Well, I'm not sure why blogger changed my picture settings, but this post is going to have all the pics centered. LOL. These are preemie hats for donation. I don't seem to have the attention span for anything more complicated right now, as work is very busy. I went home to Boardman this weekend, just me! My brother (Bless him) fixed my AC on my car and checked the rest of it out to ensure that the recent repairs we've had done were all right. My parents had a concert I attended Friday night - witness their formal wear! Arent' they a great looking couple? Guess how old they are - go on, I dare you!
This is an old Arby's sign (obviously) that I liked the look of. Just something on the road between my folks' house and where I met up with my friend Laura for breakfast Saturday. Saturday afternoon my mom and I went to the Fellow's Rose Garden which is part of the Mill Creek Park - the metro park in Youngstown. It was much prettier than my pictures convey. I like this candid of Mom because it shows her nice smile. Here are some of the pretty tulips in the park. Thanks for reading!

Daemon from Golden Compass

If you've not yet read any of the Philip Pullman "Dark Materials" books, it's time you tried one! With Golden Compass: the movie coming out in December this year, you've got plenty of time to see what the buzz is about! Each person has a personal daemon who is their life's companion. Here is what it chose for me:



Somehow or other it classed me as "shy". LOL

I read _Golden Compass_ when it first came out. I remember reading _Subtle Knife_ in a Pulisher's Proof copy I picked up at ALA that year. Seems to me I never got around to reading the third book - how could that be??? [off to get that book reserved]

Simon (in the red shirt on the far left) went to a friend's birthday party today. It's such a nice picture of the kids, I just had to share it. From Simon clockwise: Tim (the birthday boy, turning 13 and already 6 ft. tall), his brother Steven (8 yrs old and nearly as tall as me), their friend Kyle, their brother Sam (11), their sister Abby (6), their adopted sister Kushi (5), their friend Ryan. A great group of kids, and an absolutely beautiful day!

I promise to get some more knitting pictures up soon. Before the end of this week.

Thurber Docent and Library

Simon has been training to be a Junior Docent at the Thurber House. James Thurber spent a good portion of his life here in Columbus, and the Thurber House is where he lived for part of that time. Simon is now a Thurber expert, and will be leading tours at upcoming events. Yesterday was the graduation. Here he is - isn't he handsome?

This was part of the ceremony - you can see the two teachers there, saying wonderful things about our kids.

This is his whole class of kids. Aren't they great looking? He's slouching a little, but he was the tallest one there! It's amazing!

After that event, we headed to the Main Library for the Centennial celebrations. They had authors in every division, cake and ice cream, and lots of live music. One of the groups was me and some friends. Nick, Jami and I play traditional music, folk music, etc.

We had a lot of fun there. Nick is on Hammered Dulcimer, Jami on guitar, and I played Mountain Dulcimer, washboard, and spoons, depending on the song. We also all sang. It was fun! All of the other groups were professional musicians who happen to have some connection to the library . . .we are professional Librarians who happen to play music as a hobby. There is a rumor that we'll get paid, but as of yet we've seen no check. LOL

We're talking about playing some Farmer's Markets around the area someday. Hey, nothing like having a second source of spending money from your hobby, right? and I have a lot of hats we could set out!

Finally more Chicago Pics

I can't believe I've let this go so long! Sorry, loyal readers! Now - here is Simon at the Field Museum - one of our favorite places on Earth. He was happy as a clam to be there again!

One of the things we did with our Wordcraft friends was celebrate Bob's birthday. Bob is from England, and it was the first time we've met him face-to-face. He collects Alice in Wonderland books and stuff, so I got him some bunny ears (and a book). Doesn't he look happy to be in the US?

I have a whole series of pictures of our group taking turns wearing the bunny ears. This is Ken (from Chicago). Simon refused to wear them (and in fact was trying quite hard not to appear to be part of the group at this point).

The last night we were in Chicago, Nancy and Ken had us all over for a Seder dinner. It was cool to commemorate Passover with them, doing their traditional religious and familial things. Here you see, left to right, Margaret (from UK), Ken, Simon, Me, Tony, Scott.

That evening we got a good picture of all the Wordcrafters who got together.

Front row: me, Nancy (Chicago), Anita (Columbus, also), Richard (UK), Bob, Ken.

Don't we look like a fun bunch?

Today is a busy day - we're celebrating Simon's graduation from the Thurber House Docent Training, and then we're helping to celebrate the Main Library's Centennial. I'll try to get pics up soon for those things!

Happy belated Easter!

Here is the basket I knit and felted for Scott and Tony. And here they are!

<< Scott, one of my dearest and most wonderful friends.

<<< Tony . . . who is actually nice enough to be with Scott and make me happy about it.

The gloves I finished on Easter Sunday. Aren't they neat? This is the yarn that is infused with aloe and jojoba, so they'll theoretically condition my hands as I wear them. They're my first-ever gloves and I didn't really have a pattern, so it was very interesting to make them! I need to work on the thumb shaping, but otherwise I am please with the outcome.

