Greetings from the beach!

It’s a hard knock life with the lake right outside the cottage door. Somehow we’re making it work.

I’ve managed to churn out a project a day – Monday , it was a cabled hat, Tuesday, I finished my toe-up socks, and Wednesday, it was an alpaca cowl. Seriously, this is the life. I don’t even mind handwashing all the dishes. Makes me feel better about loafing around on the sand.

Toodles,
N

Note: I wrote this quick post on Thursday, July 30, but was unable to upload even one flippin' picture, so I waited until today to publish - gots to love the high-speed internet.

DIY Dryer Balls

Picture from Casa Sugar

What a great idea for DIY dryer balls from Casa Sugar. This is really great on so many levels. As a cheap-o knitter I hate to throw away leftover wool, even if it's a yard or two, so it gets collected in a big bag and does nothing...until now!

Open Season

To fully appreciate the buttons for the February Lady Sweater, I had to super macro it. Each button is quite different. I am over-the-moon happy with the buttons! This close up actually shows the 'cinnabar' colour much better than the previous post. It's so flippin' rich!

The orange feeling must be catching 'cause I caught B wrapping up a Polly Pocket with orange playdough this morning amidst the organized mess we like to call packing. In fact, this makes me think I could pass off our normal everyday mess with, "Excuse the mess. We're in the midst of packing." When asked where we were going, I might respond with, "Crazy."
I found this picture on facebook of my 'rents. Where else would I find a picture of them??? It was taken a few weeks back at an out-of-town family picnic. What are they pondering so seriously? Fun times. They're probably thinking that I should be packing and getting things in order instead of blogging! This is kind of the look that they give me when I start babbling. Yes. That's the look exactly. Okay, okay. I'm off. Really.

N

Slogging at Blogging

Essential Items for One Park Outing - sock knitting in a pretty waterproof sac, giant mug of very caffeinated coffee, my Mp3 player turned B's Mp3 player which was once filled to the gills with crafty podcasts and independent movie soundtracks (am firm believer that soundtracks and 'best of' albums are strictly for housewives so must act part) now filled to the gills with Hi-5 and Hannah Montana - dittys for kiddies, and a camera for El to capture private investigative-like photos of B.

6:42 p.m. - Subject sits atop playground slide and ponders whether or not to slide. This could be dangerous. May need assistance.

6:43 p.m. - After an uneventful trip down slide, subject surveys environment and proceeds cautiously to different equipment. May suspect she's being followed.

6:45 p.m. - Subject is obscured by giant purple plastic steps. Could subject be training for a secret mission?

I know the picture is crappy, but regardless, it's proof that I am indeed finished knitting the February Lady Sweater. I am ready to cast on for a second in teal Patons Classic Merino wool. And I've lots of time to get going on it, because we're heading out of town for FIVE days! That's never happened in the history of us. The last time I was away from home that long was before kids, and my 'rents were footing the bill! I had thought that we would be 'puter-less during that time, but J insists we have 10 hours of remote service a month included in our internet service - so I won't be gone completely, but I am interested to see what 10 hours of computer use divided amongst four avid computer users looks like over five days. I'd hate to see fists flying.

Off to continue the packing saga. We can barely walk around the piles of clothes, books, pillows, sheets, food, and of course, electronic devices. Toodles.

N

I've lost that lovin' feeling

No, this is not a cake shaped like balls of yarn. It's unfortunately just balls of washable wool just sitting there waiting for my knitting mojo to return. I'm not sure where it has gone. Perhaps it has melted away with this summer heat or perhaps it got unraveled along with my too small Rusted Root. Wherever it has gone, I'm determined to get it back. Let's cast on for a dishcloth, shall we?

In the meantime, this has taken over my dining room table.I'm happy to say that the wedding invitations have been delivered to our house, bows tied, envelopes stuffed and are all ready to go. I love them but probably spent way too much time (at work) working on the map and directions. You can never have too much detail...right?

