So good...

Life is good.  No bumps in the road, not job stresses,and most important of all, no classes to take until Spring semester.  The most pressing issue I have right now is a Target run on my lunch hour today.  They have the best thin crust pizzas...Archer Farms - Mushroom and truffle oil on a super thin crust.  Believe me, it's divine!  Friday night is pizza night at our house, so Target is a must today!  I absolutely hate the idea of shopping anywhere on a Friday after work, so lunch hour, it is!

I haven't been up to much lately...just schoolwork, work-work, and hanging out at home with Megan and Vivian.  Our summer Netflix watchlist has consisted mostly of watching the entire however many seasons of Grey's Anatomy, with a little Scandal thrown in on the side.  "Crafting" has fallen by the wayside, but I'm ready to start knitting again.  I get the knit bug every autumn, and it fades into obscurity around February.  One of our library locations is having a class on a "Surprise Jacket" for children, and it looks fairly quick and easy.

December...a December to remember?

...Because I didn't decorate for Christmas yet?

I picked this up at the little shop I work in a few times a month (far removed from my regular gig at the library)--way back in early October.  I really liked the industrial look of it.  I let a friend borrow it to display earrings on at a few art shows, and when I get it back, this might be "it" for decorating.  One of my other trees sits naked in the entryway on a table.  Seems like there's no real time to get to decorating it.  Maybe, maybe, maybe tomorrow.

Knitting for Peace.  World peace, local peace,my peace.  Read about it on The Healthy Knitter blog, and find the pattern for a cowl on Ravelry.

I have the perfect yarn for this project, but of course, it's in the wrong colorway for my winter coat.  I was so enchanted by the yarn color and feel that I didn't give a thought to how it would coordinate with my winter coat.  I do that so often that I shouldn't even be surprised by it!  If you don't like working "in the round", Vicki at Knitorious has instructions for using straight needles.  Find it on Ravelry here.

I have "blog-stalked" Knitorious for the past year...she does so many amazing things and I love to follow her progress on Alabama Chanin stitching.  At one time I searched lots of blogs regarding other sewist's versions of that type of slow fashion.  One of my goals for this coming year is to make a wearable garment.  So far, I've just done accessories.  It's time to broaden my horizons and my wardrobe.

Miss Vivian Rose was a blast to watch last night.  I can't wait to work on projects with her!

Knitting for toasty toes...

Here's a project from yesterday.  The bodies of the slippers have been finished for a while, but I finally got around to sewing them together and making pom poms for them.  Super-quick slippers...if you ever get around to the finishing touches!

Sunny Saturday

Today was the most perfect fall day...sunny, crisp, and beautiful.  After attending a morning meeting at the library, I drove to Newburgh to visit The Village Knitter.  Last week I peeked into their darkened display windows and spotted some chunky yarn I thought I needed.  Chunky yarn is not what I purchased though...I fell in love with the braided Madelinetosh Parchment Merino and had to have it.  I also needed some really small needles for it...size 2.  I started knitting as soon as I got home--I'm fond of wearing scarves indoors and out all winter long, so that's what I'm making.

It's been a busy weekend (I was also off yesterday)...I painted two walls in my living room, rearranged furniture, and worked on a few items for my long-bare Etsy shop. 

OMG...I finished!

Here's the hat...directions followed explicitly---and it was easy! If I would have worked on it continually, it would have taken about four or five hours from start to finish. One skein of yarn (I used Plymouth Yarn-Galway), two sizes of needles, and voila! Christmas Moose approves.

Sitting and Knitting

My Christmas decorating has slowed to a crawl...a cold has overtaken me, and now I have most of my decorations pulled out, but there's just not enough enthusiasm to place them where I want them.

Instead, I've pulled out my bag o' yarn and needles and have been knitting pears. Lots of pears...I don't know why I'm so fascinated by them--partridge in a pear tree, perhaps? I found my copy of Interweave Holiday Knits 2006, and the felting yarn and needles right where I left them a year ago. It's turned out to be just the right-sized project for sitting and knitting.

Saturday--Basketball, Papier Mache', and more Young Henry

Ms. Postalperson just delivered a book order from Amazon...I've looked through Papier-mache' Treasures before, and knew it was one I had to have. Teena Flanner has provided the ultimate guide to making vintagey papier mache' objects...all of the holidays are covered in depth with plain and simple instructions for obtaining the vintage "look". I've moulded papier mache' before, and have done some prep work with it, but the finished product has always seemed out of reach to me--this book solves the problem! It's beautiful and so informative.
My other purchase--Knitting Little Luxuries from Interweave Press. Interweave always puts out a quality product. The designs in this little book are wonderful...a Juliet scarf and brooch with one skein of angora...so beautiful! The pattern is one I'd have to pay particular attention to, but the end product would be well worth the process.

Last night my friend Beth came over for more Tudor "action". More Glogg was served...it's become quite the winter warmer-upper...and we watched three more episodes of The Tudors.

Today brings a double header basketball game--UE Lady Aces, followed by the Men's UE Aces--with proceeds going for breast cancer research. I'll be attending with a friend and her husband--both are die-hard Aces fans. Should be interesting, especially since I'm not a "sports" person. The company will be excellent though, and it's for a great cause.