Archive for May, 2007
Hope Elizabeth · 05/31/07 at 10:00 pm · Filed under Contest
Today I was asked the following question about my Blogiversary contest :
“I can’t choose a favorite pattern. Can I send you patterns I really like instead?”
My answer: Let’s face it, there are tons and tons of fabulous patterns out there to look at and choose from and picking just one to call “favorite” can be an almost impossible task. I don’t want this contest to be difficult or time consuming, I just want to have fun! So please feel free to share your favorite patterns, patterns you’ve created, patterns you’ve stumbled across and liked, patterns you think are original, patterns you think are cute - just send along those patterns and tell your friends to do the same!
Note: Complete rules for the Blogiversary Contest can be found in the post below.
Hope Elizabeth · 05/27/07 at 9:32 pm · Filed under Contest
My blog had it’s first birthday last Sunday and, being the procrastinator that I am, I’m just getting around to celebrating it now. I’m hoping all of you will help me to celebrate by participating in my very first Procrastiknitter contest. I’m giving away some great prizes, so c’mon and join in on the fun!
I would like for you to share with me some of your most treasured knitting, crochet and/or looming patterns. For each of the six categories below, please send me the name of one of your favorite patterns and the name of the book or URL where that particular pattern can be found. For each category you complete, your name will be entered into our Procrastiknitter raffle. Pretty cool, don’t you think? That’s 6 chances to win right there!
- Hats and Scarves
- Shawls and Wraps
- Hands and Feet (mittens/gloves/socks/slippers)
- Bags and Purses
- Other (sweaters, baby, toys, kitchen, bath, gifts, etc.)
- Other (sweaters, baby, toys, kitchen, bath, gifts, etc.)
That’s not all. Since my weblog doesn’t have a huge following, I need some help letting folks know about my blogiversary. How about lending me a hand? Take a minute to let your fiber-loving friends know about this contest. For each friend that enters the contest, your name will get entered into the raffle one more time - up to 4 times. C’mon! The more the merrier, right?
To enter, send your answers to ms.procrastiknitter. Please include your name, e-mail address and webpage URL (if you have one). If someone else told you about the contest, please let me know who it was so that they don’t miss out on their additional raffle entries and, if you have a button for your webpage that you’d like to share, send that along too. I’ll accept entries until midnight EST on June 7, 2007. After that I will put together a page of everyone’s answers (all those fantabulous pattern links) and I’ll have one of my kiddos draw the names of the winners.
Omigoodness! I’m so excited!
Now for the prizes:
PRIZE #1
Lorna’s Laces Shepard Sock Yarn
Color #146 Flames
PRIZE #2
Charmed Knits - By Alison Hansel
KnitPicks Wool of the Andes - Hollyberry & Pumpkin (not shown)
PRIZE #3
Opal Yarn - Elemente #1074
Beaded Alpaca Necklace
Note: Necklace purchased at the Springside Farm Shearing Festival
This is going to be fun, fun, fun! So c’mon folks! Remember you have until 12:00 AM EST on June 7, 2007 to get those e-mails to me, so send along those favorite patterns. And to everyone who enters… good luck!
Note: I will let you know that I received your list of favorites by replying to your e-mail. I don’t usually have a problem with Gmail, but if you do not receive an e-mail reply from me within 24-36 hours, please let me know by commenting on this weblog. Thanks a bunch!
Hope Elizabeth · 05/25/07 at 11:38 pm · Filed under General
She got me! - Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs the 7 facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and to read your blog. I’ve been tagged by Kathy.
- I was a twin. My brother’s name was Harold James Jr. and he was born two minutes after me. I weighed 1 lb. 15 oz. and was 11-inches long. He was 3 lbs. He died the day after we were born. I believe he’s my guardian angel now. By the way, after my brother died my parents were pretty much convinced that they would lose me too. They hoped and prayed I’d survive and that’s how I got my name - Hope.
