Boston's First Night

I won't be attending but will be there in heart! I haven't gone in a few years but always enjoyed it even freezing our butts off!!

http://www.boston.com/ae/specials/first_night_2006

Hope everyone has a FUN safe & happy New Year!

Bye ~ Bye 2006

Hello
2007!!

Happy Holidays!

Amazing how the Holidays always seem to creep up on you isn't it!?

Still doing some last minute preparations like wrapping & baking.....

Update:
recovering is very slow, didn't get the splints removed until the day before yesterday and still very very tender to say the very least!! Been in bed for the past oh I don't know how many days, just been getting up a little each day preparing the house! Example wash a couple dishes, nap for a couple hours, wash a couple more, nap for a while, that's pretty much how my days have been, So now baking & wrapping I'm totally zonked! Oh did I mention my face hurts! Seriously from the top lip upper jaw cheeks teeth everything, my voice is very nasaly, dry, scabby, nose and I think it's all the facial bones that hurt!


Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

I was gifted the cutest sweetest....

just look how adorable! I love them! Bees.....Fingerless mitts!
Hand dyed, handspun, hand knit and embellished!



here's a close up of the left hand one


and the right hand


Aren't they just awesome! The best part they really do keep my hands and fingers very warm, even the exposed part of my fingers...


Surgery Update:

First Thank you for all the well wishes, very much appreciate! I thought I've been loosing readers lately, since my comments seem to have decreased, and blogger hasn't been sending me messages all the time when I receive a comment either?

Surgery was tougher then expected and the DR said I was very agitated before & after. Spoke to him twice yesterday.

They repaired 3 breaks, deviation and cleaned out all infected areas and scraped the cartilage for polops, and who knows what else. I have a couple plastic splints in wrapped with gauze & mini ice packs with little straws hanging out my nose and stitched through.. Was a bit swollen yesterday & last night to be expected of course, some minor bruising which I bet will get worse over the next few days.
He gave me 3 very strong antibiotics too!

I had paged the DR this morning I look very scary this morning and my face went from a golf ball look to more like a tennis ball and it's much more difficult to apply bacitracin now...
Popping those pain meds all night and have to sleep in a chair like upright position.
thought I'd share the cute mitts I received earlier this week and my updates. Hope I'm making some sense. Will be offline most of the weekend I'm sure!

Early Morning Surgery Today!

Yes AGAIN! Which I've still been having follow up appointments with the surgeon in his office for removal of continuousness of nasal blood clots and nasties! Those of you who remember I had the nastiness of all sinus surgeries mid August (this year) well, last month I had A tough time with 2 sleep studies for sleep apnea that I couldn't breathe through the masks properly!
Now 2 weeks ago I had another follow up appointment and I mentioned how I've been diagnosed with the sleep apnea and had 2 sleep labs and 2 studies with different equipment and can't seem to breathe through those masks.
Well he reads my chart as we're talking and
'Ohh I know why!!'
hmm I don't like the sounds of that!

'WE didn't finish your original surgery in August!'

'What! WHY?!' I blurted out!

'Well it was so complex and took so long, we had you under to long and weren't able to finish'

What? How?

'but we'll fix it right away for you'

"expect it'll be about the same if not worse'

Ohhh Lucky me!

So here I'm getting ready in a few hours for early morning surgery again the nurse called last night to tell me it was bumped up to 6:30-7am! and to be there an hour early.
These people just don't get it, I have sleep apnea, don't sleep well, can't use the equipment, am a night person NOT a morning person! I have kids that need to get off to school!
I took the pain meds for about a good 3 weeks before I could go completely without it and tolerate the pain!!

