Chatty post :) with a picture!

Ok, so .... I've been busy....

Last week, on Friday, had a funeral to go to. Not a good one.... Not that *any* funeral or death is good, well, maybe if the person had a nasty disease and death was a relief, but this one... My DH's cousin's wife had an anuerism. Very sudden, very unexpected, very young... Still have one of two children in high-school. Not at all pleasant. And it makes one re-evaluate their life. She was younger than me.

On a more cheerful note, though - a very dear friend of mine came up from Kansas to visit. She's here for a few days. We got together for a visit on Sunday, and she wants to do some shopping together while she's here... Will be doing that shortly :)

I also wanted to post a picture - remember a few posts back, I shared pictures of the Shetland Lace Workshop projects I did? (if not, you could scroll down the page, lol) Well, here's the owner of the "Mini Hap Shawl" enjoying it :)


Ok, I don't quite know why the colour doesn't show right... It's blue, after all. Though Lady Ashleigh does look rather nice on pink :) I know that because she sometimes sits on or near my stole, too.... :)

Speaking of other projects, besides working on the cat design, I have mostly just been plugging away at the second mystery shawl one I'm doing, and the mystery shawl two. Keep looking at the crochet hooks, and the thread, and looking at the many socks I've got going, and the other stuff, but I really need to finish the gift shawl, and I want to finish the second mystery shawl, too.... So, I'm trying not to let myself get too distracted. But, I should get back to the Frost Flower shawl, and I should get some of the other projects knocked off, too. Which I will, for sure, once I get the gift done :)

So, that's been my life lately, briefly :)

Center Square

Pattern note: When changing colours, make sure to twist the yarn together to prevent holes.

6 mm knitting needle - circular is helpful....

Main colour (mc) - this is the body colour of your kitty - in my case, grey.
Colour A (A) - this is the tummy colour if you choose to make the tummy different - in my case, white. If you want a single coloured animal blankie, then substitute mc for A in the following directions. When working with two colours, you could work from a bobbin if you prefer, or wind off some of the mc yarn into a second ball, or work from both ends of the ball. I do the latter - if you do, I would suggest taking the time every few rows to untangle the yarn.

Beginning with A, cast on three.
Knit each stitch
next row: Knit 1, knit into the front and back of the next stitch, knit 1.
Next row: Knit 1, knit into the front and back of next stitch, knit to end of row.
Repeat this row unitl you have 70 stitches on the needle.
Bring in mc - I personally do not tie on the yarn, I just leave a long tail, about 6 inches.
Knit 1 stitch with mc, with A, knit into front and back of next stitch and to the end of the row.
Bring in mc, knit first stitch with mc, knit into front of second stitch with mc, knit into back of stitch with A, knit across to last stitch, knit last stitch with mc.
Knit 1 mc, with A knit into front and back of next stitch, continue until three stitches left, knit 3 with mc.
Knit 1 mc, knit into front and back of next stitch with mc, knit 1 mc, change to A, knit until 2 stitches left, knit 2 with mc.
Knit 1 mc, knit into front and back of next stitch with mc, knit 1 mc, change to A, knit until last 4 stitches, knit 4 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 2. With A, knit until 3 stitches left, knit 3 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 2. With A, knit until 4 stitches left, knit 4 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 3. With A, knit until 5 stitches left, knit 5 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 3. With A, knit until 6 stitches left, knit 6 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 4. With A, knit until 4 stitches left, knit 4 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 2. With A, knit until 5 stitches left, knit 5 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 3. With A, knit until 6 stitches left, knit 6 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 4. With A, knit until 6 stitches left, knit 6 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 4. With A, knit until 7 stitches left, knit 7 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 5. With A, knit until 7 stitches left, knit 7 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 7. With A, knit until 8 stitches left, knit 8 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 8. With A, knit until 10 stitches left, knit 10 with mc.
With mc: knit 1, knit into front and back of next stitch, knit 8. With A, knit until 11 stitches left, knit 11 with mc.
Next row: Knit 11 with mc, knit 67 with A, knit 10 with mc.
Next row: Knit 10 with mc, knit 68 with A, knit 10 with mc. <-- this is the mid point/center row.
Next row: Knit 10 with mc, knit 69 with A, knit 9 with mc.

This should get you to the middle of your center square :)

Will post the rest tomorrow :)

Time frame

http://www.knittingknonsense.com/catcloth.html Ok... I've given this link for an idea of knitting time on the cat afghan.

