Can you figure out what this is?

I mentioned that we had Fiber Fanatiks last night....You all know how much gas costs....our group was small. (We missed all of our traveling buddies) As a small group it was I must say more intimate...and funny. My cheeks were sore from laughing so hard. Betty Phucket, (rhymes with bucket) had me cracking up. We were all exchanging childhood stories of growing up...it was hysterical but all had a common thread. Well we got creative with the photo and I'm wondering if you weren't there if you can figure out what it is? This photo sure beat any knitting any of us were working on. I am still laughing when I look at it. When I get a few descriptions, I will tell you the reason and explanation of this prize photo. It really had to do with knitting!!!! Meanwhile have a good weekend. I am going to be playing!!!

Answer to your questions

In response to the questions of what pattern is it? I designed it...hahahahhahahahahahhahahha I lied!!! It is from Knit It magazine the leave until April 2006 issue. There actually is another very cute shrug in the book too. The shrug was really fast and simple. I used Lion brand chunky in Fisherman and it took three skeins. Cheap and easy!!! I gave it to Cheryl tonight and I think she liked it, although she tried it on over a hooded sweatshirt...not the most flattering on the runways these days. We meaning Joey and I visited with the little fur kids, they are too cute. Baby news!!! Lois had another little grandbaby girl!!! Congratulations Grama!! I also finished my St. George and the dragon or something socks and they have weird toes...like I have been kicking walls all my life. I will take a photo when I have washed them and a miracle will happen. Tomorrow night is Fiber Fanatiks and it has seemed like a long time since I was there..a month? Hope to see you all there!!

Cheryls Shrug

It's finished, washed and dryed and I am happy with it. Cheryl has not seen it yet, I hope she will like it. Or better yet use it as a functional piece. Words out the Yarn Harlot is coming to Chicago, it would be fun to take a trip and see her. I don't know where she is going to be, it is not posted yet. I think something ate all of my tulips and at least they nourished some little body..vs. the frost getting them. It is pretty cold here tonight!!!! I like it...

Forsythia

I had to put a shot of my Forsythia blooming..you see it hasn't blossomed for a few years. I think the problem was it was shadowed by my the neighbors wild grapes. Last year I did some radical trimming of thier wild grapes and now I think my two bushes are not getting strangled. I have two lilac bushes and one is not blooming but the wood is still green, I am hoping it was in shock...or not? It was my white one, I had a really hard time growing lilacs can you believe it? I have finished the shrug for Cheryl. She is always cold at work, and she is so good to my brother. I will take a photo after I block it. This was really a quick project and took three skeins of yarn. Have a good Sunday.

Betty Crocker baby!!!

Oh Yeah....Betty Crocker ain't got nothin on me!!! I made this carrot cake from an awesome easy recipe. It's all gone already, I brought some to my invalid brother that is still off with a bad back. He is slowly moving better but still laid up. It was a good cake. I forgot to (didn't really want to drudge it up) mention that I had a flat on the freeway Saturday. So here I am with Joey as my passenger pulled off on the off ramp...with my arse up in the air trying to lower the spare from under the truck. Praying that the spare is full of air....it was. This really nice guy...stops and asked if I needed help....What? Moi? Need help...me Miss I can do it not a problem? Me the one that can't accept help from anyone..no thank you and then I proceeded to kick myself in the butt...What is wrong with me...so I vow the next person unless of course it is a Grandma in a handicab that offers to help me I will graciously accept. So a half hour later I am still fixing this tire...just kidding! I put me butt up in the air again and figured either I'll scare the crap out of them....or they may say..."Hey the chick could stand to loose a few pounds...good job for her." or they will offer to help. I loosen all the lug nuts and have the tire down on the asphalt along with a me lying down under the truck trying to put the jack under the axle, meanwhile watching to see if I am going to witness the vehicle that is going to make a pancake out of me. I see a pair of feet or shoes...and I look up and it's a saint...not my definition of a knight in shining armor, but a nice guy that wasn't going to take no for an answer anyway...I let him help!!! He was very nice and I did hand him things like a wrench. I felt guilty though....I could have done it, but it sure was nice not to!!!! I didn't offer him any money because I don't think he took credit cards..well if he did he had a prime opportunity while I was face down with my rearend up in the air. I thanked him and we were both off...What a nice guy!!! They are still out there.

Greetings from Hong Kong

My son Mike sent me this photo, to tease me...from Hong Kong. He is on vacation there for 11 days, 3 of which he will spend in Phuket...no Betty, it is a long "U"...today he went to a Mountain to visit the largest Budda? He was surprised at how International Hong Kong actually is, and you can see that from the photo...Happy Easter.