I had such a crazy couple weeks, being ill, sick kids, pre-op appointments, 2 trips to the dealership 1/2 hour away for transmission problems still not fixed waiting for parts to come in (mind you my car is a 2005!), a friend passed away Monday morning from cancer which we thought she'd hang on through the holidays, we've spent alot of time together being sick and in/out of the hospital, having treatments, etc. So I cooked alot for her family! (pork roast, 1/2 ham, meatballs, sausages, chicken, wingettes, 4 lbs salad, veggies, chicken ceaser salad, cookies, brownies, muffins, breads, sauce, cheeses, etc. Can't even remember what else......
My neighbor and friend had surgery on Monday (polops removed and trec too) ( she also has laryaxic cancer, which I've tried to help them out as much as possible as well).

My washer broke Monday afternoon and isn't spinning or agitating! I did mangae to get my Dh and children together to a photographer for some pictures that were long over due!

Hmm needles to say I recently started on Christmas shopping, neglected knitting gifts and other projects. Cleaned house, grocery shopped , delivered foods, attended 1 party, 3 loads of laundry at a laundry mat!, striped beds, PO runs, gift shopping & wrapping, etc.

Next up Surgery in the next few hours, home with kids, DH at work, tomorrow night wake, Saturday morning Funeral, Saturday company Holiday dinner party, Sunday church which I'm a Eucharist minister and money collector, then my daughter has religious education, then I get to rest up..
Looks like my recovering will have to wait until next week! YIKES!
I sure hope I'm not totally back & blue. Last time was minor but if this is worse I'm sure the bruising will be too! Lots of pain meds and make up this weekend I guess! Good thing Dh will be doing the driving & cooking (or take out)


hmm anything that can go wrong should ASAP!! Bring it on!!

LOL Have to have a little humor! Helps to get through it!

Looks like I may have to wrap a few IOU's....


So what's next??

More Bamboolze Socks

I really enjoyed knitting with this yarn!
The socks look & feel so very soft.

I used 3 colorways the crystal pink, powder blue, & painted iris!



I used Ann Norlings Sock Pattern #12A Pebble Rib



Fraternal Twins!

Swap Spoliage with Friday Yarn PrOn too!

Oh my!! I feel so spoiled for sure! Zonda and myself have swapped a few times in the past, and this last one is the icing on the cake let me tell you!! I just love this woman! I was so envious of her and other too getting themselves organized and every time I was I kept outgrowing everything even a tackle toolbox!
the swap was I knit her a couple pairs of socks and she's help me get more organized and sew for me and one of my SP! I was in no rush for my stuff just the SP I needed right away which she sent directly to my overseas SP! What a sweetheart! I went ahead and knit her 3 pairs for the special help

here's some before and after pictures
some (not all) before
the tool box of needles & notions, which I'll still use but not for needles

then there's the overflow of needles in a basket, I know I have more somewhere

then crochet hooks (I actually have 2 zip lock bags of these about the same amount

not to mentions a few here and there around the house...

Ok back to the swap stuff!

here we have 2 items up first both for needles, I absolutely LOVE this material, the material is thick & heavy so I can't call them needles rolls.....She did such a nice nice job on them too

here's some after photos
one I fit lots of DPNs, straights and a ton of crochet hooks in the last 2 slots
each slot is tripled.. She seen some photos of my stuff!!! It's approx 25" lengthwise

this one has 8 doubled pockets for circs approx 30" lengthwise

This was a bonus, a beautiful large tote

see inside is very roomy and with a couple very deep pockets

Her famous Fish Bag! I tried going for a 3D look see the fins and on both sides there actually pockets

To my surprise was a skein of Sunshine Yarn by Dani inside the fish bag!

Color 'Welsh Green Dragon'

see all it's beauty, I can see what allthe talk is about this lovely yarn!!

Thank you so much Zonda for introducing me to such nice yarn! It's so soft & cuddly I'm looking forward to knitting up some for to cuddle my very cold feet! ;o)

she just finds the cutest little things, isn't this the most adorable note pad, the paper even has lines on it too!


Thank you so much Zonda for all your help in getting me organized! I'm loving everything!

Shocker New Phone!

Yes this is a shock for everyone who knows me, YIKES!!

WAIT now

Please don't fall off your chairs~!


