AND MORE NEWS

AHH Two good mail days Monday and today Tuesday.

Yesterday I received my order from ELANN. It included some yarn to make the socks in the photo. These socks are in the Fall 2006 Vogue Knitting Magazine. They are called the Edelweiss Socks designed by Candace Eisner Strick. I really liked them when I first saw them and when Elann came out with them in the photo displaying their new solid sock yarns I was hooked.

I also received my 12 skeins of Elann Silky Tweed in Provence Blue for the top Twilight in the Rowan Summer Tweed Magazine. This yarn is 100% silk and Rowan's Summer Tweed is 70% silk and 30% cotton. I have even knit a Oh my G-d a "SWATCH" to make sure this yarn, the called for yarn and my tension match up. AND guess what it does. So far. BUT that is something I won't really believe until the top is completed and it fits properly as I have previously swatched thinking everything was fine only to find it wasn't. Only check out those holes. I don't remember them being so large in the photo of the top in the magazine. Scroll down my blog to see the photo of the top. I will have to wear something under it like a camisole or bra. AND yes yes I know one of those triangles is larger than the other. I was busy watching Dance Wars and wasn't concentrating. It isn't off the needles so if I end up needing that skein of yarn I can rip it out and still have a full skein of yarn.

And what was that extra item I got for myself. It was a book. It is way smaller in size and thinner than I had anticipated. I do have ideas. That is why I got this book and I read that this is her second book which means there is another out there. It is just getting my ideas done. Then today I received a great big puffy. I thought it was my whoduknit holiday package which was resent as I never received my first package from my partner but it wasn't that one. It was one of my birthday gifts from one of the gals in a dishcloth group I belong to in Yahoo. We have a birthday club there. This is my third or fourth year in the club. I am the only Feb birthday. There are two members with birthdays in March and two in September and one in December. Last year there were four birthdays in March. We get lovely birthday gifts. I have one of March birthday gifts completed except for the knitted item. I will be working on the other birthday gal's gifts.

The poor postman who delivered my package this afternoon was so bundled up you could hardly see him with his balaclava and scarf and he is in the truck delivering not walking. When I asked him how cold it was he said if you don't need to go out don't. If you walk in the wind it is so cold it will take your breath away. I stayed inside today.

I tried to take some photos of the beautiful designs on my window from the ice. If anyone knows how to photograph them please share with me as this is the best I could get. The window overlooks the park across the street and the tree in front of my window which you can see a little also.

I don't know what could be knit with this pattern but I do know you could do a lovely needlepoint or embroidery design from it.

AND I found another contest at: http://knitmetotheendoftime.blogspot.com/2008/01/its-my-1st-bloggiversary-today-and-my.html. Katie who is my secret Scavenger Hunt partner is having a contest for her 100th post and it is open until MN Jan 31. When you enter and link to it just make sure you only say you found it on your Scavenger Hunt secret partner's blog not giving me away by name or blog name please. Maybe she won't go hunting to see who I am by reading all the blogs on the side bar of the swap.

Needing to have several items going at the same time yesterday I got back to work on my Noro Cavendish Serape Shawl Blankie and have knitted another two inches. Now I have started a FRU FRU bag for a friend. The yarn comes from England. I saw the yarn in one of the British magazines and had a swap buddy in England order it for me and then ship it to me. It has the longest eyelash I have ever seen which is 3.5 inches. So it will be a real FRU FRU bag. I have some clear acrylic handles I will see if I can use and maybe even line it. It won't make it in time for a Valentine's day gift so instead it will be an Easter gift.
Here is the front of the bag with about 2 - 2.5 inches completed. It is 12 inches wide. I have two skeins so I will use both skeins or until it is about 16 inches or there about. Here is the inside of the bag. Is that not the longest eyelash you have ever seen?

I know some of you love to read my blog to see and hear about Solara so here is her latest pose for the camera. Silly girl.

NEWS

People who know me know I am always on the hunt for new, interesting, different and unique patterns. I have found these http://rupestur.blogspot.com/2007/07/quite-refreshing-stash-buster.html and they are a stash buster. She also knits critters and has an etsy shop. So when you go to her blog you can see her lovelies. IDEAS IDEAS IDEAS

So now it has warmed up somewhat and and the apartment is a hot box with the steam pouring out of the radiator again. There is really something perverse about the way heat is in this place. The warmer it is the more heat we have and when it get cold all of a sudden there is no heat coming from the radiator. So now I am sweating and have opened the windows and turned the fan on.

