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.
Hope Elizabeth · 04/28/07 at 7:59 pm · Filed under Secret Pals
Are you ready to see the socks I made? These are my very first pair of “sock yarn” socks. They weren’t exactly easy, I had a few mishaps along the way, but I really did enjoy making them. They were knit with two circulars using Trekking XXL #107.
These socks went to a very special person - Holly at HollYarns who was my Sockret Pal spoilee. Let me tell you, she is a wonderful person - kind, friendly, charming and talented. Her blog is a fabulous place to visit and reading about all of her adventures (knitting, running, charity work) is something that I truly enjoy. When they handed out spoilee’s, I lucked out. I had an awesome partner!
Would it sound silly if I said I was proud of myself and these socks? I hope not, because I’m pretty pleased with myself - not only for finishing the socks, but for not giving up the few times I found myself really struggling. There’s a lot to be said for perseverance!
Oh, and let me tell you, the book Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch is absolutely awesome! I’m so going to save my pennies and buy More Sensational Knitted Socks as soon as I can. Also, for anyone who needs a little help with their knitting (like me… who I still consider a semi-beginner), Stitch ‘N Bitch came in pretty gosh darn handy when I needed some help picking up stitches or fixing some of my other mistakes! Just consider this a little FYI for anyone who’s interested in giving socks a shot. Hope they help you out as much as they helped me!
Hope Elizabeth · 04/21/07 at 6:21 pm · Filed under General
I wanted to share with you a couple pictures of some absolutely wonderful stitch markers that I received in the mail. Check these beauties out…
These were a gift from my Secret Pal 9 spoilee Kathy. She made them as a thank you for the fun we enjoyed during SP9. How sweet is that? I absolutely adore everything about them - the pink, the polka dots and the pleasant memories associated with them. Thank you, Kathy!
You know, speaking of Kathy, I received something else in the mail this week. It’s something I found by following a link she shared with her readers…
Isn’t this the cutest little bag and buttons? When I saw this adorable 4×6 bag made in the “Kitties in Chairs” fabric at Piddleloop, well, I just had to buy it! Why?
Well check out the travel bag I bought from Café Crafty last year. And check out the small tote bag that my mom bought for me. Now can you see why I just had to buy this little Piddleloop purse? Oh it’ll be so perfect for my new stitch markers!
Thank you again, Kathy, for the awesome link! And really, if anyone reading this post hasn’t yet visited Piddleloop, you should take a few minutes to check ‘em out. The bags are both lovely and reasonable. Trust me, you won’t be sorry that you dropped by and looked around. Enjoy!
P.S. I’m not sure where my mom purchased the small tote bag for me. I believe she got it from someone in one of her e-mail groups. If she can remember the lady she got it from, or I come across these same totes online, I will make sure to share the link. Sorry I can’t be any more help than that!
Hope Elizabeth · 04/13/07 at 10:36 pm · Filed under Secret Pals
I received a wonderful (and unexpected) surprise from my Secret Pal yesterday. How exciting! I walked up on the porch and saw a package sitting beside the door. I didn’t think anything of it, since my son had recently ordered some goodies to update his skateboard, so I just brought it inside and set it in the chair. That’s when I noticed it was addressed to me! Whee! How fun is that? I got a present and I didn’t even know I was getting one!
This is what I took out of the box. Isn’t it pretty? I just love how it was wrapped. It’s so quaint and country-ish. I had to take a picture of it just to show you how nice it looked before I opened it up.
Look what was inside - some bright, colorful, delicious-looking yarns from Sugar Apple Creations! Aren’t they beautiful? The first yarn is called “Lagoon” and it is 100% merino wool. The second is called “Pink Tulip” and it’s 60% cashmere and 40% merino wool from Italy. It so, so soft! The last is “Deep Sunset” and it’s also 100% merino wool. They’re all so pretty, I can’t stop looking at them!
I just loved my gift so much, I thought I’d take one more picture to try to convince everyone to check out Sugar Apple Creations. What can I say? Her yarn is not only lovely, but I was impressed with the extra care she put into her packaging. That tells me she cares about her customers and that definitely deserves a visit.
Oh, my Secret Pal, thank you for the wonderful surprise. I can’t stop smiling. You are too awesome! I can’t wait to come up with just the right project for my gorgeous new yarns. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being so sweet.
Hope Elizabeth · 04/13/07 at 2:14 pm · Filed under Crochet
I’ve been surfing the web and, let me tell you, if anyone ever needed a reason to learn how to crochet, I do believe I’ve found one for them! Check out this absolutely adorable baby lamb. It’s the most precious little bugger I’ve seen in awhile and, believe me, I’ve seen some pretty gosh darn cute critters out there. She is just oh so sweet! I really wish I could run to the craft store to get some fun fur right now!
Planetjune.com has a wonderful assortment of crafty ideas and precious patterns. Take a few minutes to check them out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed
Hope Elizabeth · 04/10/07 at 7:49 pm · Filed under Secret Pals
In case you didn’t already know, I have the greatest Sockret Pal in the world. I received a final package from her on Friday and, to be honest with you, it made me cry. I’ve been experiencing the blues off-and-on lately and her kindness really made my day. I felt like a little kid enjoying a special treat. It was such an awesome feeling and I don’t think I could ever thank her enough for all she’s done.