IT's a PINK phone! Yes I know Pink!
I know so out of character for me but look it's cute!
I gave up my Nextel for this, I sure hope it's worth it and 100 less anytime minutes ... YIKES! but free calling from mobile to mobile who have sprint or nextel to make up for it...

not quite 1/2 inch in width too!

look how tiny it is......

and it only weighs about 95grams my scale isn't sitting exactly flat here.... It's so light~!


Such a deal it was way to hard to resist, picture in picture phone with all kids of fun stuff, my daughter loves pink and she really needed a new phone for Christmas, who could pass up the buy one get one free offer?? I have 60 or 90 days to decide if I want to keep it or exchange for a different color or model... I did add the insurance to this phone for sure, I'm so used to my nextel I'm afarid I might break this one...
hmmm Whats a gal to do?

Christmas Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends

Christmas Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends

Welcome to the 2006 Christmas Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends! You know the drill. Highlight, copy, and paste (not forward) and change my answers to your answers. Be sure to send back to me. Enjoy!!

Everyone has time for a few moments of fun! Don't be a scrooge!!!Come on! I want to be a scrooge sometimes, children can be so ungrateful sometimes or greedy!!

NAME: Michelle F

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? wrapped have kids can't even put them under the tree until Christmas eve

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? love the all white look but since having another family do colored on tree and white outside or elsewhere

4. Do you hang mistletoe? no

5. When do you put your decorations up? the later the better the past couple years mid Dec

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? excluding dessert, so not fair, favorite part! SO I have to say lasagna
hmm mimosa's count?

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: hmm not to many good memories, I got coal and had to sit and watch my younger brother open all kinds of stuff!

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? truth? what are you talking about?

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? used to but not any more unless it's from a visitor and they insist

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? with minimal decorations to keep the cat & kids from causing trouble.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? It's pretty at first the untouched snow which I love it but really come to hate it very quickly!

12. Can you ice skate? yes but haven't in a while, but try to at least once during the season

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? hmm depends when and from who?

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? taping the cards on the inside of the front door on a card wreath and reading pretty cards from family and friends which seem to be less and less each year, but driving around looking at al the decorated houses is fun once a year anyways. Finding gifts for others is right up there too!

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? kaula cake and everything else, we went to a Holiday wedding over the weekend, and they had candy out very festive and yummy!! The peppermint bark , dark/white cholate with crushed candy canes.. ohhh YUM!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? use to take down decorations on
Christmas day until the younger kids came along

17. What tops your tree? angel

18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? Definitely, giving! especially those fun or knitted gifts; it's great seeing peoples reaction?

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? silent night

20. Candy Canes... Yuck or Yum? Yum! and yuck, depends

Desperately Searching For........................

you know those kids hats that a PITA to tie or should I say keep tied, I'm desperately searching for the pattern that just slips over toddlers heads without ties covers their ears head & chin.
I like it's a vintage pattern, but not sure. Wish they;'d come back

Does anyone have one that'd like to swap, sell copy or link to one somewhere.
I can't remember the exact name and am at a loss. Really need to knit some ASAP!

Finally Panda Cotton by Crystal Palace Yarns

Without further ado! Here's what you've been waiting for.

This yarn is gorgeous to look at, feels like nothing I've ever felt. You can feel the cotton but yet you can't. I especially like the way to colors blend. Perfect Stretch.

Details
55% Bamboo
24% Cotton
21% Elastic Nylon

Handwash or machine wash with cool water on Gentle cycle. Dry Flat (I hang mine with clips of a hanger)
6-8 sts per inch/24-28 sts/10cm
1-2.5 US Needles
2.25mm-3mm
170 yds/50gr
157m/50gr

Color 0439 Night Lights



very minor pooling effect at the beginning of the gussets otherwise they knit perfectly, not knots!! No splitting either!Yeah!


