No god awful green to update with this time.

Terrible photos of the black hole of knitting! BUT I have made progress in the last three days during my break from painting the house a god-awful green that I so dearly love. I've knit about four inches, that's approximately from the top of the white card to the needle. Size 6 needles, argh! I have four more inches to do then it's a red st.st. stripe and st.st. neck shaping. Followed by two sleeves and a neck edging done in this ribbing of course LOL.
I'm kind of obessed with getting the black hole done because of the way my WIP basket is looking! Isn't that terrible? I really would like to see it a little lower and more contained in the basket and I have a baby sweater I need to make in July that isn't even IN there! Thankfully it's a tiny newborn size, that I can tuck into a corner LOL. I also have my summer sock party sock to do. Oh man, so much to do and so little time! It does feel good to have done some knitting and finally seeing progress.
So I'm off to do a bit more knitting before I have to make dinner and run off to work. I have Friday and Saturday off and it will be painting and reading. My pile of summer reading books needs to be whittled down as bad as my WIPs basket. Have a great day and Knit On!

And surprise, again today!

The front The "other" front we painted fully today.

Guess what we did this afternoon.....

It's so seriously darker than it shows in the photo, but boy does it look good. More tomorrow. We have such a long way to go but I'm going to be one happy homeowner when it's done. Knit On!

SERIOUS updrafts LOL.

what can I say, I'm a weather freak and clouds facinate me. this was on the edge of a major storm that was going south of us. thought I'd share them since I don't have anything else to report today.
I sure hope everyone else is getting some knitting done since I'm not. Peace.

Edit: I'm sorry girls, I see you actually want to know what type these are. They're called mamatus clouds. I'm unsure of the spelling at the moment. It happens at the bottom of a cumulonimbus that has a strong updraft. It's the updraft that sends the water droplets back up to freeze (and refreeze) until they are too heavy and fall. Or for short, it's the way hail is made LOL. It's a seriously neat effect though and much prettier when there's a sunset to illuminate it pink or orange. Anyway, there's your weather bit for the day. *grin*

Okay, and edit to the edit: They are mammatus clouds and it's from sinking air and not updrafts. Sorry, it's been awhile since my weather class. You can see more of them HERE. Very cool photos!

Further Sock Party information

For my sockster request. Lets see if I can make some sense of this LOL. I usually knit on size 3 but have size 1 and 2 needles. I can also do socks on two circular needles so if you like it that way I'm game. I can ALWAYS go out and get MORE needles LOL, I mean, it would be such a sacrifice.

Ok, that said, if you are quick and want to send it for me to wear this summer I prefer a cotton blend. If you are quick but want to send it for this fall/winter, a wool blend is a good choice.

I like footies, ankle socks, and boot length socks. I'd NEVER ask someone to make me a pair of knee highs so no fears on that account, besides I'm not sure I'd want to wear them that long LOL. I seriously like just about anything and anything you send me will be just fine! I hope that helps a bit. I like red, blues, greens, and purple. I'm sure that doesn't help any though. If you want more info just ask! Peace

CONGRATULATIONS MEG of the TSP Meg,

daddy Russ, DD#1 and DS!!!!! They welcomed their new baby girl into this world at 11:35 am EST this morning! She was 8 lbs 5 oz and that's all I know. I guess if I ever have my midsummer night eve party I'll have to make sure she has a birthday cake LOL. I can't wait to see her and hope that mom and baby are doing well!

I got my summer sock pal person today and I'm going to go out on a limb and say I've been assigned to someone also LOL. I would love some red socks if you're reading this and haven't planned anything yet. But if you have, stay with it, don't change it for me! I can manage to make my own if you have. I'm excited about this! Knit on!

Photos, excitement, socks, and sweaters!

I thought you'd like to see what I finished last night.... Miranda's bolero minus the buttons. Of course it's suposed to be 94 d F today so it will be awhile before she can wear it. It's 11 am and already 80. I hate summer for just this reason. Otherwise I totally love it because, well, it's not cold LOL. Oxymoron I know.
Here's the backside of it. It had lots of picot edging all the way around it and at the sleeve edges. Surprising it wasn't all that irritating because it was a nice rythm. Cast two on, cast off four, cast two on, cast four off...over and over. Very Zen like.
Now check these babies out! These are the much anticipated sockapaloooza socks knit by a darling Gracie who not only knit while her floors were torn up but pregnant too! I don't know about anyone else, but when I was pregnant (all four times) I don't think I'd have been able to handle doing such an intricate and absolutely GORGEOUS lace pattern!

