Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Trick or Treat

We didn't have a single trick-or-treater tonight - unless you count Tommy of course (and my own sampling of a Kit-Kat or two) which is really too bad because we had a nice big bowl of candy at the table, ready and waiting. -We don't usually get many, but tonight was our third Halloween here and the first without a single little witch or wizard ringing our doorbell. I was a bit disappointed. I really enjoy Halloween and all the little kiddies dressed up in their costumes, excited as can be.

I forgot to take a photo of the back of the costume, but here's my (not so) little guy all dressed up. He has been asking to be Thomas the Tank Engine for years.

It turned out to be a very windy night but not too cold. The candles kept blowing out, so we didn't really get to enjoy our jack-o-lanterns all that much, but it was fun while it lasted. Here's to Halloween! Hope you enjoyed yours!

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Halloween Preparations

I finished carving the first pumpkin last night. I wasn't feeling terribly creative this time so I just carved something fun. All the Peanuts characters go around one pumpkin. I started with Charlie Brown because I think of Charlie Brown on Halloween and because I wanted to incorporate baseball somehow. (My original plan was to make the world series trophy with the sox in the middle, but I didn't want to make all the little flags.) Then I added Snoopy and Lucy from scenes in the Charlie Brown Halloween special.

Tonight I carved a simple cat face for Tommy on the other pumpkin. I've been staying up really late with all the playoff games and then again last night to finish the first jack-o-lantern in time to share it at work for a carving contest that started today, so I really needed the second one to be quick. (I know I won't win, but I wanted to participate anyway.)

Tomorrow should be a fun day at work in the sense that Halloween is a big deal in my office. Of course Tommy will have his party at school too, and we'll bring him trick-or-treating for sure, so expect more photos tomorrow (or at least later this week). He didn't get a chance to decorate a pumpkin himself this year, but isn't this fantastic?

He's excited for Halloween, of course, and I think we have everything we need except some flashlight batteries and a trick-or-treat bag, which we'll pick up tomorrow... We will, however, have to clean up the mess on our porch before we put out our big pumpkins and invite trick-or-treaters to our door. Tommy got a little pumpkin at school, and our friendly squirrels have been doing some treating of their own... They started out at the top with several little nibble marks that grew a little each day. Then this weekend Brian caught a squirrel with his nose inside a big hole. We now have seeds spread all the way down our stairs and quite a mess by the door. We caught another little critter again today when we came home. Brian shooed him away and he crawled up the wall and through a little hole in the overhang. Needless to say we'll wait to put out our carved pumpkins until we're ready to light them, as I'm sure our little friends will be back for more!

Sunday, October 28, 2007

To higher ground!

I awoke this morning to find this:

They were all standing on the top rung of Tommy's ladder, avoiding an apparent flood below. I was told they had to keep moving up, rung by rung, as the flood came higher and higher. It was quite an adventure.

I couldn't resist a photograph, which finally motivated me to take the photos of the small pile of knits I've had sitting on the end table for two weeks:

From top to bottom:

Seamless Newborn Aran Style Hat
Pattern: by Cathy Gilroy - free online, found here
Yarn: Bernat Cashmere Natural Blends (62% acrylic, 30% nylon, 5% cashmere)
Color: Earth
Needles: US 6 dpn's & US 8 circular (because it's all I had)

Simple Baby Mules
Pattern: Was free online but no longer available (I printed it out ages ago.)
Yarn: Lion Brand Micro Spun
Color: Mocha
Needles: US 4 straights (bamboo)

Owen's Socks
Pattern: by Pink Lady Knits - free online, found here
Yarn: Bernat Satin Sport
Color: Aran
Needles: US #1 dpn's

Also included in the last photo: 2 more newborn aran hats in Bernat Satin Sport (US #4 and US #6 dpn's). The hat on the left was made using the "other" directions in the pattern and seems appropriately sized for a newborn. The other was made with the same yarn using the pattern as given and would be good for a preemie.

I'm itching to make this beautiful baby afghan for Gabe (another great photo here), but it may have to wait as I have more urgent plans to make this equally if not more beautiful aran afghan as a belated wedding gift for my cousin (second photo here). All I have to do is decide on my materials and make the purchase.

...So many projects, so little time!

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Very Sweet





One of my friends is the Director of Youth and Christian Education at a Lutheran church down in Kansas. I saw this posted on her church blog today and thought it was precious. Enjoy.

Monday, October 15, 2007

Flickr Favorites

Tommy is home with a high fever today. He's watching PBS right now and hasn't made a peep for a very long time. Poor guy. I wish there was more I could do for him.

Before I go back over to sit with him (and finish the afore mentioned newborn hat) I thought I would share a few of my current flickr favorites to dress up the site for a few days. (Click on the image for more information on any of the photos.) Enjoy your Monday.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Stitches

Ok. The Ravelry invite arrived yesterday. Unfortunately I have not yet had much time to update or browse. I did, however, manage to take some slightly better photos of Clessidra:



(I've posted several more on flickr.)

I also made an Aran newborn hat yesterday, but it turned out very VERY very VERY very small. It is stretchy, but even at that I think it would only fit the smallest of preemies. The pattern did list two sizes, and I went with small. Needless to say I'll be making another in the larger size.

It will be much larger - yet hopefully not TOO big...

I may have a lot of extra hats on hand before I'm done, which isn't a bad thing. My plan is to offer any extras to my hospital. I hope they will take them.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Curious how long it takes to get a Ravelry invite?

First see my previous post...
Today there are 18 people ahead of me in line.
Almost there!

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

On Knitting

My Ravelry status:
"Found you!
  • You signed up on August 21, 2007
  • You are #27574 on the list.
  • 1045 people are ahead of you in line.
  • 14503 people are behind you in line.
  • 60% of the list has been invited so far"
I'm curious to see how many people will still be ahead of me tomorrow.

Have you noticed a couple of new buttons in my sidebar? I feel it necessary to mention that, while I am a knitter without cats, I have no sour feelings toward cats. In fact I love cats. I just can't have them in my apartment... nor around my allergy-ridden family...

I'm also excited to have finished the first Clessidra stocking. I put it down for months (very unlike myself, I know), but then when I picked it up again I was only about half way into the leg and yet I finished the rest within a week, and that on a very tight schedule. I'm still torn as to whether or not to complete the set (though my slightly OCD tendencies may not allow me to stop at one). I have decided, however, that I must make these. It was the photos over at Pipe Dreams and Purling Plans that really swayed me. I think they look very wearable, unlike most of the socks I have made so far.

Of course I now feel guilty when knitting as I have so many more urgent tasks to conquer, starting with the classes I am taking on my own time (and trying to finish before Gabe makes his big debut), and continuing on with all the necessary room-rearranging and reorganizing, again before Gabe's arrival. Knitting is good therapy for my soul though, so I don't think I'll force myself to cut it out completely. I just can't spend every waking hour at home knitting Christmas gifts this year. Maybe some day again... Until then there is much to do!

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Clessidra

Finally, I have finished the first stocking. Doesn't it make my leg look HUGE???? I'm hoping it's just the photo... You can see my feelings on the experience here.