More pics will be posted in the next few days - all of our trip to Chicago!

Baby Stuff!

One of my Knit Wit friends says she never saw the pics of the baby kimono sweater I make for Lei-Ping's baby. Here it is! I think it'll be a few months before her baby will be able to wear it w/o swimming in it, though. I'll have to see if I can get some pics of baby in it soon, nevertheless.

Do you remember this pink baby jumper I made? Here is the detail of the hem.

And here is Baby Lucia visiting us at the library wearing her lovely finery! Beautiful Lucia Catherine! They say her middle name is because of some grandmother or something . . . but golly, it still makes me happy! And isn't she darling? Seems like whenever I hold her she quickly goes sound to sleep. Also, in a fit of maternal envy I volunteered to babysit. LOL But wouldn't you do the same? She's so soft and cuddly!

Cool Dude

March 31

We went to Dayton and walked around the National Museum of the United States Air Force, which is really cool. Hundreds of planes and jets and missiles and stuff. So much to see - and so much walking! We're all exhausted. Si has a bad cold, too, which I didn't realize. You know how you never know if it's just allergies or sniffles or what . . . but we tired him out so much today that he was pretty bad tonight. Hopefully a day of good rest tomorrow will leave him ready for school and his friend's birthday party Monday night. Sigh.

Friends, Chalk and WIPs

March 27
Started another hat today. I just feel like I always need something mindless and chunky on the needles for those moments of the day when my brain doesn't work at all but my hands need to keep moving.

March 29
One of my WordCraft friends was in town for a conference so a few of us met up for dinner! Me, Nancy (from Chicago) and Anita (also from here in town) . . . Mike and Simon were there, too, but they wanted to take pictures, not be in them.

March 30
I got home from work and Si was very excited - he finally had his chalks out for the first picture of the season - can you guess which Civil War General this is? He's very excited about hopefully participating in another Via Colori this coming Fall. He did it a few years ago, and loved the experience of sharing his art with the public.

I'd started this pair of socks a week or so ago, and it's some of the most lovely yarn! It's infused with Aloe and Jojoba Oil, and it's so soft and good to touch. I finally figured out, though, that what I really want to make with this is gloves, so that someone's hands can benefit from all this soft conditioning goodness. I've been searching and I've found what looks to be a good glove pattern for sock weight yarn. It's actually for Opera Gloves, but I'm just using it as a guide for shaping the hands and doing the fingers. I'll be working on these for a while, but I figure I've got all summer, right? They'll have nice, long, fold-up-able cuffs because I am not tinking out this beautiful ribbing!

I seem to have start-itis! I decided to just start another neck scarf. I sure hope this is enough yarn to make one of these! It's such a fun, easy pattern and turns out such a beautiful product. Another thing that I don't know who it will be for, though.


I think all this project starting is a symptom that I am nervous about moving forward on my tank top/shell thing. Grr. I need to shape the neck, so that means I need to do math again. BLAH!

Badges!

I spent quite some time yesterday fiddling with badges on Simon's scout uniform. Every time he changes rank he gets a new badge to put on his left breast pocket. I switched it out 2 weeks ago, and already he needed the 1st class badge. (nah, I'm not proud or anything!)

We also finally got him the sash for all his other badges, and his patrol badge (the Native American in red and white). His patrol name is "Insane Indians" which bothers Simon, but it is what the patrol leader chose, so that's that. As you can see he also has 7 badges on his sash. Yay! He hopes to get 6 more badges at camp this summer, and he's currently working on orienteering and hiking. Cool, huh? Next Monday I'll try to get a pic of him in his full uniform again. Boy, he's handsome!

Spring!

March 21 (yes, we have dates again!)
Spring has sprung! There are even more beautiful little crocusii in my garden today than earlier this week when I took this pic! yay! We also have paperwhites blooming. Ahh - spring!

March 22
The cats love to join me when I'm knitting. My lap is warm, I don't shift or move much, and there is that lovely, tantalizing, moving yarn to nibble at when they can stay awake! Sam, however, usually can't stay awake.
Also in this pic are my falling-apart jeans. Mom - you'd be happy. When I first wore these jeans to the Knitwits group, they all made fun of me! I know, I know, you don't want to hear that I wear them in public, but SOMEtimes on my day off I need to REBEL! And let's face it, if my version of being REALLY rebellious is to wear falling-apart jeans - well - how bad can I be?

March 23
I've dug out my shell again, with the goal of completing it in time for Easter. I've started the fancy cabled yoke part, and it's complicated, so I can only do it when I'm sharp and not overly distracted by life or TV or whatever. This is NOT something I could take to Friday morning Knitwits! Or to book group! But it should certainly be something I"ll WEAR to those kinds of places (to show it off!)

