author and title)
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown, the Bourne Ultimatum by Robert Ludlum, or any of the knitting mysteries by Maggie Sefton (fluff all fluff!)
4. Name some yarns on your wish list?
Lambs Pride Limeade, Wool of the Andes Cherry Blossom or Daffodil or Cranberry or Pumpkin or Maple Syrup, maybe some Squiggle in pinks to go w/my existing stash.
5. It might be fun to send food or other products from your home state or country to your pal or receive them. Do you have any dietary restrictions, i.e. diabetic, lactose intolerant etc.
Im on Weight Watchers, so preferably something low calorie, low fat, high fiber. I enjoy spicy stuff, so interesting spices or spice mixes from different places would be cool (meat rubs or international spices, etc.). I love the Just 2 Points bars you can buy at the Weight Watchers centers (any flavor with chocolate or caramel).
6. List your favorite scent. Do you like lotion?
Either energizing citrusy smells or relaxing rosemary/mint types. I like lotion, but I have a TON of it. The best lotion would be a small, purse-sized container. I really love salt scrubs.
7. List any knitting supplies you might like?
Something nicer for carrying around my miscellaneous tools (scissors, crochet hook for when I drop a stitch, tapestry needle, stitch markers etc.) instead of a quart-sized Ziploc bag. <g>
8. Name an issue of a knitting magazine you would like to receive.
Anything; I dont have any current ones.
9. Are you looking for unusual or decorative buttons for any of your felted bags? Color?
Sure! I just bought some silver beads & black beads. I guess some funky silver colored buttons.
10. Is there a knitting pattern you would like ? (price range $4-$6)
Shelley Boardman Jester Bag or Heart in Hand or the Petal Pusher; KnitKit Constant Companion or My Little Companion;
11. Would you like some beaded stitch markers?
YES, YES, YES!
12. I am at a loss for further questions...why don't you make some suggestions of little goodies you like?
Hmmm. Sounds dumb, but some of those clear plastic magnetic picture frames you put on your fridge. I wear those plastic headbands with the teeth (only kind that will stay in my slippery hair). Inexpensive gardening gloves. Im going to need a new journal soon (preferably spiral bound so it can be folded back and take up less room on my lap at church). Ooh those Weight Watchers candies they sell at Target now.