Inside and Out

The girls and I have been festival-hopping. Last weekend it was the Caliente Spanish Festival at the market, and this weekend it was the Home County Folk Festival in the park. I am pooped. We've been lucky weather-wise, and occassionally it rains, and we duck back inside, and I promptly pull out my knitting. I am only two inches away from finishing the second sleeve of the February Lady Sweater. I could have been done days ago, but I spontaneously cast on for a baby kimono sweater using the Mason-Dixon pattern and a couple random balls of dishcloth cotton. Must get back to the FSL!! Pictures to come soon, but need new batteries!

I have bright orange ditch lilies! So pretty. I have also been shopping for some pretty fabric and sewing accessories for our swap pals. I hope they like what we have chosen for them! I should really be cleaning the house, but I just want to sit down with a good book and my knitting and lots of cups of tea. Given all the time in the world, this is what I would do. Such a lazy bum. So I will make myself get up and clean up all the summer clutter! Please let it get done quickly and painlessly. If I was really good, I would grab a garbage bag and start chucking. I want to live more simply, but the reality is a good deal of it is needed and valuable. What a predicament.

Enough of my blathering, I'll go throw on another round of Feist and get tidying!

Toodles,

N

Taking the Good

My cousin passed me an envelope the other day while we were grocery shopping, and I threw it carelessly into my shoulder bag, and I breezily noted I would open it later as if it were nothing. It wasn’t until this afternoon while I was rooting through my numerous bags I drag around with me for a flippin’ wine gum or something sweet that I found the envelope. I threw it on my desk and searched out my handy-dandy envelope slitter thingeee. I zipped it open and began to read the card. It was full of the loveliest words and praises – to ME!! I got a tad teary reading my personal little ode. How sweet a scribbling! Maybe she’s right, and I am a real angel, or maybe she’s reminding me that I do have some good qualities. Heck, I don’t know. I do know it made me feel all warm and syrupy inside, and I feel like spreading the love everywhere. I am thinking that maybe she’s the flippin’ saint, and I plan on telling her that. I might add that she’s a turd too – crying in front of people might make me appear like a real softie. I can’t be having that.

We went for a long walk the other night through our leafy little neighbourhood and up through some walking trails along the big river and back, and I looked over at El about five minutes into the walk, and she had a huge smile on her face, and I looked down at B, and she was laughing and swinging my arm back and forth, and my heart literally burst with love. El is the same height as me. We’re the same height! That’s huge. And B held onto my hand the entire time, and our hands got really sweaty, and they started wrinkling like they do in the bathtub. I thought about taking my hand back to dry out, but I figured that it wouldn’t be too long before she would not want to hold my hand everywhere we go. I cherished my wrinkly hand for hours after. This is all I need, and these are the moments that I want the girls to remember long after they’ve grown up.

I stumbled upon this blog several weeks ago when looking up natural cleaning solvents, and yesterday Dana posted a gorgeous quilt that would inspire even the non-craftiest person in the world to quilt, and she’s flippin’ givin’ it away! All you have to do is leave a comment. She’s insane. Really.

And just 'cause I haven't pulled out the camera in weeks - my bad - I am taking you back four years. Look at my babies!

Aw!

N

Happily Ever After

This cake was three days in the making, from baking, filling, icing and decorating. It just happened to be about 90 degrees during those days and to keep the cake from melting it took over my entire fridge. I'm glad it's done and I hope that the bride and groom liked it.
Hope everyone had a sweet weekend!

Children's Sewing Kit Swap

I’ve gone and signed up for my very first swap! This one is going to be super fun because the girls are going to help me out putting the package together, and they’re quite eager to do so since they will be getting one in return. We were so excited that we went through some of my fabric stash last night, and we made a list of what we’re going to put into the sewing kit, and for the most part, a lot of it we already have on hand. My hope is that a sewing kit in the mail will be just the thing to get them addicted to a craft. I’m not sure why they don’t want to knit. It boggles my mind that not everyone in the world wants to knit. I also say that leaves more yarn for me. I also don’t encourage the girls to eat cheesecake for the same reason. They are a little repelled about a cake made of CHEESE – I don’t dare tell them otherwise.