- I’m a packrat. I have stuff tucked away that I should have gotten rid of ages ago! I have magazines piled on one of my desk shelves, boxes of papers stacked in the closet and goodness only knows what I have stored away in the barn. I’m going to get up enough gumption to start tossing it all in the trash. Someday.
- My blog’s name (Procrastiknitter) is more accurate than most people realize. I am a horrible procrastinator! I put off household chores. I put off paperwork. I put off bills. I put off appointments. I even put off my knitting. How can anyone put off knitting? It’s crazy! Even worse, do you want to know what I’m doing when I’m procrastinating about knitting? I’m thinking about knitting - surfing the web for patterns I want to knit, looking for yarn I want to knit with, and heck, I even sit around and try to decide what to knit next. Sad, but true.
- I want to run someday. Anyone who knows me is reading that sentence, scratching their head and looking confused, but it’s true - I want to jog someday. I’ve always dreamed of being thin and fit enough to go for a run. Considering I’ve been… <ahem> fluffy… since the age of 10, that’s a whole heckuva lot of dreaming. I refuse to give up on the idea though. It may take years, but someday I’m going to go out and run a mile - or maybe even two!
- I hate tomatoes. I really hate tomatoes. I like spaghetti sauce and I like ketchup, but the thought of eating a raw tomato makes me cringe. They look slimy and they smell horrible. They really gross me out. My aunt found that out the hard way when I was a kid. I was staying with her for a few days and during that time my grandma was invited to dinner. My aunt informed me I was to eat everything on my plate - including the tomatoes she put in my salad. I begged her to not make me eat them. I pleaded. It didn’t work. I was told to eat the tomatoes. Well, I tried. I took a bite and promptly threw-up all over her table. After that she wasn’t so gung-ho about me eating the damned tomatoes. Smart woman.
- When I was a teenager I thought that Scott Baio was the cutest guy on television. I even have (yes, still have) his very first record - won through 16 Magazine and autographed by Scott himself. Cool, eh? I sure thought so! Oh, and so you know, I still think he’s kind of cute.
- I’m really struggling to come up with 7 things about myself. I mean, c’mon. I’m really not that interesting a person! Even harder will be coming up with 7 people to tag. I really don’t know anyone. Eek!
I’ve tagged: Kristi, Karen Bee, Samantha, Rachel, Sandy, Mia and Laura.
P.S. I hope this doesn’t sound nuts, but I was actually a bit scared tagging other bloggers. Maybe one of the seven facts I should have included is how I can be really shy and insecure sometimes, which is why I rarely e-mail strangers or leave comments on blogs. Perhaps I should work on that. Afterall, how else can someone make friends if they don’t get out there and get to know people?
Hope Elizabeth · 05/24/07 at 8:25 pm · Filed under Secret Pals
I received a couple of lovely gifts in the mail recently and I wanted to share them with you.
First, from my wonderful Sockret Pal (and now everyday pal) Holly - a lovely thank you gift for being her Sockret Pal partner. Isn’t it awesome? I wish this was a smell-o-puter because the soap inside the adorable soap sack she knitted smells absolutely incredible! And did you take a look at the gorgeous cloth? I love it - the pattern, the color, everything! She is such a talented knitter and, if that weren’t enough, she has a heart as big as all outdoors. You really need to take a few minutes to check out her blog. I know you’ll think she’s as a great a person as I do!
Psst… she has a soap sack pattern that you may enjoy. Go take a peek! Take it from someone who loves the soap sack she received - they make a fantabulous gift!
My sweet Secret Pal 10 pal also spoiled me. She sent me a copy of Wendy Knits: My Never-Ending Adventures in Yarn and, let me tell you, I’m really enjoying it a lot! She also sent me some very handy goodies for my knitting bag - knit klips and a yarn guide. I’d never seen either but believe me, I know they’re going to come in handy. My pal also sent me a beautiful skein of purple yarn that my darling daughter has already claimed. She doesn’t know what she wants me to knit for her, but she wants something in that gorgeous shade of purple! If that wasn’t enough, she also got her claws into another one of my goodies - one of four gorgeous (and so, so sweet-smelling) sachets that my fabulous Pal stitched for me. Again I wish you could smell things thru this monitor because they are delightful - such soft, delicate smells that are perfect for my dresser drawers. To top it all off she included a beautiful hand-written card that showed me what a sweet, caring person she must be. I’m such a lucky SP10′er. Thank you so much, my secret friend.