March 24
I still need to weave in the ends and felt this - but don't you think this will be a fun Easter basket? Small, but fun - and it was a stash-buster!

March 25
Every homemade sweater deserves a matching hat, don't you think? Especially when there is enough leftover yarn. This is for Mikey - knit to his specifications (longer in the head, not too tight in the ribbing . .. blah blah blah). :-) Next, I think I'll make him matching booties.

As Advertised

I promised you more pics and here they are! First we have Simon, sporting the new red and black cabled scarf I made him. He loves it! It's from Baby Alpaca Grand, just like the scarf and hat I made my dad.

Here is Kushi, the newly adopted daughter of our friends, the James'. She is absolutely delightful, and is still learning English (being newly moved here from India). She's wearing the sweet little hat Megan made for her. Having never seen snow before, Megan tells great stories of Kushi needing to be convinced that she needed pants and socks and boots to go outside last month. She does seem to like the hat, though, but the shirt and pants she has on the in the picture were the 3rd or 4th outfit we saw her in that afternoon. She loves wearing pretty skirts!

This is Megan, taken by Kushi. She really liked using the camera.

I bought this beautiful yarn at the Merc when Cider Moon was having their trunk show there. It's some of the most wonderful yarn I've ever used. I absolutely adore the colors and have been fondling it for a long time trying to decide what to make. I finally settled on the moebius cowl.

I added some extra stitches to the circumfrence and I wish I'd had a second skein because I was hoping for more of a shawl-like garment . . . but as you can see I used nearly all the yarn and the scarf is only about 8 inches wide. Next time I"ll get 2!!!

And before you say anything don't worry - I know it doesn't go so well with my tie-dye.

I am still thoroughly in love with knitting moebius'.

More pictures tomorrow and I think I'll be caught up!

I haven't forgotten about you!

I've been feeling icky since returning from San Jose, and I'm just now feeling like I have energy and time to do work and home AND blogging, so here goes. This is the little Carnegie library in 'da hood of San Jose - my friend Jim took us there. Cute!

Here is Jim - we met his wife, Viki, too, and we had a great evening together having awesome sushi and then coffee outside. Lovely! I know Jim from the Wordcraft site - see the link to the right.

This is my Lillehammer hat. DH is modeling it for me, and it's his now. He's even given it a test-wear while birding last Saturday. He says it looks silly, but it sure kept him warm! Maybe it's a little too femme for him. Who shall get it, then?

The moebius baskets and the Lamb's Pride Chunky yarn have, since I discovered them, inspired me to think about the new CML logo. It's the colors. One of our PR folks is a pink addict, and I just finally got around to making this basket for her. I thought I'd snapped a pic of it after felting, but alas, I didn't. It awaits her return from her vacation on her desk, filled with pink candy.

And the final pic posted today is my new sock. This is yarn that I got in NYC, infused with aloe vera and jojoba oil. It's lovely to work with, and I'm really enjoying the colors. Come back tomorrow for more pictures. :-)

Insomniac Surfing

I found this great site from the American Red Cross that has links to the patterns they used to use for knitting for the troops. One of the patterns even has a size circled, so you know they were owned by actual knitters. A cool part of our history, huh?

Busy Week!

To be honest, other than working I have no real memory of what I did weekend before last. I obviously didn't do anything picture-worthy. I'll start again with Monday - and this week will need to take 2 days to post, so I might not take pics this week much. I am sick - blah. You honestly don't want to see me now . . . and you most definitely do not want to hear me. As my Uncle Dick would say "I sound like Tallulah Bankhead on a bad day."

Monday, Feb. 26. Simon finally received his wonderful Star Wars model - ordered from lego.com with some of his Christmas money. Isn't it cool? I forget what ship this is. Simon will be embarrassed that I don't know, he's told me a dozen (or more) times.

Tuesday, Feb. 27. I was in the mood for a new scarf - took me about 2 hours to knit. I wish I'd shaped it differently, but it'll do. The colors are good.

Wednesday, Feb. 28 I flew to San Jose, CA. Golly, it's a long trip. This is the view from our room. My Roomie, Jenn, I am convinced, has Good Hotel Karma. She checked us in and they gave us this TOP FLOOR ROOM! It was really beautiful - the room was great, the bathroom was huge (marble, huge tub, seperate shower stall, etc) and the service was nice. There did seem to be a terrible water leak in another room on our floor, though, and I think it stirred up some nasty mold or something because it aggravated my lungs and I've now got some kind of wheezing thing. Not to worry - it didn't really come on til Saturday.

Thursday, Mar. 1
Jenn and I explored San Jose. We did a LOT of walking. I liked this quote outside the Tech Museum: Optimism is an essential ingredient for innovation. How else can the individual welcome change over security, adventure over staying in safe places?" Bob Noyce. Anyone know who that is? Me neither.

This is the Winchester Mystery House. It was really amazing - crazy, but amazing. Read the link for more details.

I'll post more pics tomorrow.