Spring fling!

I'm having my own spring fling of sorts.? Lately I have been very BLAH.? I can't quite put my finger on it and it seems to be lasting a long while.? Usually those sorts of things go away after a bit.? This time, it's stubborn. So, I decided that I must take action.? Which, when ensconsed in the blahs, is a difficult thing to muster. I decided to have my own personal spring fling, which doesn't include knitting anything wonderfully colorful. Although it doesn't hurt! :)?

My first plan of action is cleaning.? Although I love to have a neat and clean home, no one can ever rightfully accuse me of being a neatnick.? My bedroom has been taking the brunt of the dust assault lately. The clutter was horrid!?? I spent the afternoon yesterday being ruthless. Throwing out old clothes that hung around with no place to call home for a long long time.? I got rid of magazines and books and old nail polish and makeup.? And I dusted.? Phew!? Did I ever dust!? Good thing I don't have asthma!? The dust and clutter are extinct now. In that room anyway.?

My second plan of attack is more personal.? I must get back on a healthy eating program and exercise.? I have managed to gain back all of the 40 plus pounds that I worked so hard to lose. This has got to stop.? I can tell the difference my new, not so healthy eating style has made in my energy level.? Hello veggies and goodbye junk food!

The rest? Well, that will just have to fall into place.? I feel a pre-empty nest thing coming on.? Derek is going to college next year.? Bethany won't be far after.? It is hard when your sole focus for 17 years has been being a Mom to not have that anymore. Oh, yes, I'm still their Mom, but it's different.? It's a tad lonely.? Yes, it's time for hubby and I to have our lives again, but mostly, we snooze.? The reconnection.? That too needs to happen.?

So, time to fling open the windows of our lives.? Outwith the nagging bad and in with the healthy goodness.? And along the way, the blahs should take a hike.? I hope.

let's look inside the box, shall we?

My brain seems to have gotten confused between KSPP and GSRP.? Here is an up close and personal look at the GSRP box!

I hope I did not drool all over the nice stuff!

So much to pick from. It was better than being a kid in a candy store! I was like a knitter in a yarn store!? It's kind of like having a tupperware party at home.? All the stuff laid out nicely and you can choose what you want. Only better!

So luscious!

This is my choice. Minus one thing.? This is classic elite inca alpaca in the most wonderful shades!? It gets a girl to dreaming!? Some needles.? I just love the older style metal needles with the flat heads on them.? LOVE EM.? So, I took them for my needle jar!? And an item not shown, because I debated back and forth, and decided that I couldn't live without it, a pattern and some yarn for a ducky fair isle baby sweater. It uses Reynolds gypsy yarn in beautiful bright colors.?This will be a fun knit!

And finally, what I put in

???????????????????????????????? Want some?

I put in sirdar denim, cascade 220, opal croc, plymouth encore and the handbook of aran knits.? Fair and Square!

Shreds

When I got home from work yesterday, Bethany said to me, "Someone sent you a paper shredder! I think it's a bomb! "

Busy, I bustled around, not even glancing her way for a couple of minutes.? Paper shredder? bomb?? I casually glance over at the big box sitting on the ottoman in the living room.? That's no paper shredder! That's the KSPP box!? YEEHAW!?

I"m going to have to keep you in suspense as to what I found inside.? Just a couple of hours and I'll have a photo shoot of all the yummy goodness that I found!?

Can you stand it?

credits where credit is due

Stars and Stripes baby sweater brought to you by the book, Knitting for the First Time, which was shared with me by a friend.? Thanks, friend!? There is also a very similar sweater in this book. Both cover sweaters too.?

Thank you all so much for the great comments about the sweater set.? That pompom still makes me happy!

Presenting...

I finished the stars and stripes sweater just in the nick of time. It will be given today to fly it's way to Oklahoma to the cutie pie baby! I love the look of this sweater. I did not enjoy doing intarsia, but love the outcome of it. And there are a couple of things that I am not particularly happy with on the sweater, but I will keep them to myself. To me, they are glaringly evident!Hopefully, the baby won't notice!

A tad patriotic, no?

And that hat? The pompom cracks me up! How can one pompom make a person so happy?? It's truly a mystery!

?? It's all about the pompom, baby!

Unfortunately when I try to be speedy knitter, like I did with this set, something starts to ache. The ache du jour is my wrists. Remind me never to knit a sweater set in a week next time, will ya?

I'm a knitsmith

I'm a knitsmith

Tag! You're it!

My secret knitting buddy strikes again!?