I knit faster than I crochet. I've been knitting for over forty years. I've only been crocheting for about 15 years.

I made a baby afghan. Well, ok, I've made several, but one in particular. I crocheted an afghan for a friend and she paid me to do it for her. We had agreed on a price, and I decided to keep track of my time - turned out that I spend forty hours (forty five if you count the part that I read the pattern wrong, and had to frog) on the afghan. I ended up liking the pattern, and have made the same afghan a few times - it still takes me about forty hours to make that particular pattern. It works up about forty inches square...

I knitted a feather and fan afghan for a gift... It worked up to about forty inches square, and used some eyelash yarn as well as regular yarn. It took me less than thirty hours to knit.

I knit an afghan for another person, adult, over six feet tall, so I had to make it seven feet long. I only knit or crochet in the evening, and sporadically on the weekend. I do other things on weekends, but sometimes I'll knit or... while I have my morning coffee, or during the afternoon while DH has a nap, or whenever.... My point being that I knit the adult sized afghan, simple enough pattern - the mistake rib - in about three weeks. Or was it two? - No, I think it was three...

Anyway, to get an idea of my speed of knitting - that pattern that I linked to at the top - I can knit that in under an hour.

Now, this cat afghan is going to be design as I go sort of thing...So there will be frogging. That will add to the time factor. There will be days that I get frustrated, and will have to put it on "time out". :) There will be days when I just don't feel like knitting, and I will crochet or quilt or cross stitch instead. There will be days my hands get a bit sore, and I will change projects for variety. There is one other project that has a deadline, so I need to spend some time with that. There are other factors - I don't have as much time on Tuesday evenings, I do have a life outside of knitting- family, etc.

I do however, want to try to keep some continuity to this project - I don't want it to take as long as the bear did!!! That one - I started back in June, but I didn't do a thing towards getting it finished in late August, right through until I picked it up again in the last week or so. It was "annoying" to me because one of my least favourite things about knit or crochet is weaving in ends, lol. Since there were so many on the bear with all those colour changes....

Once I get casting on for the center square, and get it knit (I'm going with the fifteen inch square) I'll have a better idea of a time estimate. I hope..... :)

I guess the best way to describe it: I must finish the shawl I'm knitting by the tenth of December. I hope to have the cat afghan done before I leave for a trip on the 31st of December.

It's all Robbie Burns' Fault.

Yes, it really is. I mean, I planned to buy all the yarn for the Cat Square 'Ghan (what I'm calling it) yesterday, at my local Walmart, while doing my usual shopping. Well, "The best-laid schemes o mice an men Gang aft agley," (or, often go awry) ** And that is what happened to me. I went to WalMart, yarn department - and couldn't find any big balls of black or grey. I was not impressed.... I went to Michaels. They had no big balls of yarn, or many balls of plain acrylic worsted yarn either. Well, OK, they did have a couple big balls, but in pastel colours...
But - they did have some Paton's Brilliant on clearance at a buck a ball.... I got four...

So, I came home, ticked off, and had to make a second trip to a Walmart farther away.... I found their last two big balls of grey - and no black. So, I'll have to get black next time, which is fine, since that will be the stripe colour. I do have some black in my stash, but I want to start with a fresh ball, so I can be all official and weigh the ball before I start, and after I'm finished, so that I can say exactly how many ounces/grams to use for the afghan :)

I have a cool scale :)

I also found, at the other Walmart, some neat new tools. I don't know who makes them, but I bought one crochet hook, one set of double point knitting needles, and one circular needle. They didn't have a great variety of sizes, and the package says "galaxy" (with a tm beside it) and H.A. Kidd and company limited. These tools are clear acrylic/plastic, with sparkles... The crochet hook has blue sparklies, the dpns have red sparklies, and the circular had silver sparklies. How could I resist? :)

I'm going to use the circ for this project. 6mm - I *think* size 8 US.

I also took pictures of my finished bear afghan, which is the inspiration for this project. I posted them in my photo album - link on the side below the pets ----->

I will post one picture here, though :)

So, on the "yappy" note... :) I had my two oldest Granddaughters here for lunch. They go to school one street over or so from my house.... but since they live on the other side of a busy thoroughfare, the school division busses them to school, and they are supposed to stay at school for lunch. But, they are allowed to have special days like this one... And they really wanted to see me. Why, I'll never know....