Hope Elizabeth · 05/23/07 at 10:32 pm · Filed under General
I know it looks like I disappeared again, but really I’m here - just so, so busy!
I’ve been helping my husband at work. In case I’ve never mentioned it, he’s a contractor and he’s been doing some roofing jobs lately. I’ve been his handy dandy assistant. He strips the roofs and I take care of the mess - picking up shingles and hauling them in a wheelbarrow to the dumpster, making sure all the nails and debris are cleaned up, sweeping off decks and patios when we’re done.
I have discovered muscles that I never knew I had - and they hurt bigtime!
So, I am here, but I just haven’t spent much time on the computer. I’ve been very sore, incredibly tired and, sometimes, downright sluggish. I really have been a pitiful mess. But that will have to change and it will have to happen soon! I have so much to share with everyone - including a lovely thank you gift from the incredible Holly, a wonderful surprise from my Secret Pal 10 pal and - ready for this? - a surprise drawing that I will be having to celebrate my belated Blogiversary (which was May 20th). Sound exciting? It’s all exciting for me and I promise to share more tomorrow.
Now, if you don’t mind, could you keep your fingers crossed for me that I can move tomorrow after work? Oh my aching bones!
Hope Elizabeth · 05/10/07 at 11:50 am · Filed under General
My mom and stepdad came to visit this last weekend. While I could easily go on and on about what a great time we had, and indeed it was a very nice visit, this is a knitting blog and what I really want to go on and on about is my mom - the wacky, wonderful wild woman of all things crafty - and all the great goodies she brought from Pennsylvania. My mom has been cleaning out her knitting room and did she ever have some huge surprises for me. Omigoodness gracious! She spoiled me rotten and that’s saying alot because my mom has always spoiled me rotten! She could have easily been considered the World’s Greatest Contributor to my yarn stash prior to her visit but, with all of these additional goodies, she’s made sure no one can ever take away her title - including me! It was like Christmas in May.
Books, books, books. Yes, it’s a whole box of books and magazines. There’s so many awesome titles in this box. There’s Modular Knits: New Techniques for Today’s Knitters and Exquisite Little Knits: Knitting with Luxurious Specialty Yarns. There’s also Knitting for Dummies, The Right Way to Knit: A Manual for Basic Knitting, Pursenality Plus: 20 New Felted Bags and Knitting Vintage Socks: New Twists on Classic Patterns. There’s so much to look at, I can’t possibly list everything here.
Another box held notebooks full of freebie patterns my mom found on the internet (dishcloths and socks galore) and baggies full of circular needles - sizes zero and up. There’s Inox, Addi, Hiya Hiya and Boye needles. There’s both metal and plastic needles. There’s long cables and short cables. I think I’m set for circular needles!
Remember my fascination with yarn dyeing? Well, mom’s now provided me with a whole bunch of Rit dyes and sponge brushes. Too much fun!
Did I mention the giant bins of yarn she brought along with her? Here’s a peek inside one of the bins. That white bag is full of yarn from Peace Fleece. The colors are delicious! There’s also a small ton of wool from Briggs and Little and even some skeins of wool that belonged to my grandmother. How cool is that?
Check out what was in the second bin - more yarn! Look at all of that Dye Your Own yarn from KnitPicks. Let me tell you, I saw that yarn and started squirming in my seat. I probably looked like I was doing the pee pee dance! I was trying so hard to contain my excitement (I didn’t want to look like the greedy, gluttonous little wench I can be) that all I could do is wiggle. I don’t know if I managed to hide my true colors or not, but I gave it my best shot!