How cool is this? I could torture my daughter with knitted items AND tags too! :)

I arrived home last night to find a suspicious looking bulky envelope in the mailbox, return address k. buddy! Hey! I "know" that person!? Yes, that's right!? A wonderful surprise! And tucked into a peach of a card was this ribbon, printed tags that say "knit by sandy"!? I never knew there was such a thing!? I am thrilled!? Thank you, secret pal, whoever you are!? I'm not worthy!

I have been knitting like a fiend to finish up the baby sweater! Almost there. A bit more seaming and about a hundred thousand ends to weave in and I"ll be done. It will be given tomorrow and that is when you will see the final viewing!? In the meantime, take a peek at the cute hat that will go with it!

Ooooh lala!? I am cute in a baby hat, no??

I have been concentrating so intently on getting this baby set done, I haven't even picked up the peace fleece everyday cardi in a week.? The other cardi gals will catch up to me now!? Check out the new cardi along blog hosted by Miss Gibs!?

Gotta fly!? Catch ya on the blog side!

List o mania

The LIST.? Finally!? The list is posted to the right of the secret pals!? No particular order to them so don't be trying to guess your pal. No clues here!? I know that I probably have forgotten someone. sorry to you. Let me know!?

Phew!

Star of the day, who will it be?

Without any further ado.? Well, with a bit of ado.? If your name is Barbara and you work with me, turn back now. Do not read any further.? You will know why in a couple of days....

Is she gone?? Okay.? Here is the front of the star baby sweater!

?????????????? funky little star, isn't it?

There is a roll up edge of the same color of the star. There is also a sweater back that is done, but it looks just the same. With no star on it!? Intarsia is not one of my favorite things. This I know with little uncertainty!? There is a weird spot on the lower left leg of the star, but I think I'll fix it with some duplicate stitches afterwards. I'm NOT ripping out!? This may be the one and only intarsia project EVER.? We'll see.? There was a tangling issue.? Big time!

?? And you thought I was kidding about the special day plate?

Hurley tradition. Isn't it grand? And the extreme durable plastic of the plate will ensure that it will be around for generations to come!

It was a piece of cake!

The reason I show you this yumminess is because of the candles on top. See the flames? They are the color of the candles.? FUN-KY!? Of course the purple and orange ones did not work.? Bummer.?

I'm so happy that I picture ability back again! It doesn't take much to make me happy!? Just cake and pictures!? And stars. And yarn. And sunshine. And backrubs. And.....well. Maybe it does take a lot to make me happy.?

Come on baby, light my fire!

I have been struggling with finding the perfect baby gift sweater for awhile. I would choose a project, but it just didn't DO it for me.? I didn't' feel the passion for it. Do you know what I mean?? Here is some of the rejects....SOME..

First up we have a cute little number in the book Arans and Celtics. Very cute. Just did not feel right! Next, we have a cutie in Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino.? The original is cute in it's subtleness. This one didn't feel so cute to me.? Oh Goody, as a bonus you get to see my creepy, injured finger nail!? Remember? Dropped a Kahlua bottle a couple of months ago?? Lovely look, no?? NEXT on the runway, we have a Sirdar denim sweater. Cute, yes, but it is the sweater from HELL! And, well, I don't think it's right to give a gift from hell to a new baby.? I could be wrong.? I dont' mind complicated patterns. But this one went way beyond complicated.? This designer was just having way too much fun for me.? I have to be able to understand the pattern.? This one made no sense to me. Seems like knits and purls just willynilly all over the place for no reason except to make me wonder...

But now.? I have the project that is perfect.? And I have Chris to thank for it!? Thank you , Chrissy!? You saved the baby sweater!? How do you like these colors? This is cascade 220 and I just love love the colors.? I am fired up. Finally!? I'd show you the beginning of it, but you must wait for another day. Right at the moment, it is a roll of stockinette wonder. Not much to see for now!?

Snow!? Lots of it here!? Have a snowy or if you are lucky, sunny and warm St. Patricks day!?

kspp

The Knitters Secret Pal Program
???????????
Thanks to Tiffany at Princess knits for the button!

??????????
Thanks to Mindy, at Gidget Casts on for button #2!

And now, a third choice!!

?????????
Thanks to Michelle, at the Knitting Project for button #3!

May 31st, 2004 is the conclusion!? ?

Not taking any more new secret pals at this time!?

I'm a knitter

Birthday today, star tomorrow

First off and most importantly, Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband, Andy.? He is 45 years old today. It is a day of celebration in this house!? And most importantly, he gets to eat off the "it's my special day" plate. All day!? I'm sure he is practically jumping for joy over that one!