Well, my next post about the afghan should resemble a "real" pattern, and I'll let you guys know how I plan to start it, etc. For those of you following along, you should need about a 6 ounce ball of "tummy" colour. I'm starting with white for mine. If you are doing a solid colour then you will, of course, be starting with that :)

Size: I should mention that here. The bear turned out about 52 inches from top of head to bottom, and about 36 inches at the "waist". This is a good size, in my opinion, for a child or even for an adult to use as a lap'ghan. That is my plan with the Cat Square 'Ghan. I've already crocheted each of the grandkids an afghan of their own - this one's for me :)

So, the squares are going to be 15 inch squares. My opinion would be that if you want to make yours smaller, you can, but I wouldn't go smaller than 12 inch squares.... I used most of one big ball of the brown on the head of the bear, and only one 6 ounce ball of the lightest brown one and a half dark brown, and a small amount of the black (you can probably tell how much white I used....) The leftover white is what I'm starting the kitty with, and I don't anticipate needing more than the one ball of it.

Oh, I picked up some pink - a sort of dusty rose - for the inside of the cat ears - if you have some scraps of pink in your stash, you shouldn't need a whole ball. Or if you can find some of those little balls (50 gram - 2 ounce?) that Red Heart sometimes comes out with, great. I usually have some pink kicking around, but I think I used it all up on some slippers for the grandkids a couple years ago.....

Ok... So... It may be a day or two before the next update, but I still might be posting about other aspects of my life, too. :)

**Robert Burns
(poem is "To a Mouse")http://www.rabbie-burns.com/the_poems/toamouse.cfm

Why? Or... Intro to a new project

Ok. Here's the scoop....

On one of my lists, I had posted about my current projects. Not all of them - but the most active ones... The lace shawls, and the crocheted bear afghan. It was a knit list that I was posting on....

Well, someone commented that the bearghan was cute, and wondered if it could be converted to knit. I replied that basically, it was just granny squares, joined in a way to take on a teddy bear shape, and that it could just as easily be knitted squares. Then, I got off this silly machine, and jumped into the bathtub. Now, the bathtub is my retreat. I don't worry about anything, I don't think about anything in particular - just let my mind wander. It's my meditation time.... Well, my mind decided to formulate some ideas about a knitted bear afghan... And it also reminded me that the basic difference between teddy bears and toy kitties is the ears.... Well, look at most of the patterns out there... Sewing patterns that have a basic body, but different facial features, and ears, and you can make bears, puppies, kitties, bunnies.... All from the same basic pattern.

So... A plan was born.... Then, on that same knitting list, someone else wondered if I had plans.... And I do.... So.

I'm going to write it all up here.

I've made a button, look over there on the side ------>
So, whenever I post here about the afghan, I'll send out a notice on that announcement only type yahoo group. Why? Well, because of a few things....

-This will take time to make.
-I have a short attention span, and work on more than one project at a time
-I have never written a knitting pattern before
-I am a human being, with other committments and interests
-I think there are others who want to check this out.
-This is not exactly a "knit along", but you can all knit along with me... because I will take notes, and maybe (likely) will attempt to gather it all together as a free pattern when I'm done.

Now, the first thing I'm going to do, is share my yarn choices.

Today, I'm going to do my usual weekly shopping, and I'm going to buy some yarn for the kitty 'ghan. I plan to buy big balls of Red Heart yarn. Apparently, the Walmarts here have some sort of deal, that they get big 454 gram balls of yarn to sell... that you can't buy elsewhere. BUT - other yarn companies do have "pounder" balls. So... Take it from there.

I'm going to buy one big ball of grey, and one big ball of black. The black I can always use....

I may need to buy more later - won't know until I get there :)

I have on hand, from making the cro-bear-ghan, a fresh (or almost - it only was used for the eyes) a 6 ounce 170 gram ball of white.

I will be calling the white the "tummy colour", the gray the "body colour" and the black is "stripe colour". I would expect that I will likely need more of the grey... Maybe I'll buy two balls today of grey.... I'll have to see how much I spend on groceries...

I'm going to end up with a grey tabby. I would suggest, should you want to knit along, that you could make an orange tabby (white tummy, peach or pale orange body, and rust stripe) or a yellow tabby (white, yellow, deep yellow or rust for stripes) or a brown tabby (beige for tummy, medium brown for body, dark brown stripes) or a solid colour cat - ignore the stripe colour entirely, and tummy optional. If you want to knit a bear (I'll provide feature detail for bear later....) you could go with browns.