Tami whom I know from love2knitdishcloths group on Yahoo is having a contest having reached her 100th post over at her blog with a nice prize. If you mention my name and that you found out about the contest on my blog I will get an extra entry. You can find her blog here: http://olsensinboise.blogspot.com/. So go and check it out. May the luckiest person win.

What else have I been doing besides knitting, reading and working on my Avon excel spreadsheets for my income tax? PHEW! They are finally finished.
AND I have been working on a puzzle I received as a gift in the weluvknitting four gifts a year swap. It is a 500 piece puzzle about fairies. Here is what it will look like when put together.
I started it on Tuesday and with some help of two friends it was completed on Friday who when they saw it got the bug to work on it also.

Here it is on Wednesday. Here it is on Thursday. AND here it is completed Friday night. AND there are only three pieces missing. I wonder where they could have gone to. I have checked everywhere but no luck. Now I can't share this puzzle with anyone else. It was fun and once I started I didn't want to stop. It has been quite a long time since I did a puzzle.

The puzzle was worked on my coffee table which was painted in a plaid design as you can see. My girlfriend helped me do this several years ago. She painted circles on her dinning room table. I love circles and polka dots but didn't want to copy hers. Since I like plaids too I thought it would be fun to paint my coffee table in a plaid design. My friend didn't want to at first not because she didn't like plaids but I just think because she didn't feel like painting it I guess but a short while later she acquiesced and we painted it. I certainly needed her help as I don't know if I would have known where to start even if I had the great idea. It was fun to do. I only paid $5.00 for the table which was second hand. It is very heavy and looked awful before it was painted. Yes paint does cover a number of problems. To fix the counter top in my kitchen I painted it and the back splash apple green one of the colors I painted the kitchen walls. If you look through my blog you can find my green kitchen counter. Only I have to freshen it up with new paint every couple of years even with a varnish on top.

What was Solara busy doing while I was working on my puzzle. She was curled up in her blankie.
Tomorrow it is supposed to be warmer than today so I thought I would go and deliver my Avon brochures only now I hear we are going to have a "blizzard". That is fine as long as it is after I get back home. I have lots of knitting I can do if I get stranded in my apartment.

AND now I am off to do some knitting and read my book Three Bags Full.

A GOOD MAIL DAY

Today is starting out just fine despite it still being colder than hades is hot.

Knitting Goodness

In the mail today I received my sockamanaic package from Pam. Pam's package will be going out next week. Alas, there were no patterns as she forgot to put them in the box. In my dumb logic of the postal system I thought they would arrive before the package did since an envelope in my mind wouldn't take as long to arrive as a box but no the patterns haven't arrived yet. So I am waiting in anticipation to see what patterns Pam has chosen for me. BUT she did send me a lovely package. See for yourself. Here is the box my goodies came in. AND here are the goodies minus the patterns. It was a lavender theme package. There is Lavender bath and/or foot soak she made me using Epsom salts and essential oils and could you smell it when you opened the box. Such a lovely scent. It came in a reusable container. There is also some White Tea Relaxing Lavender Bath Tea which are tea bags you put in your bath, a lavender colored pumice sponge to remove the rough skin on the soles of my feet and believe me they are in bad shape and a White Tea Lavender Relaxing Body Bar. Funny for someone who sells Avon I have the worst feet in the world I think. Guess it is all the barefootin' I like to do and the total lack of care I give them. Shame shame on me!! BUT that is not all I received. I also received two small packages of coffee, some Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate and of course YARN. AND here is a close up of the yarn I received. It is really a periwinkle blue/purple color. It is from Pagewood Farms and is 100% superwash merino sock yarn. Solara also says Thank-You Pam as you gave her something to play with. This bag is even smaller than the previous bag she tried to get into. I not only received my Sockamaniac Pedicure Swap Package but I also received some money for my birthday which is in less than two weeks now. What should I do with it? Put it away toward my co-op, use it to pay some bills or get myself a treat. There isn't enough to do all of it.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

I have my partner now for the Scavenger Hunt. I now can have some fun deciding what to get for her. My mind is running around in circles trying to decide what items to put into each of the categories. I know I still have plenty of time to change my mind several times over and that is a woman's prerogative to change her mind. Right?