I am happily knitting away on the baby sweater!? No pictures yet. Tomorrow it will be the star of the post, I promise.? Unless of course, blog city has some kind of catastrophe.? Again.? I?can show you this wonderful yarn that I picked up at FNC yarn.? I want?to?knit my Dad some socks but he didn't like the yarn I picked last time. I'm not going to waste yarn of anyone. This is Regia, called Sea.? It is serendipity. My father loves the ocean.? He will now love these socks. If he knows what's good for him??? er because they will be perfect for him.?

What do you know? Dear Abby visited my site last night! Hey Abby!? In the spirit of welcoming a blogger who may be getting discouraged, go visit Piper!?

Snow.? In March. It is covering all the wonderful budding daffodils and crocuses that are struggling to remind us that spring is coming.?

And the last word today is..granola.

To snore is such a chore....Or this means war!

They ¹ say that it takes the average person 7 minutes to fall asleep.? My husband has the extraordinary ablility to fall asleep way before he hits the pillow.? As soon as his body is prone it begins.? The?auditory?assault.? This otherwise wonderful, quiet man becomes a bully with his snoring.? EGADS!? The sounds that come out of his orafices are horrendous.? (facial, that is) This is okay with me, as long as I get much more than an average 7 minutes to get to the peaceful land of slumber.? For some reason, I am deaf to his sounds. Most nights. Then there is the night that he decides to come to bed early.? A black and white checkered flag has waved to begin my night of tossing and turning.? Last night was one such night.? 4 am!? This is when I drifted off to sleep.? A restful 2 hours later, it's time to start my day! I actually started worrying for his safety. Either his snoring was going to do him in or maybe a pillow strategically placed?to snuffle out the noises.? Dont' worry, he is safe and well rested this morning.? Me?? Pass the diet coke, my caffeine of choice!? It's going to be a long day!

At knitsmiths last night, there was an author reading from the book Knit Lit too!? 4 author contributors were there reading their wonderful yarns.? And most of them wearing wonderful yarns too!? (see? What being tired makes me do??) We laughed, we (or I mean I) cried, and some of us cried while we laughed!? It was wonderful to hear their words spoken. Check out their great website too!

Blog-shitty has been up to some tricks lately.? Not only does my blog disappear like a rabbit in a hat, but it makes some things that I write vammooss too!? While I was up last night, rather this morning, on the snoretastic voyage, I sat at the computer and spent some quality time composing a list of secret pals so you could go bloghopping to see all the wonderful things happening with the giving!? PFST! Gone!? Not a trace left!

Have a good Monday and take a nap if you can! I will!

¹Who are "they"?? Beats me. I just read it somewhere and it stuck in my mind!

Sandy's Cooking.....and knitting

A couple of years ago, we spent a wonderful weekend in Vermont, where we attended a brunch at the Trapp Family Lodge http://www.trappfamily.com/. Which is for me, a dream come true! That place is just as you'd expect. Full of charm, the views breathtaking and the expense? Not spared, thank you. But that's another story. In this brunch, they served the best granola I had ever eaten! Homemade. I was in granola heaven! YaddaYadda, years past and this weekend I see a spot on the Food Channel about homemade granola. Hmmm. I am transported to the hills of Vermont. Yum. I remember how I loved it. Easy? You bet! Why did I wait so long. Homemade granola will be part of our staples in the cupboard from now on. So, I share...my version of granola.

3 cups whole oats
chopped pecans
chopped cashews
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
melt 4 tablespoons of butter
add 1/3 cup brown sugar and
1/4 cup maple syrup and
1 teaspoon vanilla
pour butter and sugar mixture over oats, mix well
spread on well "pam-ed" cookie sheet, bake 325 for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes
variations: I have some dried cherries that we can add if desired. Add coconut. Sweeten with honey. So fun to vary the recipe.

Go ahead, make some for yourself. My favorite way to eat it is with yogurt!
Knitting? Sure, I'm everydaying to beat the band!

Happy Sunday!

foggy in here

Well, what do you know! I still have a blog!? I'm so sick of the word, "downtime".? I'd like a little downtime too!? Especially after all the shopping I did this morning and not ONE thing is yarn related. Hrmph!? With 2 teenagers and plenty of teenage friends coming through, the food bill has risen dramatically. Even if the cupboards are stuffed full in my opinion, I'm still treated to the "Hey Mom! There's nothing to eat!" routine! These are my blessings. And I count them freely!

So, what's happening here at Sandysknitting??

the everyday Fog Cardigan!