In the original cro-bear, the examples used all sorts of colours - I'm funny that way, in that I like "real" colours for some things.... I wouldn't be making a blue or green or rainbow kitty.... My crocheted bear 'ghan is being done in browns....

I'm also Canadian, so I'll likely be talking in metric, but will try to give US needle sizes, too....

I might, depending on time, try to give some optional squares.... I have some ideas..... I'll explain more once I get started on this :)

As I warned, I won't be posting daily about this project, but I think I'm excited enough about it, that I will not let it go on too long, or become a UFO.... :) So, sign up, and I'll send announcements letting everyone know when I mention this project on the blog :)

Oh, and also....

I figure, since I have "Charlotte" - I need a "Wilbur", too :)

Check him out... click on him a few times - then don't forget to clean him up :)

some pictures :) of FO's :)

Well, I think I mentioned before, that on the EzasPi list, there was a shetland lace workshop. There was a contest. I wanted to enter - I made a "sampler scarf" - there were patterns/directions to make five scarves - instead, I did several rows of each pattern, started at the bottoms of the scarve edges, and grafted them together in the middle. I only last Christmas time-ish finally figured out how to graft knitting, or "kitchener" stitch toes of socks together. And, I am rather proud of myself for grafting the scarf so well :)

The item I wanted to do for the contest is a mini hap shawl. I finished it with a week to spare. I took some pictures of it, and the scarf, and another scarf I'd knitted using LionBrand Midnight Mohair (funny, they say that one ball and certain size needles would make a scarf - I used that size needle, and a lace pattern instead of basic garter, and have a very short scarf.....). I went to download the pics from the camera - it said "no pics in camera". I tried to turn the camera on... wouldn't work.... DH claimed I had the batteries in wrong (then how come it worked before that moment? I'd changed the batteries about two weeks prior....) Anyway, he played around for a while, shook the thing for a while, then it started to work again. By then, it was getting darkish...

Ok, this is not anything fancy we're talking about - I'd invested in a mini digital camera from WalMart when I was in Illinois last March.... under $20 US....

Anyway, the camera works now, but I need good light for taking pictures. All last week, the one nice sunny day, I was busy with too many other things to be able to do anything about it... *sigh*. So, I missed the contest deadline anyway. I was in no real hurry to retake the pics, but did so today.

So, without further ado... Here are pictures of the two scarves, and Lady Ashleigh's mini hap shawl....

Checking in

So I figured it was time that I did more than just pop in to add links, add pets, feed pets (lol) and not say anything....

Update: I'm getting some knitting done, and picked up the bear afghan again. I joined in the head last night - It was quite a chore, as I'd left it so long, I couldn't remember how I was doing the corners. I think I did some different on the head, but - OH WELL..... - I'm sure no one will notice, since it's for a 4 yr old....

I need to finish joining two more squares for the legs, then there are some filler triangles, then I have to attach the eyes and make the muzzle.

I also worked on a remake (yet again) of the gift shawl. Unfortunately, I managed to screw up my count somehow - lost track of which row I was on - I am pretty sure it had something to do with Mica and Ashleigh's attempts to assist me, as well as the slight distraction of watching "Lost" on TV.... So, I got ticked off, and was going to frog, but now I think I might just try to rip a couple rows back, and try again....I hadn't put in any lifelines yet....

I haven't lately worked on the second mystery shawl - but have made progress on the edging. It's knitting along rather quickly now.

I also got another sampler afghan square done. I'm now up to the section of the book (it's Barbara Walker's Learn to Knit Sampler Afghan) that deals with mosaic knitting - two colour knitting. I would call it intarsia, except that she uses a different method involving slip stitches. I've never heard of that before I started looking at her books, and honestly, think I might never use the method again (I love to do intarsia) but will follow these directions for the experience....

I had considered myself an advanced knitter - having knitted for over 40 years - but am really humbled learning there is more to knitting than being able to follow patterns.... Like, I knew I could knit lace if I ever wanted to, but never wanted to - until recently, anyway.... And, once I figured out how to knit cables, and then socks, I thought there was nothing else to "learn" - Boy, was I wrong :) Like, I thought that if you wanted to decrease, you just knitted two together, and if you wanted to increasse, you just cast on what you needed....