Can you believe this beautiful honeycomb candle? I’m not a very good photographer, but it’s an adorable little beehive with a precious little bee sitting on the side. Bumblebees are something I collect, so this couldn’t have been more perfect. You can be assured that everytime I look at it, I will be reminded of my very special secret pal.
Did you notice those pretty little candies beside the candle? They’re almost too cute to nibble on! You can bet that I’ll be treating myself to one of those sweet little treats soon. It’s been all I could do to hold myself back long enough to get a picture of them. I almost didn’t make it.
As if my pal hadn’t spoiled me enough, she had more goodies stashed inside the package. I found a gorgeous sock loom and not one, but two skeins of Cascade. I have wanted to purchase one of these fine gauge sock looms for awhile, but it just hasn’t been in the budget. To see it sitting in the box, well, I was so gosh darn excited you would have thought it was Christmas morning and I was 5 years old.
Do you see the little book sitting on the loom? It’s “My Little Knitting Book: A Quick Reference” and what an awesome little book it is! There’s charts inside where you can keep track of what knitting needles and crochet hooks you have. There’s charts for your shoe size and foot lengths. There’s yardage estimates and conversion tables. It’s just full of useful information and, if that weren’t enough, it’s teeny-tiny and can easily fit in your knitting bag or purse. I know this will come in handy - especially when I get shopping for needles. (Do you know how many size 6 needles I have? Way more than my fair share, that’s for sure!)
Last, but far from least, look at the beautiful socks my sweet secretive pal knit for me! Are they gorgeous or what? Not only do they look scrumptious, but they fit me perfectly and feel divine. The colors are so perfect and, let me tell you, the knitting is gorgeous. I tried to get a picture of the scalloped, lacy cuff on the socks, but I couldn’t get it to come out clearly. Trust me though, it’s lovely. The talent displayed on these socks is amazing. I will cherish them.
So have you clicked on any of the links above to find out who my Sockret Pal was? If you haven’t, I’ll tell you…
Isela of Purling Sprite was my spoiler and did she ever spoil me rotten! Even prior to Sockret Pal, Isela was someone that I admired. She’s a talented knitter and loomer. She’s a friendly face on the internet. She’s kind, patient and always willing to lend a fellow crafter a hand. She’s truly a wonderful woman and, if you’ve read through her blog, you know she’s also a fabulous mother, wife and friend. She’s one of the “cool kids” in our knitting community and I’m so honored to have had the opportunity to get to know her a wee bit better.
Thank you, Isela. Very much.
Hope Elizabeth · 04/08/07 at 7:48 pm · Filed under Critters
Is this pitiful or what? Tom, Tim, Hollie and I sat around this evening watching Zathura and of course family time wouldn’t be complete without some lovin’ from our Sammy! He snuggled up under the blanket, used Tim’s leg as a pillow and snored while we enjoyed the movie. He really can be disgustingly lazy sometimes, not to mention a huge couch hog, but how can you not love a face like that?
Hope you all had a very Happy Easter!
Hope Elizabeth · 04/03/07 at 9:50 pm · Filed under General
I haven’t been the best of bloggers, have I? I’m not going to make any lame excuses for disappearing again, but I will apologize for being so inactive for so long. I can’t really explain my absence, but I can say that I’m going to do my best to stick around this time. Believe it or not, this blog is important to me and I need to remind myself now and then that it’s okay to just blab away about whatever I want to blab about here - even if it isn’t knitting related. Sometimes I forget that I can post even if I’m miserable and moody.
I finished my socks, but I can’t post a picture of them just yet - not until they’re received by the intended recipient. I enjoyed knitting them, but I didn’t enjoy the Trekking XXL yarn that I chose to use. I’m not sure why, but I really had a hard time with it splitting. Is this the norm for Trekking XXL? I didn’t notice a problem with my last Trekking socks, the ones I still haven’t finished, but this time around? Holy guacamole! I had a heckuva time.
I’m still working on my afghan and I will probably be working on it for forever. Seriously! It’s very wide and it takes me quite awhile to complete one row, so I don’t think it’ll be done anytime soon. That’s okay though. The whole reason I started an afghan was so that I would have an easy project to work on here and there. Perhaps my goal will be to have it done by my birthday in October. I can’t promise to meet that goal (procrastiknitter is a procrasticrocheter too, remember?) but we’ll see.
In non-knitting news, I started the Weight Watchers Core Program yesterday. I’ve been following the Flex Program and I’m down 38 pounds, but I’ve found myself getting very lazy about measuring my food and counting my points. This is an old habit of mine - I get tired of paying attention to the plan’s details and the next thing you know, I’m totally off program and all you see is my ass hanging out of the refrigerator. Usually I wait a few months, eat like a piggy and re-join WW after I’ve gained back all of my weight (and then some), but this time around I decided to switch things up a bit and try Core. So far I feel okay. Let’s hope the positive feelings stick around for awhile. The closer I get to age 40, the more important it becomes to me to lose the incredible amount of weight I need to lose. I want to be forty and fabulous - and I only have 2.5 years to go!
Knitting helps. I can’t eat and knit at the same time. Hmmm… maybe that giant afghan is more important a project than I realized. I can’t eat and crochet at the same time either.
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