The everyday cardi grows. It is a pleasure to knit. Very therapeutic and relaxing. The back and left front are done. Or is it the right front?? Meh! Whichever! Be sure to join the cardialong over at Gibknits if you are at all interested in this one. You are worth the peace fleece! I'm hooked on the stuff! I am already dreaming what color I can knit up next!

My Kingdom for a tad more Lopi color 736!

Brigitte has screeched to a halt!? With about 2 inches left on the button band and the neckline left to go, I am woefully out of yarn.? See the tangled heap of lopi?? that is what is left. I can only delude myself so long that it will be enough. Double rats! Got any in your stash you'd like to trade me for something?? Or will I have to call Halcyon to order another? Of couse, I can't just have them ship one lonely ball of lopi. I"d have to choose something else too. Poor me.

And one more, just because I can. You've seen this already, maybe, but it's worth another look!

??????????????????????????? Beauty in a skein!

There you have it! I have a blog back. I have the ability to post photos and I do knit everyday on the everday cardi. Can life get any better than this?? I submit that it cannot!

and watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!

Boooohooooo, I had a nice entry all ready to show you!? ~sobbing~? with PICTURES and everything!? BOOHOOOOO!? And it's gone! POOF!? Disappeared!?

Dang it all to heck. I'll be back later.

~grumblegrumble....

picture this

They made me do it. I didn't want to do it.? I signed up for photo hosting at an external site.? Thank you Chrissy for the valuable advice on that!? But of course, I couldn't use the free service somehow. I'm now a proud, paying member of Village Photos. Dang it.? But.? A knitters got to do what a knitters got to do!

Want a peek at my lovely new koigu?? (Don't worry, it's not your eyes that are blurry.? It's a crappy picture. But you can see the colors!) It's being made into Conwy socks from Knitting on the Road.? I love the pattern, even though it doesn't show yet.? But alas!? They look way too big? Why are they too big? you might be thinking.? Thanks for asking.? Pattern calls for size 0 needle. I don't have a size 0. So, oblivious to the knitting rules, I pick up size 1.? Nada.? No can do!? Not gonna do it!? Too big!? Size ZERO??!!? Okay, I"ll buy some. Crystal Palace, thank you!

Oh, and you've got to see the wonderful gifts from my secret pal!? A cute bag!? Complete with an "S".?? How fun is that? More secret pal stuff! I suspect?that the cute sheepy measuring tape is handmade!? So cute~?Have I said?THANK YOU to my secret pal today?? :)

Brigitte is moving right along.? I'm almost done the button bands.? ?All that's left after that is the neck.?

Pictureless no more.? You know what that means, don't you? blog city will have their photos back on line today.? Never fails!

Tearful, she wrote

I"m a woos. Yes that's right.? There is something about me that you probably haven't figured out yet.? I cry. Appropriately and inappropriately.? I cry at commercials.? I cry at tv shows, comedies and heartwrenchers, I cry at music, I cry at middle school plays, I cry at school award ceremonies.? But especially, I cry while reading.? Okay, mostly when reading, I well up. I don't openly weep.? Unless the reading material warrants it.? It is hard to read with welled tears.? But I have gotten good at it.?

I arrived home from work yesterday with a box from Amazon.com on my porch.? This is good.? After my Bethany safely opened the package as apparently prearranged and removed all traces of evidence from the box, I got to peek inside.? Inside was this.? From the moment I laid eyes on it, it made me happy.? Happy in a tear filled kind of way! There are the most wonderful stories in here, including one on the story of Peace Fleece! If you do not have the book, Knit Lit, you should get it.? It is a beautiful book.

Thank you, my secret pal!? You have given me quite the gift, says she though welled up tears.?

My point is...

My son has a friend named Joe.? Joe is a year older than Derek, but it doesn't seem it. One night, I answered the knock at our door to find Joe, standing there in his flannel pajamas with a robe over them. A silky robe, reminiscent of the smoking jackets of the past. One with bold, red lips all over it.? When you open the door to a teen in his pajamas and lip robe, plenty of questions run through your mind.? I wanted to ask him if he needed a place to spend the night.? I wanted to ask him if he walked over (which he DID!)? There were others. You can imagine them.? What did I say?? What any parent of a teenager would say. "come on in, Joe, Derek's at the computer!".? And walk away with a smile on my face.? What could I say??

What's my point? What does this have to do with knitting? Nothing silly!? I can't upload photos yet, here at blog city.? So, it's too boring to talk of my knitting without proof, er, um, without pictures.? I could try to paint pictures with words, but, really, pictures are better!?

blueless but also pictureless

Are you interested in making the peace fleece everyday cardigan?? If you are, or even another cardigan, head on over to Gibknits to sign up for the everyday cardi-along! I'd show you pictures of my everyday cardi, but......nope. Not gonna happen!? Maybe sometime in this century!