So, now, I still consider myself an "advanced intermediate" knitter . I can do those things now, as well as pick up new knitting techniques quickly, and I can follow (most) patterns and directions

Anyway - I'm sure glad I finally found all these internet places, and people, so I could broaden my skills and interests :)

On the home front - yesterday, when the phone rang for about the fifth time, I realized that I wasn't likely to meet my goal of "spring cleaning" the house before Christmas. Last night, when DH wondered how many days till we leave on our holiday and we counted, I realized that there was no humanly possible way (even if I *did* stay off this 'puter) that I could meet my goal of spring cleaning before we leave in 45 days. So, I've re-alined my priorities. I *will* do things like wiping off the shelves in the closet before moving kitchen excess onto them, but I won't be taking them apart and washing the walls etc. And the same with the soon-to-be-empty cupboards - as I rearrange them, I'll wipe them out, but I won't be washing them thoroughly.

And this morning, I mentioned to DH that while I know he's anxious for me to get on with cleaning the living room carpet, and even offered to do it himself, that it would be better to do it last, closest to Christmas, then it would be nice and "fresh". He agreed.....

Last time that we went away on a trip, when we came home was the time that I decided to do the first thorough spring clean that made my house so tidy and nice that I kept it that way for a year - so that is what I plan to do this time. When we get back, I *will* strip out each room and clean them.

So - "trip?" you ask? Yes, we are going to be leaving this snow bound (oh, right - don't think I mentioned that in less than 24 hours, starting Monday suppertime, we got about 2 feet of snow - the first of the season) frozen country for Mexico!!! We leave December 31st, for two warm weeks in Puerto Vallarta!!!!! And I wanted to make sure I had the house clean for our house-and-pet sitter - my very own dear lovable sister :)

Well, now to get off the 'puter, and get on with the tidying :)

Oh, and speaking of pets - I have a new one on the side there ----> it's a tiger, and it is so cute... I liked the way it purred when you put your cursor on it, and hold the mouse button down... But beware..... you don't want to leave your cursor hanging around too long

I've been sorted :)

OK, all you Harry Potter Fans :) LIke me.... :) While wandering, reading emails, I came across the link, http://www.personalitylab.org/tests/ccq_hogwarts.htm and just had to find out how I'd be sorted.... Looks like I just missed Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw, but....

The sorting hat says...
Hufflepuff!
(at least I'm not a Slytherin!!!)

Look below to see how compatible you are with each house, and for descriptions of the houses.
House Crest Score House Description
(0-100)

80
Gryffindor
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those with brave deeds to their name."
Students of Gryffindor are typically brave, daring, and chivalrous. Famous members include Harry, Ron, Hermione, Albus Dumbledore (head of Hogwarts), and Minerva McGonagall (head of Gryffindor).



80
Ravenclaw
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose intelligence is surest."
Ravenclaw students tend to be clever, witty, intelligent, and knowledgeable. Notable residents include Cho Chang and Padma Patil (objects of Harry and Ron's affections), and Luna Lovegood (daughter of The Quibbler magazine's editor).



89
Hufflepuff
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot, and treat them just the same."
Hufflepuff students are friendly, fair-minded, modest, and hard-working. A well-known member was Cedric Digory, who represented Hogwarts in the most recent Triwizard Tournament.




23
Slytherin
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those whose ancestry is purest."
Slytherin students are typically cunning and hungry for power. Important members include Draco Malfoy (Harry's nemesis), Professor Severus Snape (head of Slytherin), and Lord Voldemort.

hit and run :)

Just popping in to add a new button... Well, two new buttons, 'cause I can't decide, lol...

They will both take you to my group - Knit With Cats. I'll let you read the description there, instead of here. But, basically, they are a great group of people who like to tell cat stories, and we share knitting help - really, we do!! and we have a dishcloth exchange once a month - which you can opt in or out of any month at all!!

So, if you haven't already, check us out!

Lest We Forget

Tomorrow is November 11th. Here in Canada, we call it Remembrance Day. We wear poppies.

I don't go to services anymore. I used to. I don't object to them. I just prefer, now, to take a quiet moment at 11 am on November 11th's to reflect - to remember my father, who fought in World War II. Who passed away in 1968 due to cancer. I also take some time to remember my Father-in-law - also a World War II vet, and passed away in 2000.

Both of these men fought a war, for their country, for freedom. I agree with what is said at the top of this page: http://www.amandashome.com/flanders.html - That "FREEDOM" is not free.
Which is why, in large part, that I do not participate in services anymore. Something has been lost, over the years, which surprises me. Recent world events should remind people of the horrors of war. The sad need for war (freedom isn't free). But, instead, I've seen too many people who go to services at local branches of the Royal Canadian Legion, just for the booze. Yup - they will stand outside for wreath laying ceremonies for five or ten minutes, just because if you do that, you get to go inside for a free drink, and then stay around and buy more drinks, when most bars are closed for the day.