Today Elann put out some new yarns and, of course, I had to get some. I also got myself the Silky Tweed in Provence Blue to make the summer top called Twilight from the Rowan magazine. I am finally going to knit myself something to wear besides socks, scarves, hats and the like. Whether I end up wearing it will be an entire other story. AND I did get something else from Elann which I will show in the photo when it comes if I like it and it was a good purchase. What am I going to do with myself. I really need to join a 12 step program for textile addicts. I use the term textiles b/c if I was able to get at my sewing machine I would also be purchasing fabrics and not only wanting a spinning wheel but a new sewing machine and serger. I just love textiles both yarns, fabrics and all the trappings that go with them. Now do I really want the help, is the question?????

Now here is something I would like to register for but I can't afford it unless I received it as a gift and I doubt that is going to happen. Are you going to sign up Andrea? Of course, still without a wheel I really haven't had time to practice spinning plain roving and I just can't get the hang of the drop spindle.

Being held at Mona's Woseley Wardrobe
Exotics Spinning 2 with Francine – Sundays February 17 & 24th from 9:30am – 4:30pm
Class covers how to prepare and spin Bombyx Mori and Tussah silk , Cashmere, Cashmere and Silk, Camel down, Camel and Silk, Alpaca, and Kid Mohair. Learn how to blend all these fibres with each other and with wool. Information on what makes a good blend and reasons for blending fibres. Discuss the properties of all the above fibres and learn to spin them as a single fibre. Individual fibre package includes:
100 gms Silk - Bombyx and Tussah
28 gms Cashmere - 50/50 Cashmere and Silk
28 gms: Camel Down - 50/50 Camel Down and Silk
100 gms Alpaca - Baby Alpaca and Very fine adult.
100 gms multi dyed Kid Mohair locks
200 gms of Polwarth wool
Cards to make spun yarn samples.

Coffee, tea and cookies provided for break time.
Cost: $130 plus GST includes 2 days of instruction and fibre package.
Bring: Your lunch (fridge and microwave available) and spinning wheel. Francine will provide wheels and tools for those who need them – please let me know at time of registration.

Shelagh came over to visit to day and she did get to hold her fur niece Solara for just a brief moment.
AND I say a brief moment as this is the next photo not even a minute later. She is just pushing herself away from Shelagh. Can't you hear her saying that is enough Auntie Shelagh let me go now.

I HAVE BEEN TAGGED AND........

Stephanie from She Who Must Be... at http://shewhomust.blogspot.com/ tagged me for 7 Random Facts Meme

Here are the rules, and they must be posted to your blog.
Link to the person’s blog who tagged you (see above).
List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. (Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog and also so they can look at your blog and not tag the same people all over again!) Let the fun begin.

So here goes:
1. I was born in Polyclinic Hospital New York City and lived the first two years in Asbury Park NJ before moving back to NY where I lived until I married a Canadian way back in 1969. He left me Christmas Day 1976.
2. I am still a US citizen but I have lived longer in Canada than the US now
3. Apparently I still speak New Yorkese
4. Penny isn't my real or legal name but a name I chose when I was about eight years old not liking my actual real name
5. I wear all my undergarments (panties, slips, socks etc) inside out as the seaming drives me nutso.
6. I went to two Beatle concerts. The one at Shea Stadium and the one at Forest Hills Tennis Courts. I have one of the tickets and the cost looking at it now is unbelievably cheap
7.I am a cancer survivor

For this quiz I am tagging
Cathy in Winnipeg http://dreaminthenightaway.blogspot.com/
Cathy in Atlanta http://tryintaknit.blogspot.com/
Andrea http://noricum.blogspot.com/
Anne http://madlyoffinalldirections.blogspot.com/
Rochelle http://yosemite-knittingaddiction.blogspot.com/
Carolynn http://cinnamonamon.wordpress.com/
Julie http://www.teamknit.blogspot.com/

I tried to link with just their names BUT it didn't work so I had to do it the long way.