Easter traditon

In keeping with the Easter tradition, many families and children woke to gayly filled Easter baskets..brimming with brightly colored cellophane grass and flavored jelly beans. Tall standing Chocolate rabbits and creme filled eggs. Halt....did I say Chocolate rabbits? Well our house and please don't tell my 30 year old son had another tradition.
I was good while filling the basket on the Eve of the Holiday. I arranged every piece of candy in a cute manner, and I even limited the amount of crappy candy that no one likes. (I'm thinking those pastel colored sugar eggs?) So with the basket filled and sitting on the livingroom floor, kind of hiding in plain sight. I would be watching TV and like a magnet that basket would pull my eye over to all that chocolate...the smell would be softly drifting through air...settling around my nose. Chhhoooooooccccccooooooollllllaaattttteeeeee.....jjjjjaaaaannnnnnn....eeeaaaaattttt mmmmmeeeeeeeee jjjjjuuusssttt aaa lllliiiitttttlllllleeeee nnnnniiiiibbbbbbbbblllllllleeeeee. Darn ...so what were my options...In an angry manner, I would just march over and before I could get a grip I would bite the ears off of the chocolate rabbit that was leering at me from the edge of the basket....taunting me beyond my will power...ooppppsss. As the chocolate was melting in my mouth, and the sweet sensation rushed through my vains...I would get a feeling of remorse...now what? What do I do? I ruined Tall Earred Tommy the chocolate rabbit, his grin still frozen on his face. I have ..my whole life...been precariously put into these jams...self inflicted but a McGiver in getting out of them. So as any good mother would do, I put jelly beans in the rabbits head, like it came that way...a jelly bean filled Easter Squirrel!!!! Alas a family tradition was born. Each and every Easter eve...I knew I had an out..did you know they make rabbits with 10" ears? Happy Easter!!

St George socks reappearance..

I was digging around under my loom as I was tying up the treadles...and low and behold I found some UFO's!! Imagine that, so for a very horrible photo...here is St. George Mystical Mosaic socks from Blackberry Ridge. I think I started these about....ooohhh 3 years ago and that is being conservative. I lost interest when I realized I probably can't wear them because they are too big a knit for my Princess feet. I have one sock done and I have to say it is a pretty homely looking sock..and I am going to hope ....that the blocking will do wonders. I am off for the rest of the week and have a full dance card. My son is leaving for Hong Kong tomorrow morning where he is going on vacation and also to Phuket, Thailand. I am excited for him, it should be a great trip and I told him that fabric would suit me fine..batik would be nice but whatever!!! We are not the sovenier type of family, so I'm sure he will bring me something unusual. My word of advice to him is if while in Phuket..he notices that the beach is getting really long...to start running for the hills. And don't visit any chicken petting zoos!!! And don't bring home anything that eats!!! I was getting geared up for Lost tonight and the electric went out. I have been joking about having to live in a cardboard box if I don't pay my utility bill soon but I paid it ...honest. I thought maybe they lost my check? So I sheepishly went outside to find the whole block was out ...phew!!!! I guess it was a tree thing.

Spring Fever

The sweet taste of Spring...!! I fear this weather because up until May 10th I don't think we are in the clear!!! I almost thought of uncovering my lounge furniture, but slapped myself before I got totally crazy. I did lay in the hammock though. I am almost through plumbing I caulked the tub tonight whilst taking my bath and I need to fix the cold water faucet and I am hopefully done. Two major projects left to do is to paint my livingroom and bathroom. I am thinking a blushing pink for the bathroom and a green of some sorts for the living room. I am in a color mode...sick of white...real sick of white. I have not wove on my newly dressed loom and I have only knit a little. I have to start getting ready for shows, I am being a slacker!!! I was laying in my hammock and closed my eyes and when I opened them...someone cut my sky in two!!!!!

Picture this

The smell of Spring is in the air, red breasted robins are singing their sweet song. The sun is shining warmly...I drag my tired butt out in the back yard and alas my hammock is waking up from a season of cold and snow!!! I took my binoculars out there and a blanket and watched some birds..actually looking for the cardinals that sing at dawn and dusk each day. It was wonderful...the sun was warm and soothing...and I napped. I am going to embrace my plumbing this weekend. All is well....!
Ha sounds like I should now have the munchies!!! I am ...carefully form these word with your lips...making a swatch...I know I know, I think I may have inhaled too many sewer fumes. I am knitting a shrug for Cheryl, she is always cold at work so I thought a nice off white shrug would do the job. It will go with everything. I am knitting the ribbing and it looks boring? So I am going to go to bed...daylight savings is kicking my hinney!!!

Still strung out!