Not only that, but there are many people who don't attend services, but they are lobbying for our government to declare the day a "holiday" of the calibre that if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, that they should be given a Monday or Friday paid day off, because they've been "cheated" out of a holiday. Of course, these same people who don't want to work, also want the stores and services to still be open/available, so they can shop or drink or eat out on their day off. (anyone besides me question this line of thinking? "I don't want to work, but you should so I can enjoy myself")

So, my father and father-in-law fought so that these people have the freedom to do that.

I won't go to any services tomorrow. But I will wear a poppy. And I will quietly reflect on my gratitude for these two men, and the many others - some who came home, some who didn't. From WWI, WWII, and the many other conflicts both large and small, where men and women fought for freedoms.

Another link I'd like to share, with a little bit of historiacal stuff:
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/flanders.htm

Not much

of an update today. Didn't get pics yesterday of anything-was a dull dull dull grey day. We even got some snow last night. Not much stayed around, though. Made driving in the early morning dicey in less travelled areas, but mostly wet. Supper was great last night - lots of compliments on my wings, I "dished out" several compliments to others... sorry about the pun, couldn't resist :)

I added some links to the side.... If you see lots of "google news" links, or anything like that, it's cause I don't know all that computer stuff, but I did figure out how to do copy and paste and edit some parts, so that I get what I want without messing up the whole thing.... lol.... you should have seen the mess I made of this blog in the first few days... Thank heavens for helpful friends :)

Today is my least favourite chore day... any regular readers out there yet? LOL... Ok, today is laundry day. And it turns out that I have some little errands that need to be done... So - no house again. Maybe I'll take pictures... take that drastic measure!! I need DISCIPLINE. I need to say NO to some of these silly errands. But, I can't... you gotta do what you gotta do. OF course, if I weren't trying to do more frequent blog updates, maybe I could get more housework done

Ok... Enough of that.... Gotta go swap a laundry load!!

FO - Wuhoo!!

Ok, so I finished something last night :) A contest entry :) I haven't taken pictures yet, but I finished an item. From the EZasPi list, where we are finishing up a Shetland Lace Workshop. We get to enter whatever we made in a contest.... Well, not *whatever* we made, but an item we made during/as a result of the workshop. I made two items, and wasn't going to enter the first, but I think I'll enter both. The deadline for entries is this coming weekend, and I only got the two things made. I would love to make another... Will be making a final item from the workshop, but won't have it done in time. Between other things going on, and trying to learn a new way to use the skills I have (lace knitting is just like any other knitting - combining knit and purl stitches in a particual way) I couldn't make these items fast. So....

But I still had fun, and I will still continue on with it :)

House... Well, DH and I moved some stuff from a particular closet, and I'm going to use that as supplementary kitchen storage. I have a small kitchen, with limited cupboard space, and I love kitchen gadgets and appliances.... And I *use* those appliances.... So, storage is an issue.

So, I made some declutter progress.

Today, I'm going to a pot luck supper. Made Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings.

How, you ask? Well....

I baked a whole package of wings (drummies and winglets, no tips) on a cookie sheet in the oven, about an hour at 350. Then, I mixed together: brown sugar (turns out I am low on this after all, there was about a third cup left) and about a half cup of vinegar. Added two generous spoonfulls of white sugar (not my regular choice, but with the lack of brown sugar). Also, about a table spoon of chicken broth powder, 3/4 small can of tomato paste, the juice from one can of manderin orange slices, the orange slices after processing them in a mini chopper (told ya I use my appliances), about 2 tsp of prepared mustardand half a tsp or so of paprika. Water to add volume.

I boiled all the sauce ingredients, then added some cornstarch dissolved in cold water to thicken. Put all the wings into the slow cooker, poured the thick sauce over top, stirred, and left it to keep hot and blend flavours. I did this at around 1 - will turn it off around 5, 'cause I gotta go to open the doors at 6. Don't want to burn myself during transport, lol. Then, I can plug in to rewarm when I get there, and we are going to eat around 7.

This is an annual potluck, and I love it :) Lots of great food....

So, more updates tomorrow.

Off to a not so good start...

For the month of November and my goals...

