Sunday, December 27, 2009

2009, a year in review

2009 was a challenging year for me. It started out with being sick in January (H1N1? plain old flu?) Who knows, but that drug on until March, when it was decided I had a raging case of strep. Although the antibiotics kicked in and kicked out the strep, it seemed like it took the rest of the year to get my energy back. Frustrating.

There were some great highlights, though.
In February, I went to the Seattle Flower show and Madrona. I always love the flower show and it inspires me to want to garden more - of course, it always snows on the way home. Madrona - Tacoma knitting conference - just inspires me to spend money on my knitting obsession.

March brought the opening of my home pilates studio. There were some doubtful moments there, but it's humming along nicely, thank you.












April - off to mind/body for pilates inspiration. Love it!










In May, I finished the last of my advanced pilates training. June and July were all study, all the time, and I passed my advanced certification exam at the end of July.











August was time to celebrate, both a milestone birthday and the culmination of many years of pilates work by passing the exam. It was off to Sock Summit.
What can I say about Sock Summit??? It was an amazing, fun, crazy, empowering, fun, awesome, learning experience. I met so many folks there from all over the country with at least one thing in common - our love for knitting, and stashing yarn. It was the best birthday present I could have asked for.




The rest of the year flew by in a flash. Knitting, pilates, working, volunteeering for the master gardeners and, finally, getting my energy back. Feels good to be human again.

What's up for 2010? I'm saving that for next week, but I have some (lots) of ideas!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas to all!


She's a little obsessed with my new build-a-bear boxer!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

almost there.....

Well, I spent this week distributing my christmas gifts. They were all well recieved and will love their new homes. DH has yet to open his, though. He has to wait.
You can see it here.
Diamonds in his shoes (free rav pattern). The yarn is "top dog" from creatively dyed, purchased at sock summit for this very purpose. It was a huge skein and there's probably enough left for a pair of fingerless mitts.











I wanted to make him a second pair, but he wasn't gone long enough. Hard to make a surprise with the surprisee sitting right next to you. So..... now I'm just making them anyway. I'm loving the pattern on this, you can't really see the detail here, but it looks like fish scales. They're the show-off stranded socks, STR strange brew.
There's going to be a bunch of this left too. I bought two skeins when it was on sale, because he likes a longer leg and has a bigger foot.




I'll probably take these with me on christmas to the in-laws. They're easy to work on and, now that the heel is done, mindless knitting.

The book is one I pre-ordered a while ago, and honestly, had forgotten about. The photos are beautiful and I want to knit every single one of the mittens. Just what I need, more projects.


Next up.....the mystery knit-a-long from the knitter's brewing co., and I've volunteered to test knit a scarf/cowl for someone in exchange for a free pattern.
It needs to be done in the month of January, so I'll be working on that between the clues.

Christmas promises to be a quiet one, with a trip to the in-laws and (thank goodness) no snow.
So, to all my readers - all 3 of you.....
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah
Here's to a great, happy 2010!

Sunday, December 13, 2009

the doggies were nestled all snug in their beds.....


And it started SNOWING!
Remember what happened last year when it snowed here?
Two weeks of forced house arrest. (at least I got lots of knitting and cleaning done)
Not supposed to happen this time, but.......












This week brought some nice treats.





From L to R
Man-sock for a christmas present - pattern diamonds in his shoes - yarn- top dog from creatively dyed, purchased at sock summit for this purpose. You'll notice there's only one, though, and today is the 14th.
In the center bottom, my final free book. I used up ALL of my points. Every stinking one.
And SPEAKING OF POINTS... see that little square thing above the book, that's my christmas present. It's an IPOD 64g touch, purchased with amex points. See, those reward programs really can work. and, yes, it already has a knitting app in it.
If anyone knows of any cool apps, let me know. I don't mind paying either, if it's worth it. (ORBA - addictive little game)
Last but not least, from the Knitter's Brewing CO, the yarn for the january mystery sock KAL. This is going to be a fun little project. The yarn kit also came with a cute little stitch marker, very nice handwritten card, and the first clue, which I need to get started on, as soon as I put down the ipod. I would definitely buy from these folks again. Great service and very personable.

The botanica medallion is also done, here modeled my our fashion plate, cinnamon brown. Honestly, it fits her much better than it does me after all that work. It came out more like a vest than anything else. Just wasn't made for us gals with "wide shoulders" as my mom used to say.
ARGH!

Sunday, December 06, 2009

the STUPID botanica medallion

My friend pam has this thing. Every time she gets to that part of a big project that feels like you're knitting backwards (you know what I mean), it becomes the 'stupid' sweater.
So, here is the STUPID botanica medallion.
The center medallion is finished, the outside is going backwards. I have 50 of 96 rows complete. knit, knit, knit.











Next up, some socks, and I'm really thinking of joining this sock KAl in january.
Sounds like fun!
Knitter's mystery KAL
Still working on a few last minute christmas goodies, but it's pretty much wrapped up and sent on it's way.