Perfect cast on

so very comfey


close up of pattern


I used RPM pattern by sock prOn
on size 1 US needles, the large size and knit to fit a US size 8
I think it was the perfect match for the yarn with a little leftover from each ball
I do recommend using a sparper pointed needles
very smooth knitting all the way around!
Thank you for the opportunity to be amoung the first to play with it! I would definately use again!

Look for them sometime next month!

Little Tease of New Socks!

Ok I thought I'd give you a little tease of these socks...heeheee
Check back tomorrow for more details and photos

Spicy Cranberry Nut Bread

Remember the nuts are optional on this...

Please stop over here and vote for me this month when you have a minute!

New Panda Cotton by Crystal Palace Yarns

This is a fabulous replacement sock yarn for those who want to knit with all plant fibers...
Check this out 55% Bamboo, 24% Cotton & 21% Elastic Nylon! Each skein is perfectly would throughout the entire skein too.

want a little closer view here....

Even a bit closer inside a skein Check out all the vibrant colors! They blend so well together too.

of course the black is dominant but just wait

to you see how it knit up!

Be back with more photos of this gorgeous yarn!

Hurry! Get your Entries & orders in before the Holiday Rush!

Friendly Sock Compilation, Vol II: A-Z and more

Designers: Debra Barker, Debra Chinn, Michelle Fischer,
Bonnie Franz, Kathy Nehrenz, Joan Macleod, Jeanie Townsend, Linda Walsh, Charlton Wilbur, Nancy Wild, KyleAnn Williams, Becky Yoder, Claudia Tietze, Linda Walsh, and Laura Andersson (editor).

This is by no means ALL the socks, but I thought you might like to see!

Book 2, mailing 12-21-06 is $28 and $4.50 priority ship. It will be about 150 pages, with 40 patterns from 16 different designers some you know or are familar with. As well, there are helpful articles on topics such as how to use handspun in that new pattern you bought!

As before, the book will have plastic covers over cardstock covers, spiral binding to lay flat, and full color.

Pricing: Book 1, $24 and $4.50 priority ship
Book 2, $28 and $4.50 priority ship.

Special offer: if you order both books together, then you can
have free shipping (a $9 value) or 20% off book 1. Which actually the free ship deal saves you more money!

Send paypal to: drlaura@siriusknitting.com
publication date and first shipments 12/21/06 or to pay by money order please contact me for info

we're also working on gift cards in case you want to send something
special to let your loved one know their book is coming.


please note: anyone who has one of the 100 numbered copies of Bk 1 has
the option to receive that same number for book 2

Don't forget to mention your ordering through my blog post in the comment section to receive a small gift with your order! and will also be placed into a special raffle for the upcoming New Year! Please note that drawing(s) & odds of winning depending on amount of entries

BONUS
For continued online support for both Book one & two join us
on the Friendly Socks Group KALS, contests, prizes, etc....Hope to see some of you join!
Remember key word here being Friendly!

Crystal Palace Bamboozle Review

each skein is 55% Bamboo, 24% Cotton, & 21% Elastic Nylon. 4-5sts/inch (16-20sts/10cm, 8-10 needles (5-6mm) 90yds/50gr
Handwash or machine wash, gentle cycle, dry flat. Due to elastic content use 1 size larger needle than you might expect to use.

Great for knitting all kinds of stuff, sweaters, afghans, hats, mitts, vests, jackets, and especially don't forget Socks!

I thoroughly enjoyed knitting with this yarn and many others, I have had the pleasure. I especially love the high content of bamboo and with the perfect amount of elasticity. So soft and cozy and actually warm too! Just a tad splitty at beginning but this is not at all a problem once you've started with your knitting. It's not a high/tighter twisted type yarn, which also accounts to it's extra suitable softness which we all love.

I only used 83 grams out of 150 grams of yarn with a 9-10" leg per sock


Generous leftovers 70gr! With 1 additional sk in the pink and there'd enough for 1 pair adult size and 1 pair child size socks or enough leftovers for another small project so nothing is wasted.