Spent some time this weekend on "surface cleaning" and "weekly cleaning". No decluttering, which means my kitchen is still a disaster area.... I want to pack up some of the cupboards, in my too small kitchen, so I can clear off the one tiny counter... and organize it a little better.

Not happening anywhere near fast enough. I'm stalled - can't seem to get anything else cleaned, until I clean the kitchen, which is a bad way to think. So, I spend a lot of time kicking myself for what I don't do instead of giving it a "time out" and moving on to other things and coming back when I feel better.

So, that is what I have to do. I'm going to give up on the kitchen, and maybe tackle the next too-big job. The living room.... Ug.

And maybe I'll even have to do the drastic measure of posting before and after pictures here. Or in My photo album.

So, that is what I'll do. Tomorrow.... NO, not because I'm procrastinating.... Monday is errand day. I do the weekly grocery shopping on Mondays...Tuesday is housework, Wednesday is grouchy day or laundry day, and Thursday is housework day. Friday is supposed to be housework, now that we don't head out of town every weekend, but seems to have turned into a supplemental errand day....

*sigh* Two days a week, to do a major cleaning and decluttering job. If I do this, you can all call me "Superwoman". Don't worry, I won't get a swelled head - the odds that it will happen are slim to none!!

On the crafting front - did some knitting on the contest entry, the gift MS1 (I finished mine, of course, but DH requested a second shawl to give as a gift, so I'm making a second one in the same pattern as Mystery shawl 1), and looked at the MS2. I also have been sort of looking for my crochet hooks.... I don't know if I've put them *with* the projects, or in the tool basket... or the other tool basket....

I want to get some crocheting done, now that I'm out of my crochet slump.

Did a lot less crafting than a normal weekend, but did get the cleaning done :)

Now, off to do some dishes, and cook some supper, and hopefully, will do some knitting tonight!! Would be nice to finish off some things, or maybe get the Frost Flowers & Leaves restarted. Bought new dpns for it on Friday.

Oh, and I don't know if anyone noticed, but I figured out how to edit links, on the side bar, and I added a pet spider :)

Status on crafts

But didn't accomplish much on the housework front yesterday.

I moved FF&L off the dpn's, and onto a circular needle last night. Didn't knit too many rounds.

Had another meet-up with the local knitters. More fun and laughter and stash building :) Thanks to one person who buys yarn from the local thrift stores, and is willing to share with the rest of us :)

Worked on a dishcloth - I joined the dishcloth exchange on a group I own. Working on figuring out how to design a blog button for that one. In the meantime, it's over at Yahoo groups if anyone wants to try searching for it... called "knitwithcats". Anyway, started the cloth, 'cause it's a simple design that I could knit and chat at the same time. Also took along and worked on fixing the MS2 (mystery shawl 2). I had done a knit row when I should have done a purl row, 'cause I was confused by the wordy directions. I've been learning to knit lace using charts, and find it so much easier than all those word things.... But I know, we can't have everything exactly the way we want it. With my brain function and eyesight, though, I actually find the charts much easier. Anyway, what I'm trying to babble about here, is that I in no way blame the designer - it was my confusion that caused the error. And the end result is, I had to fix some 300+ stitches. So, that's done, now here's hoping that I can follow the words about setting up and knitting the edging!!! It's a chart, so that is going to be fine, but I gotta get into the words again for getting around the point of the shawl, then I can relax and finish off with the chart!!!

I've also got to get some edging done on a piece that is to be a contest entry, due sometime around the middle of this month. I finished off the edge along one of four sides last night.

Oh, and I guess I should do some pictures... :) Since several people have told me, via email in the groups, that they like my fur family pics, I should try adding a few more :)

SO, here are some of the cat who thinks she's a dog, and why....











These pictures are all taken last year, when Mica was still a "kitten"... Well, officially a kitten, that is. She's a year and a half old, and still behaves very much like a kitten - running around, playing with toys, wrestling with Ashleigh....

But, she's still cute.... Which totally saves her life most days. She's more than just a curious kitten - she *THINKS* while she watches you do things.... And wants to help..... I get far less done around the house, thanks to Mica's help. And of course, Ashleigh is learning everything from Mica... EVERYTHING.... I thought sweet little Lady Ashleigh was going to be a calming effect on Mis Mica (Mis being short for Mischief, not mistress.... ) Instead, Mica is showing Ash all the little tricks ...

One of these days, I'll grab the camera when Mica is up on the kitchen cupboards.