Gracie, these are the most beautiful pair of socks I've ever owned, they were so worth the wait, they match my toenails (seriously) right now, and I'm just in love with them! I haven't taken them off yet and I will wear them to work this afternoon and show them off there! I'm soooo happy dancing in my new socks! Not only did she send me these to die for socks she sent a bag of jelly bellys with them too! LOL the kids loved those I have to say, I've been beating them back all morning! Thank you Gracie, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Yesterday was my moms birthday and we went to the new IKEA in Canton (MI) and shopped and ate dinner. It was really strange because we all felt like we were in a totally different town. Ok, I mean we were but this IKEA is across the street from where my mom lived before she moved in with us in February and my DH grew up there. So it really shouldn't feel that way ya know? Anyway, it was like a mini vacation! Very cool, great food, and I spent less than $100 total for everything we bought, including dinner. Thats for seven of us too! How cool is that. Plus I got some neat little gadgets. It has been the bestest weekend so far! So go over and give Gracie a high five for putting up with all this while reproducing (and check out the ultrasound photos), she's so cool! Thanks again Gracie! Knit on and peace!

Ahem, are you gonna or what?

Get your butts over and sign up for the Summer Sock Party would ya? Be there or be square maaaaaaaan.

I made great progress on the bolero. It's all sewn together and I'm working on the collar and picot edging. I discovered I need two buttons, not one so I will have to go to my LYS and get another. Oh such torture, I'm not sure I can handle it! LOL

I am meeting up with a friend from school tomorrow to study for our basic skills test we have July 8th so I'm not sure how much I will get done on the bolero before work tomorrow. I did get the front of the house painted. Now we need to do around the garage, the side of the house, the back of the house and the other side..... Ok, one side at a time eh? What I'm really jonesing for is getting to the green! White is just so boring LOL. Well, keep knitting, and get your behineys over and join to make socks (and parties)! *wink*

*sigh*

No sockapaloooza socks in the mail again today. The postal service is starting to irritate me because it's taking them longer to deliver stuff while making us pay more. So maybe tomorrow, because it's been over a week since my sock pal posted that they were going to be in the mail. LOL This a true test for me, or one HUGE karma payback, for all the impatience I've had in the past.

I have been knitting away on the last arm for Miranda's bolero and am now in the process of shaping the cap. It's a raglan sleeve so it's a long cap LOL. Then I can sew some of it together and do the picot edging and I should have some photos of it by the end of the weekend.

Now, please don't hold me to this because we are in the process of scraping and painting our house remember? The over hangs are wood and have only been painted once since, get this, 1970 (!) when the house was built. What I'm looking forward to is painting the aluminum siding! It's going to make such a big difference in the look of the house and we'll have the only green house in our sub. I like to stand out a bit you've probably noticed, with the attempts at plum purple hair and all.

Painting what I've primed is the order of the day tomorrow, see you tomorrow night all covered in paint. *grin* Knit On!

Ta-Da! Meg's Top Secret Project #2!!!

The pattern is from Better Homes & Gardens Knitting Year-Round. Pretty Pink Baby Set done in Louisa Harding Yarn, Kashmir DK. A totally soft yarn that's 55% merino wool, 35% microfiver and 10% cashmere. Totally not baby friendly but the softness is probably worth the had washing it'll need. Can you believe I actually found tiny kitty buttons with the perfect color stripes??? It made me so excited. So excited in fact that I'm still a bit giddy over them. It was one of the hardest things I have knit because once I got to the arm pits I had to divide the piece up. After it got divided I had to decrease while trying to keep track of the flippin' pattern.
Other than that the pattern itself wasn't hard at all. I really enjoyed this yarn and highly recommend it. I hope it was worth the wait. Now I have to wait until the fall to see it on the little, yet to be born, girl. Any day now.

the post and my kids

I had the two youngest scrambling for the mail today trying to tackle the mail lady but alas, no socks yet. ROFL it's so funny the way those two like to go out to the mailbox. I think I may have to pick up some postcards and send it to them so they actually get something in mail once in a while.

Anyway, this short post is to let my sock pal know that they haven't gotten here yet if you're wondering. Tomorrow I give Meg her TSP #2 so I will be able to post a photo! FINALLY! hee heee heeee.