A great BIG thank you goes out to Alison!? She sent me some of the most gorgeous koigu imaginable!? My mind has been dreaming koigu since!? I'm not going to tell you why, but she sent along a sentiment that brought a tear to my eye!? I was blue no more!? Thanks, woman! From the bottom of my heart!

decisions.? Sometimes I can't make them very well. Other times I'm an opiniated witch about them.? This particular decision is which baby sweater to make for a gift.? I can't make up my mind. I have started 2 of them but am not thrilled about either. Want to see them?? Well, come on over then.? I caught a glimpse of the cute speedy star sweater?over at Chris knits.? She was a very clever blogger and found a free photo hosting service while the blog city photos are down.? Oh, the pressure!?

Oh and Happy Monday!

I'm back!!

Did you miss me? Did you even know I was gone?? I was marooned on an island called Blogless!? It is not a fun place, I'll tell you!?I have missed you terribly.? Starting with you on the left.....how are you doing?? Are you well? happy? Healthy? knitting??? Now, proceed in an orderly fashion around and tell me what I've missed! :)

I have so much to show you and so much to tell you, but alas that will have to wait.? No time to upload all those pictures. Tomorrow.? It's only a day away!? In? the meantime, here are some of my thoughts on the secret pals!? OH! by the way!! Thanks goes out to MY secret pal!? I can't wait to show you what she sent me!? I feel loved!!

Here are some good ideas I have heard......sign up for an anonymous email account with yahoo, hotmail or she's got mail.? Easy to do and keeps your secret identity!?

Make contact with your pal.? If they have a blog, this is easy. Pump them for info!? :)? Ask them questions.? If your pal doesn't have a blog, email them and say hello!?

And, the great men over at http://threadbearfiberarts.com?will be super sneaky and send an anonymous gift or gift certificate to your pal.? contact Rob and get sneaky with him!

Oh, I"m so happy to have a place to write!? Longer thoughts later!?

~kisskiss~

fun facts

A couple of fun facts about the secret pals. There are 72 women total. There are 26 USA states represented in the total, as well as 4 countries! How exciting is that??!!

As people have been emailing me what they should do, I think you should just give from your "proverbial heart". That is a quote from one of you. I wish I rememebered who. You know who you are. If you want to make someone something, say for instance a cross stitch, I think they should be honored to receive such a thing. If you send a card, or a book to a book lover, or a candy bar. It's all good. Just a friendly hello from within this crazy world should be appreciated! I think it is a bit hard to keep identities a secret when emailing. But what the heck!! Do it anyway!

Have fun. Don't get stressed. I believe blog city will be locking it's door later today and into tomorrow. So don't despair when you can't reach my blog. Blog improvements are a good thing!

Here we go.....

I am beginning to email the buddies out right now. If you do not receive an email from me with the name of your secret pal by tonight, please let me know. It is entirely possible that a name could have gotten left off my list! ~GASP~

So, here's some rules......

1. Follow the rules or be subject to my wrath.
2. Okay, the rules are more like guidelines. Follow the guidelines or be subject to my wrath.
3. Make contact with your secret pal within 2 weeks. Mail them something. Make it fun. If you have not heard from your secret pal in about 3 weeks, contact me and I will be forced to publicly humiliate the party pooper.
4. If life circumstances change and you can't handle a secret pal, please email me a white flag. You will be forgiven and not subjected to my wrath. I will find someone to step in your place and no one will be the wiser. Be a responsible buddy!
5. The knitters secret pals will end on May 31st, 2004. 3 months.
6. Do not send your buddy crap. Nothing personal, but cleaning out your closet and sending old, dusty stuff is not a thrill to receive. Please do not send old skeins of red heart yarn under the farce of "gift-giving". Unless of course, you have been clued in to the fact that your buddy loves red heart yarn. Then it will be a magnificent gift!
7. Save the best for last.
8. The gifts do not all have to be knitting related. But the finale gift should be.
9. And when I talk of gifts, it doesn't have to be big or a lot. Being thought of is a wonderful gift!
10. When sending things in the mail, you must put your return address due to anthrax scares, but I think it would be okay to put...the return address name as K. buddy. Most of us don't know each other's addresses anyway.
11. Have fun!
12. You don't want to see my wrath. Believe me....

Here is all the participants info in my knitting bag waiting to be chosen. Bethany pulled one for me and secretly emailed that person. Lucky you.

Let the Pals begin!