Well, off to try to accomplish something useful today. I am beginning to believe that the only way I'm going to get this house clean is to shame myself into it. Take "before" and "after" pictures, and put them into my photo album where ANYONE can see them.... *sigh*

Ok, this is someone else's sig line, (and I just saw it in an email again) but I can't help but share it, 'cause it is so often true....

"My cookbook says if I don't have two egg yolks I can use three egg whites. I don't think they understand my problem."

I really do hate those substitution lists in most cookbooks.

House work

*sigh* not much progress... I did a tear through the house yesterday, picking up and "surface cleaning" - then got a major headache. Not quite a migraine, but close. So, I didn't get as far as I wanted.

So, Just to define things here... I consider "surface clean" the day to day cleaning we must all endure. Picking things up, sweep/vaccuum the floor, wash dishes. Then, there is the "weekly clean" - bathroom, mopping, dusting. "Deep clean" is next - where you clean the carpet, organize the closets, the bathroom cupboards... Finally, "spring clean". Which is more a state of being than a time of being. Spring clean is when I strip out the cupboards, wipe 'em down, wash the walls, the ceiling, the stuff that was in the cupboards... de clutter, the whole thing!!!

That "spring clean" is what I want to achieve before Christmas. I will have to post pone the windows part of the spring cleaning, 'cause it is too cold to take out the windows that can be takend out for washing, and definitely too cold to stand around outside on a ladder with a bucket of water and wet hands/rag washing windows!!

But, I can still "deep clean" the windows - that is, wash them on the inside :)

On the crafting front - I started the Frost Flowers and Leaves last night, and I messed up the mystery shawl. So, I'll be fixing the Mystery shawl tonight, at the knit meet up at our Chapters. I may take along a simple edging project I'm working on as well.... I won't take FF&L, though, as that one is way too involved to knit while chatting :)

So. That's a short update for today :)

Hopefully, I will accomplish more than just laundry in the house cleaning department today. But, somehow, I doubt it... Laundry day is not a good day for me. I *hate* doing laundry.

New month, new update

Hm, just realized as I typed the title, that I haven't changed any calendars yet. Oh well, later :)

Ok, updates: Last night - I felt ripped off. I love to shell out. I love to dress up as a witch, and shell out. See all the great kids with their costumes....

I didn't mind the part where DS was dropping Nikoal off - I've "waxed poetic" about that before... lol... I did, however, think that it would only be for part of the night, and I could take over from DH and still get some shell out time - y'know, like having my cake and eating it, too. Well, DS and group showed up nice and early, and didn't come back until late.... And Nikoal fell asleep within minutes of arriving, and only woke up for about fifteen minutes, where she smiled and giggled at the kitties, at Spud the dog, at Grandpa when he walked through for a quick bathroom break, and at me. Then she had her bottle and went right back to sleep. So, I got no shell out time, and no playing with Nikoal time. Ripped off...

The only consolation was getting to watch a little TV. Most of last night's shows were re-runs, but at least Corner Gas wasn't...

I added a new button - Laughing Lace Knitters. They are a bunch of lunatics who love knitting and talking off topic. I'm one of the head lunatics, lol... A moderator for that group. We all met on one of the knitalongs, and were told off for doing too much off topic chatter... So we started our own off topic chatter group, and sometimes we talk about lace knitting. But we're really a sweet bunch of caring people....

And today marks the start of the Frost Flowers And Leaves Knit Along. I'll be casting on tonight, and hopefully will get a few rounds in. Didn't get to spin enough (heck, *any*) laceweight alpaca to make it with, so I'm using some Briggs & Little Durasport in ecru. I can't afford to buy a lot of it at once, so I'm going to buy a skein at a time - will be a huge risk with dye lots, but hopefully, that won't be a problem. IF it is, then I'll just have to break down and overdye the finished shawl. I really wanted to make it in white/off white, just like real frost, but if worse comes to worst, I can always make a second one. In fact, since one of the members of the KAL is adapting the pattern to make a triangular version, maybe I'll knit a triangle in alpaca.... Start with the pattern as written, then when I practice up and get some lace alpaca, I can make a second one. :)

And today also marks the day that no matter what else, I'm setting my goal in concrete to get my house cleaned up and at least somewhat decluttered by Christmas. I will commit to spending time every single day working toward that goal. I've read the Don Aslett books, I've made notes, I've started some areas.... Remember the mouse story from an earlier post?

So. Today I commit.... And I've done so publically, so I gotta follow through!!! There is a very good reason that support groups are GROUPS, lol...

Will keep you posted.