So I took this quiz 2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz and it surprised me just a tad. HMMM

81% John Edwards
81% Barack Obama
80% Mike Gravel
79% Hillary Clinton
78% Dennis Kucinich
75% Chris Dodd
71% Bill Richardson
70% Joe Biden
40% Rudy Giuliani
30% Mitt Romney
27% John McCain
27% Tom Tancredo
25% Mike Huckabee
21% Fred Thompson
20% Ron Paul

IT'S COLD BUT I STILL WENT FOR X-RAYS

I don't know who wrote this and how long it has been traveling around the Internet but thank-you Lorna for sending it to me. Oh how true it is.

My Manitoba

It's winter in Manitoba
And the gentle breezes blow,
70 miles per hour at 52 below!
Oh, how I love Manitoba
When the snow's up to your butt.
You take a breath of winter air
And your nose is frozen shut.
Yes, the weather here is wonderful,
I guess I'll hang around.
I could never leave Manitoba ,
'Cause I'm frozen to the ground!'

So Friday past in the absolute bitter cold I finally went for some x-rays. X-rays of my lumbar spine, hips and knees. I made sure I got to the x-ray dept late enough so not to wait and maybe get right in and out. YUP no one was there and they would be closing in half an hour. The receptionist asks me to sit in a chair in the empty waiting room. Maybe four or five minutes later (I was able to read several pages in my book while I waited). I was called in to the changing room and given a paper gown and told to undress leaving on only my socks and panties. So I do as told and when called for my x-ray I am asked if I have any jewellery on. I say just earrings. I am told I need to remove them. I look at the x-ray tech perplexed and ask why I need to remove my earring to have my lower spine, hips and knees x-rayed. She tells me I am having my C Spine x-rayed. I tell no I am not. I was at the doctor's complaining about hip and knee pain. BUT she says this is a C not an L. I say I don't need an x-ray of my neck at this time and it is an L not a C. She tells me to wait while she discusses it with the girl out front. She comes back and says okay you now need to go back to the changing room and take off this paper gown and put on a cloth gown but I don't have to remove my earrings. I am the last person in the dept for x-rays yet I still needed to change gowns. Go figure.
I must have had 10 or 12 x-rays taken. Of course, she ushered me out before I could even ask if I could see them. I am just curious. Apparently, I have arthritis of my lumbar spine and according to the last doctor a few years ago when x-rays were taken my hips were "pristine". The same phrase my current doctor told me of my knees about six months ago. I should have "pristine" joints at my age. I have seen x-rays of my spine when I had those free chiropractic x-rays taken and I saw the arthritis in my spine. They look like the hooks on the wall you hang your clothes on but are facing the other way round and are attached to a part of my spine not a wall to hang clothes on. That is what is causing my hip pain and spasms. I just want to know if it is still my spine or if there is now a reason my hips hurt even more. AND my knees are really starting to bug me. So I need a base x-ray in case these "pristine" knees get worse. AND the cold in Winnipeg certainly isn't helping.

AGAIN I won a prize for guessing the correct pattern of the cloth on the home page at love2knit dishcloth group on Yahoo that I belong to. BUT Solara and I didn't win a prize in the Bunny Thumper Contest.

Speaking of Solara look at where I found her.
I will take you on a tour to get to her.

I keep the door shut so she doesn't get into this room. This is what you see when you enter the room. Don't laugh too loud. There is excess Avon, empty boxes, fabrics, quilting and beading stuff, sewing machines, ironing board, threads, and STUFF. Yes there is empty floor space in front of the ironing board. Enough to actually do a small dance. Since I was ironing the turquoise piece of fabric on the ironing board which is a queen or possibly a king size sheet and I needed space, I moved my large bags of yarn and other items kept under and on both sides of the ironing board about the room to have room for the fabric.

Off to the right side are the shelves of fabric, fabric I am not able to use presently. Now a close up view of the shelves.AND even closer. Can you see her? No not yet. So lets get even closer. There she is.
The only reason you see her is due to the flash of the camera. She stayed in there all afternoon and evening. When she finally left her sacred space I quickly shut the door to the room. She definitely wasn't happy with me.

FIRST FINISHED ITEMS OF 2008

It is only January 20 and I have three finished items already.