I couldn’t not show you what was underneath all of that fantabulous Dye Your Own yarn. More yarn! Lorna’s Laces, Socks That Rock, Opal, Wool of the Andes, Cascade Fixation, and Fortissima. Whew! It’s like looking at a box full of candy and sweets. The colors are absolutely stunning - delectible, even!
You know, my mom is more than a super-shopper/bargain-hunter. She is also an uber-talented crocheter! Seriously! Check out these beautiful bags that she made for Hollie and me. They’re her take of the Fat-Bottom Bag from Stitch ‘N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker.
This is the bag that my mom made for Hollie’s birthday. She turned 11 on May 7th and she was absolutely thrilled with what her Nonnie crocheted for her! Mom not only included the big pink flower you currently see pinned to the bag, but also a fluffy purple flower that can be used when dear granddaughter is in the mood for a little bit of lavender. This purse is absolutely beautiful and, while I didn’t take a picture of the lining, that’s fab as well. My mom is so damn talented.
Can you believe this gorgeous cotton purse that mom made for me? Here it is hanging off of Mortimer (our moose). The colors are so summery and absolutely perfect for the season! The lining is the same blue and green that you see in the purse and, while it’s hard to see in this picture, there’s a bit of the blue and green woven into the purse straps as well. I’m telling you, these purses make me want to get out my crochet hooks to make a couple of Fat-Bottom Bags.
Speaking of crochet hooks, my mom made one more gift for me. What could it be?
It’s a hook holder - filled with hooks, stitch markers and even a small pair of embroidery scissors. Obviously mom wants to do more than contribute to the delinquency of a knitter by offering me an overpowering yarn stash fix, she also wants to encourage me to sneak on over to the dark side (*) and do some crocheting too! Can you believe that?
I had to share a close-up of the cute little embellishments my mom included on the crochet hook holder she made. Aren’t they adorable? I love bumblebees and that little ladybug is absolutely precious! I’m really a lucky lady to have such an awesome mom. I love you Mom!
(*) Note: I don’t really believe those folks who crochet are on the dark side. Really! No Darth Crocheter vs. Luke Skyknitter battles happening here. I was just trying to be a wee bit comical. Forgive me, please. I won’t do it again… not today, anyhow.
Hope Elizabeth · 05/02/07 at 9:04 pm · Filed under Critters
Today has been a rough one. Tom and I came home from work to find a note from the State Troopers telling us that two of our dogs (the beagles) had escaped from their kennel and been hit by a truck. Jake, our oldest beagle, was across the road (dead) and our other beagle, Spike, had been taken to the Vet Hospital. We went inside and called the hospital ASAP. We were told that they had to put Spike down - he was too badly injured to be saved by surgery. As if that weren’t bad enough, the vet had more news to share with us. She does not believe his injuries were caused by a vehicle. Based on his condition, which I really don’t have the heart to share right now, she believes he was killed by coyotes. Jake was most likely killed by the truck while sticking to his buddy Spike’s side as they tried to get home.
The images in my head are horrific. I just picture whining and crying and feelings of terror. It’s horrible. It makes my head hurt and heart ache.
Tomorrow we’ll go to the vet’s office to pick up Spike’s body. We’ll be burying him and Jake together. There’s no reason to separate them now - they were puppy dog pals to the end.
You know, I realize Jake and Spike were Tom’s dogs - he fed them, watered them, hunted with them - but it’s killing me to know that I won’t hear them howling anymore whenever I walk by their dog pen. I used to toss them a couple of eggs now and then, for being such good chicken coop guard dogs and now they won’t be there anymore to wag their tails and beg for just one more treat. It’s wrong. It’s so, so wrong.
I may be an animal lover, but I truly despise coyotes. I don’t care what comes naturally to them - I still abhor them. They suck. They really, really do.
Edited 05/07/07 - Added a couple of pictures that I found.
Spike wishing he could run thru all of that winter snow.
Jake giving us one of his silly smiles.