Here I used US 3 needles cast on 48 sts & US 2 for heel & foot for US size 8 socks
for a gauge of 8sts/inch
Using 3 new colors to test with. An Ann Norling Pattern #12A in a Pebble Rib

inside

outside

Look they put my socks up on their website here

I give this yarn a 2 thumbs up for sure! ;o))

Yarn PrOn Friday!

Yarn just speaks for itself

Noro Kureyon #166

What more can I say...


Just another lonely skein of pretty colors....right into the stash mobile.....

Crystal Palace New Yarn

Coming soon Bamboozle New colors for the Spring 2007.. They are absolutely gorgeous! This scan on a sock in progress does them no justice..



I'm using 3 colorways for this one in Crystal Pink #0205, Painted Iris #9800 & Powder Blue #2201
It's joy to knit with so very soft and a WHOPPING High percent 55% Bamboo!! 24% Cotton & 21% elastic nylon. Great for those who want to use a non-animal yarn for a nice fabric and did I mention so very silky soft and nice wearing socks!
Huge Thank You for everyone over at Crystal Palace for bringing this wonderful new addition to all of us!



wait to I scan and show you the Gorgeous New Panda Cotton!!!

Boat, Icky Dough N Cookies!!

We were going to my cousins to help frame and shrink wrap the boat yesterday and I was baking a huge batch of Nestles chocolate chip cookies to take with us...Had to run to the store in the morning quickly and picked up a small box of baking soda.

Now who doesn't eat batter when making cookies?

I had cookies in the oven and eating batter while they were baking the kids were so good waiting patiently for those nice warm gooey cookies to be done.

So I thought the batter tasted a little funny, then had some more thinking well I did brush my teeth, so eat some more.....Then it still tasted funny to me!!! ewwww! Now I'm feeling a it ill. hmmm ok I'll rinse my mouth and try some more... ewwwww! Ick! No nothing is wrong, I can't small very well since it's only been a couple months of so since the sinus surgery...eww What is it!! Immediately check all my ingredients for expiration dates, you know eggs, vanilla, flour sugar everything.. Last but not least I find the small box of baking soda thinking no way just bought!
Well guess what??? Look!!!

Not it's not expired but it's same color box and it's Cat Litter Deodorizer with baking soda & fragrance... Checked the box what in the world in is this crap???!! No listed ingredients anywhere on the package at all!! I do know from soap making & science education that the baking soda should be listed as sodium bicardonate
Gezz they do have an '800' number listed.. call it to see what the ingredients are.. Well not open only during business hours during the week but in case of immediate medical information is needed call this '888' number.. Ok call that number I know from fragrance as essential oil not fragrance can be safe but some are certainly not. I didn't panic though I knew I'd just feel ill and it's go away eventually not harmful but more curious as to what is in this stuff!!... Someone did answer and they have no clue as to whats in it because it's not listed on the package!
They are contracted to answer calls for several companies not just Arm & Hammer and don't no whats in the products... Thats no to comforting to know....

Needless to say It was quite disappointing, tossed remaining batter & cooked cookies in the trash. Explained to the kids what happened and my DS was more concerned about me then the cookies, how sweet, I reassured him I'd be just fine not to worry and lets continue on with our day... Appartently I was told the house smelled good!! HA!HA!!

Some good news I didn't let the kids eat the cookies or any batter!!! So I saved them from being ill!

Off to the boat we go..
They couldn't believe it was me who did something like this.. SO not in my character at all!! So all day everyone checked their food to make sure I didn't try to poison anyway, then the guys insisted on take out for dinner.. heehee hee

Worked out perfectly no cooking all day...DH thinks something is wrong with me. Well yeah!! I'm not getting enough oxygen to my brain everyday, so forgive me! (recently I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and am waiting for machines to arrive shortly)As soon as I did eat I felt even more ill some headache other then that I'll be fine...It's this odd taste that has been lingering on persistently thats annoying!


Now the boat is all framed & wrapped, you just know

the snow and cold weather isn't to far away..