So if you have a kid or two between 4 and 13 or something, and you think they would like a sewing kit, and you want to put one together too, you’ve got until July 12 to sign up – I realize that’s tomorrow. I’m super quick – what more can I say?

N

Waiting on a Moment

My restraint and willpower failed me yesterday in Ancaster.

• 8 skeins of Rowanspun Aran
• 9 balls of Rowan 4-Ply Soft
• 2 skeins of Noro Silver Thaw
• 3 balls of Naturally Dawn 2-Ply
• 2 balls of Regia 4-Fadig Color

And good ol' Lizzy Zimmermann is distracting me from knitting on the February Lady Sweater. Progress might be made if I could only pull myself away from this book!
I did manage to loosely bind off the body stitches, and it is the perfect length. Not too long, not too short. I have a skein and three-quarters to knit the sleeves. I think I can do it.
I miss this kid.

N

Miniature Vacation

Happy belated fourth of July to everyone! T and I decided to go on a little jaunt down to Chicago, since we've never been, and took a little detour to Madison, WI. Madison is actually a really pretty town nestled between two lakes. We took in a free outdoor concert put on by the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra with some friends.Then it was on to Chi-town where there was deep-dish pizza,
...a very large bean,...Buckingham Fountain,...and a hotel room to die for!Actually I'm only joking about the hotel. If you look really closely you can see my reflection in the glass.These are a few of the miniature rooms in the miniatures collection at the Art Institute of Chicago. I truly love all things miniature and could have spent hours just looking at the detail in each tiny room. If you ever get the chance to go, I would highly recommend it.

We are still recovering from the drive back and trying to get back into our normal routine. The Rusted Root is progressing and I will have pictures very soon!

Peep

Well, it started out like this only a short time ago, and knitting this has become an obsession. And then it looked like this - a most glorious garter-stitch yoke.
Now it is this - a sleeveless, very short cardi. Don't worry, we have a fair bit more to go before it looks a bit more like the February Lady Sweater. I just started on my third skein of Malabrigo, and I am definitely not bored by the gull lace pattern. In fact, I am pleasantly surprised with how much I am enjoying knitting the lace. It's only 7 stitches over 4 rows, and 2 of those rows are straight purling. It's mindless knitting at its best. If the doorbell rings, I won't be keeping my guests waiting until the end of the row or yelling for someone to get the door. We're good.And it's been on my mind all day as I write out the date on slips, minutes, deposits, and cheques. Happy 4th of July to all the Americans out there! Heck, happy 4th of July to the whole wide world! It's like Pooh and Piglet wishing everyone a happy 'winds'day. Here's what we were up to just last Tuesday for Canada Day - flippin' sparklers! I thought the kids were going to set their faces on fire. I was a wreck. At one point, J suggested I move inside as I was making them nervous. Miraculously no one was hurt.

Enjoy your weekend wherever you may be - be it visiting Oprah or just chilling at the local Michaels. Cheers, my friends! Stay safe.

N

Happy Canada Day!

As a data person, I often come across some interesting names. Here are some Canadian cities/places with names that we should all be proud of.

- Community Punch Bowl, Alberta
- Hooker Mountain, British Columbia
- Ebb and Flow, Manitoba
- Poodiac, New Brunswick
- Ass Hill, Newfoundland
- Blow Me Down, Newfoundland
- Ecum Secum, Nova Scotia
- Repulse Bay, Nunavut
- Dummer, Ontario
- Chicken, Saskatchewan
- Poodles Corner, PEI
- Shitagoo Lake, Quebec

Enjoy your day off you Canucks!