I am slowly recovering from an intense weekend with wrenches. When I am more relaxed and it is happening, I will look at my further bathroom remodeling options? Do I knock out the tile or try to salvage the mess? So I finally have my loom all ready to weave. I worked on it tonight, before "Lost"...I am addicted. I have to switch between Idol and Lost, with Lost as my primary and during commercials trying to catch who gets voted off of Idol....oh the drama!!!
I have to wind some bobbins with some rayon weft, and decide what I am going to want this to look like? smooth, bumpy...subtle or subtle? I am weaving fabric, and the colors aren't really my favorite but I think they will weave nicely. There are no samples in this house...unless it's a sample of a brownie, and then you can be reassured that there will be a whole pan somewhere close by. Hey can you believe Easter is next week? I just found out..I seem to be having a problem with calenders this year?? Thank you all for your support on the plumbing issue!!! Planning any Orange or yellow projects?

House for Sale

Cheap!!!! All new plumbing!!! I have been struck with the schtinking plumbing woes!!!! You may remember I bought a new faucet for the bathroom because it was leaking. After my clogged drain episode...I have just looked at the new faucet and admired how nice it looks in the box. So I was going to take a shower and with one clunk, no water came out of the shower head...no big deal I don't like showers anyway...but....in order to not become a ghetto house, I figured this weekend I would change the faucet washers, because that is probably what is wrong. Mind you there were no leaks!!! After screwing off all of Saturday morning, I decided to shut off the water and change the washers....ez enough...sound familiar? SSSsooooo, I proceded with the operation and all is well....in less than 30 minutes I am done...but wait...as long as the water is off, I may as well put in the new faucet....all is well...looks good tie up all the loose ends and turn on the water...we're now talking 6:00pm...Down in the basement and turn on the water...run upstairs and the hot water faucet is leaking...more like it is pissething, not the new one the one that didn't leak before in the tub. Ok tighten the packing nut...I do this all the time. It still leaketh..tough crapola. I am going to sit down and relax for a bit, I will tackle it tomorrow!!!
Sunday morning
Turn off the water, tools in hand and hike up two flights of steps and remove the hot water faucet assembly...washer looks good? but I will change it again and check the seat...smooth? Ok this will do it..button it all up and go two flights down and turn on the water and walk back up Oh and don't forget my stress level is rising and so "Precious" is sensing this and is walking two steps ahead of me all the way...little did she know my foot was about to spontaneously ram into her butt....I talk myself down and Oh look the faucet is still leaking...I take a wrench and tighten it down some more...so...three more times trying to analyze what could be the problem and it's 4:00 Sunday night...my patience is down to nill and I am frustrated. I take a long break and re-evaluate the situation...Eat some chocolate and watch my shows and go to sleep...that's it sleep on it.
Monday morning
The pissething faucet will surely put my water bill over the edge if I keep letting it run like that so I shut the water off to the house and go to work...I pick every ones brain and ask if they ever ran across this? Most probable answer..."No? and an added Plumbing sucks!! I have a game plan..after work I will go to the plumbing experts with my dear assembly....
3:30pm I walk into the pro shop and he looks at my faucet and says "HHhmmmm Bob? You ever seen one like this?" UUUmmm no can't say that I have..can't help you, maybe the housing is cracked? I grab my unique schtinking faucet and leave with no help. I stop at home again open the closet behind the bathroom..after emptying all of the crap I forgot I had and rip out the whole "Unique" faucet set. Off to Ace....another salesman....are you sure it has an 8.5 center...yeah buddy, I can read a freeking ruler, maybe if you want I can take this One of a kind morphadite and shove it ...oh never mind...off I go to torment some other saleman at Home Depot. I buy a new faucet with 8" centers and figure I will force the sucker to fit.
8:00pm I am done and you can see how the Hillbilly is going to leave it till I can finish it...which means now I have to rip out the rest of the tile. I actually took a bath and enjoyed looking into my office from the tub...I can do this....for now!! So don't bother calling me ever again...I am grounded for life to this money pit!!!

March Meeting

We had a large group of Fiber Fanatiks on Thursday!! I didn't crop everyone off of the photos the mosaic did that Sorry!! It was actually a quiet group...(we had food)! There are so many cool projects people are making and I'd have to say Shrugs tops the list. It's hard to get a photo of everyone, unless of course you confiscate the forks, and throw a ball of yarn in one corner and as they all dash for the ball of yarn...hollar "Free Fiber!!!" and with smiles they would all turn around and "Click" photo opp!!! I am still threading my loom, I found a mistake, so it was time to take a break. I am almost ready to weave. I have been using the shoelace method as taught by the "Singing Weaver" Nadine Sanders. Wisconsin Weavers had a program with her a few years back and I was intrigued and it has proved to be easier and faster once you are set up. That is providing you don't make a mistake!!!