Done and Done

So this year, my only goal was to make sure the boys had new hand knit hats before Christmas. It makes me feel like a good mom while I am knitting lots of other things for me. 


Bugs is the bomb.

Boo as the Dark Knight

Bugs, 6 years old, is a fan of video games and anything black and gold (Go Steelers!!) so I made up an Angry Birds hat. Boo, 2 years old, likes superheroes so he got a Batman hat with mask. 

It got so cold last week that we unearthed their hats from last year to wear to school. That pushed me to cast on.  I hurried to finish and they were both done the day after Thanksgiving (Yea to Bear for doing all the holiday driving so I could knit.)

Then this weekend, it has been 60 degrees and way to warm to wear their hats. Sigh.

So,  I now solemnly declare in front of all three readers of my blog (Hi Mom!) that there will be no more Christmas knitting.  No last minute projects for the kids teachers, no up all night finishing something for Aunt What's-her-face, No stress, No fuss.  My Christmas shopping isn't done but I have a list. Some of it will be baking because that is quick, cheap and well appreciated but no knitting...I hope.

Different Style

I decided a couple of weeks ago to paint my nails dark denim blue. Last Sunday, I changed it up and painted the tips blue with a plain background. This is a big change for me as I am normally a french manicure vanilla kinda girl.

So, I was out with a knitting friend last night at a restaurant. We had finished eating and pulled out our knitting when I noticed a couple early twenties looking at me (the way the booths were they could not see my friend.) The woman was whispering and all I heard was "She's got..." and "She's like 30" I thought it was my nails. They were too dark and I was too old and they were laughing at my trying to be young and fashionable.  I got uncomfortable until they left.

Just this morning as I am reapplying my nail polish and thinking, "screw that girl" that it hit me.  I was knitting...in public...maybe she was saying, "She's got knitting in her hands and she like (only) 30."

Sunset

So, if you follow my blog regularly, you will remember my knee high stripy socks. These socks were part of a knit along with two friends so we could all wear our stripy knee socks to Maryland Ren. Fest.  Well, my socks were finished in plenty of time for our trip this weekend. Huzzah!

The color pooling was completely unpredictable and it reminded me of something but I wasn't sure what.



Then, last night, as my husband and I went out on a date, I saw the sunset and there were my socks.

Pretty cool, don't you think?

Rhinebeck In Retrospect

My haul from Rhinebeck was small this year since I really don't need more yarn. I was very careful and planned ahead.


I got three skeins of Miss Babs Yowsa Whatta Skein in Black Cherry. I am planning to make Greenaway by Amy Herzog.



My mother bought this kit by Laura Nelkin and asked me to make it for her. I am looking forward to learning beadwork and I think it is funny that mom picked this after picking socks from Laura Nelkin for me to knit her as a barter for purchasing the Blackthorn needles for me.


This is my biggest prize. I caught Ann and Kay walking around and they signed my book.  They were so fun to talk to, even if I did get a little tongue tied and even if I forgot some of the patterns that I had used in the book.  They were impressed that I hauled this book around all day and I didn't feel like I was bothering them much. After all, they were on my bingo card.

Eating Wool

Sunday could not have been a prettier day.

We strolled around and shopped very little at NYSW in Rhinebeck. There was a mini traveling zoo with three young kangaroos and a tortoise.

There was a wonderful artist that was carving some pretty impressive pumpkins. 

 

We bought some maple sugar cotton candy and opened it right away. It was so yummy. We were stopped by a couple of women who had to ask, "Are you eating roving?"  We couldn't stop laughing but later looking at it in the car

It does look like wool.

Rhinebeck on Saturday

On the way to Rhinebeck, we had "the running of the yarn." Mom had a bag of yarn on the back seat. As she took a sharp exit, there was a sign saying "New York Sheep and Wool." The yarn jumped out of the bag and scampered over to the window. I swear!



We took a wet felting class with Nancy Dorian.


Ravelry meet up was a blast. Rhinebeck Bingo was so much fun.  I even met some famous authors.


I shopped and bought some great yarn.

It was a great day.

Pre-Rhinebeck

This weekend, I took friday off work to spend the day (7 hours) driving up to Rhinebeck, New York for a New York Sheep and Wool weekend. Before I left my desk on Thursday, I saw my african violet was blooming (first time in 4 years) and I took it as a good sign.

We also got a call last week that our favorite Manicurist/ Beautician had two spots open on Friday morning, so we got pedicures. I got emerald green sparkly nail polish and mom got a teal green that turns lime in the sunlight. We didn't get outta Virginia till almost 1 pm but our feet look cute.


With Mom driving most of the way,I finished my stripy knee socks.

I'm too sexy for my socks

We got to the hotel around 9:45 pm. We didn't get to bed till 11 pm because we were so excited. I will have Saturday to share tonight but first I am going to take a nap and get dinner.