We power washed 2/3 of our house today and tomorrow we will begin the scraping and start putting on the primer. My ugly orangey brick with white aluminum siding is going to be dill pickle green (army green kind of) by the end of the summer so help me! Ok, the white will be, but the brick? No painting brick! Nope, never, no way! I hate the orangey color but I hate painted brick more. I think I will like the orangey color more when the house is green. I will take photos and bore you all with that process over the next few weeks. This color, on monitor, is very close to what I will paint the house, well, maybe not quite this dark.

I've made great progress on the last sleeve of Miranda's bolero and have decided that the Charlotte's Easy Shawl done with the Kid Silk Haze will be the next project to complete since it's so very close. I want it finished! My motivation to go all Obsessive Compulsive? I want to get to knitting Lift and Seperate from Big Girl Knits that I showed a few weeks ago. I mean like really really badly! I'm going to bed now, I'm pooped from work. Peace!

Summer Sock Party!!!!

Cruise on over to check out and join in on Tonia's Summer Sock Party. It sounds like a fun and easy exchange, one sock to knit, sent along with the remaining yarn and pattern for your pal to knit the other and some party supplies. Every time I read her "little chinese latterns" I read cheese instead of chinese. I SWEAR, everytime. I get my eyes checked on Tuesday BTW so there! LOL Anyway, go check it out and join up, because you can do it!

ANIMAL! ANIMAL! ANIMAL!

You Are Animal

A complete lunatic, you're operating on 100% animal instincts. You thrive on uncontrolled energy, and you're downright scary. But you sure can beat a good drum. "Kill! Kill!"

The Muppet Personality Test

He is sooooo totally my favorite from when I was growing up! I LOVED THIS DUDE... um, monster, um animal??? LOL Not that I think this describes me much but I still think he's the best muppet! Oh, and the swedish chef is pretty cool... so was Beaker! Ahhh the good ole days.

Now don't fall off your computer chair but....

but we have knitting photos! The sock above is for my youngest son, the books underneath (that I used so you could get a better view of the sock on that table cloth) are my oldest (almost 11) son who all of a sudden is very interested in learning Japenese calligraphy. That kid is so cool. These are the pieces for Miranda's bolero, the second and last piece is on the needles. It's one of the sleeves. Below is a close up of the picot edging and it shows the beautiful eggplant color that Miranda picked out herself.
These are the socks for my middle boy, kid #2. Grant's favorite colors are purple and green so I think this yarn is right up his alley eh? I have JUST started the second sock. I mean, like round #4 or something like that.
And I'll finish with an excellent photo taken by Garrett of Sticky the great and mighty hunter who seems to have a taste for...oh never mind. I will keep you from having a visual of the gift parts we find every morning on the porch. He's nine years old approximately and is starting to get those long wiskers that older cats get. I call him old man now LOL.

I have been reading this week like a fiend. First I read Angles and Demons (Dan Brown), then it was A Good Yarn, now I'm in the middle of The Da Vinci Code. There are two more books waiting on the shelf. I had almost forgotten how nice it was to be able to stay up late into the quiet night and read until my eyes water. Knitting and reading are two of my most passionate enjoyments... there are a few others that I will refrain from sharing LOL. So, knitting will resume shortly because I'm close to being done with a couple of things and I'd like to get some others done. Time to go OCD I think. Peace!

Sniff sniff

These are photos from Garrett's 5th grade banquet. They make a big deal about it because it's when they move on to middle school I guess. It does seem as if he'll be off to college tomorrow you know? Anyway, this is a nice picture of both my men...well, the oldest two LOL.
This is me and Garrett and I'm not so sure why I'm looking a tad bit psycho in the eyes, maybe it was from trying not to blink LOL. Or maybe it's the glasses? Whatever it is I'm really not as psycho as I look... well, then.... perhaps.... no... yeah.... *ahem* Moving on....
Garrett being all cheesy and silly. He really hates to have his photo taken and I was saying all kinds of things to get him to smile normal. Things like "chicken littles butt" and "pickle juice" and "peanut butter butt". He probably was laughing at me being so stupid saying all that nonsense than what I was actually saying LOL. Anyway, he's a rocking young man and I'm so very proud of him! The art teacher said such nice things about him, like how he thinks outside the box and such. Oh those words are music to my ears! I do want my kids to be able to conform when they need to but I also want them to think outside the box.

Wait, this is suposed to be a knitting blog isn't it? Sorry about all the gooey family gushing. I finished one of Grants socks, have about 2 inches done on Max's second sock, have Grant's second sock cast one and have made NO progress on Miranda's bolero. Maybe I had better take some photos of that kind of stuff next LOL. Peace!