One is a UFO I completed for my December whoduknit project. It was done for the project of the book A Farewell to Yarns. I finally learned how to put together a granny afghan I crocheted. These squares were originally from a swap in the Yarn Lovers Room and has been hanging around for about three or so years. In this swap we were to send one 10" square to everyone on the list. It could be any color but had to be edged in black. AND as usual in swaps there were some who didn't play nice but still there were enough squares to make a small afghan. I hope later the Yarn Lovers Room will have another similar swap calling for 10" squares in any color edged in black. I will join it so I can get more squares for this afghan. Then when I add it to the original squares the afghan can hang over the bed. It is so ugly I love it. No one is the world will have an identical throw as this. Some squares are just indescribable but I love them also. That is what makes this such a unique afghan.

Here it is: and close ups:




AND just so you can see it even clearer here are some of the individual squares. I didn't photograph all of them. I guess you are going Thank G-d for that.

Actually, I have another bunch of squares from another swap in that same group to put together. I also have a lot of squares crocheted using "wool" by the Woolman who lived and had a yarn shop in my city many years ago which I received after he died to put together.
Squares received from people in the Yarn Lover's Room Swaps are all very different and no two people in this swap have the same completed afghan as everyone doesn't necessarily send the same crochet/knit pattern or use the same colors in their squares they send out.
The one I haven't finished is from a blue and white swap and the squares had to be in only blues and whites. In this swap we sent two seven inch squares to each person in the swap. AND again some people didn't play nice. I want to edge these blue and white squares first in either blue or white to give them some co-ordination before I put them together.

This whoduknit project was fun as I got to finish a UFO!!!! and learn how to put my granny square afghan together. I am sure there are other ways to join squares and I hope to learn more ways eventually.

This past week I have knit two scarves. The first turned out too small for an adult. It is one of those potato chip type scarves where every third row you increase in each stitch. Only the first one I didn't put enough stitches on so it is sized for a child. It was made with just plain variegated sayelle and the last row and cast off was knit in some fancy yarn with a bit of glitz.
I have put it in my stash for a just in case needed item.

The second one I knit using the Paton's Bohemia yarn. I have made one of these before to give away in a scarf swap. It is the loopy scarf where when you are finished knitting you unravel the first three and last three stitches. It is all garter stitch and knits up fast with two balls of yarn. It is also oh so very soft. This one came out quite nice. Even Solara thinks it is nice.I wrapped this one up to give to a friend.

AND I am still working on a very special item for a special friend. A photo will be up after it has been completed and received just in case she checks out my blog. I am also working on my Harvest sock but very slowly due to doing these two scarves and needing to get my special project done.

I have also decided on my project for the January read in whoduknit. We are reading Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann only I am having problems finding time to read the book. I have taken it out of the library twice. This time when I took it out it was only available from the express best seller area where you can only keep it for one week and there is no renewal allowed. I had to do this as the other copies all have waiting list even the large print version. So I guess I will return it and go back later when it is back on the shelf I hope and take it out again as I am only on chapter three. WHY??? I have been working on and have finally completed the worksheets of my Avon for my income tax. I just need to put this information in an excel spread sheet which I hope to do tomorrow so when my T4 arrives I can fill in the proper forms and send my income tax forms in and collect my refund early. AND you ask why is this taking so long? I have to go over and check everyone's order and what they paid and what I made as there are different rates of commission on different items and sometimes if I sell more I make more than usual on the main items. I had a lot of customers and there were a lot of items to go over this past year. BUT I have started on the orders for 2008 so I will be ahead of the game next year. From now on I will work on each campaign as they happen. Then it will be so much easier next year as all this will be done and complete. I also will be able to get back to putting photos in ravelry, knit more and read more both my books and emails once this income tax business has been completed.

I WON I WON!!!

Reading my emails I see I have won a prize for the granny square afghan above. YIPEE!! I don't know what it is but I am surprised as I also won last month. I think I will opt out of this months prize or pass it on to someone else if I should win again. I am wondering if I am winning prizes now should I get tickets more often for the LOTTO? Is it a sign of what is to be?

Solara was visited by her Auntie Janice on Friday. Her Auntie Janice received a treat from another friend which I gave her and that meant that Solara also got a pressie. The gift was in a bag and here is Solara trying to get into a bag that is way way way to small for her. When she finally realised she wasn't going to get her body into the bag she decided to go and get into the box the gift came in. Well almost anyway. So she gives us her back when she gets as much of her body in the box as she can.
Here she is from the side showing how little actually got into that box.
BUT her Auntie Janice loves her despite her silliness. Even if I wanted to write more I can't as my fingertips are frozen and tingling from the lack of heat in my apartment.