Day 56, August 1

We did not get home last night from Redwood City until after midnight and since I had no computer or access to one (no smart phone !) I missed yet another day!

But, I did get a few hours of knitting in while Peter drove.  I finished the coral pillow for my lovely and wonderful sister in law, Sarah.  I like the way it came out and I picked out some pretty vintage buttons for it.  I may take it in a little on the corners before I send it to her.  And, I may wait till the turquoise one is finished and send them together.

I went to Beverly's to buy the pillow form and found a whole bunch of gorgeous yarn on sale, and bought a whole bunch!!!  Cotton and wool, cotton and wool and silk blends in natural colors.  Very soft and nicely made.  And a real clearance price!  I swatched one and then I started on a striped baby cardigan with the denim blue and mint colors!  I am making up for not starting and finishing enough projects!  Also, there are pictures of one of the finished gloves and the almost finished one.  They are kind of big......


Harrison is back home!  Yeah!  I and see that our friend Jennifer just had her baby boy and named him Harrison, so I got the blanket I started months ago for him out and am working on that.  It's an easy crochet pattern and I hope to get it done soon although, it is so hot I can't imagine needing a baby blanket any time soon.....but i would still like to get it to the family.

It did get chilly watching an 8pm game last night in Redwood City and the woman who knits like mad was underdressed, and had no blankets with her....or gloves, or anything.  It was a nice change from this heat !!!  It was fun watching Zander play, and nice to have an outing with Peter. 

Here are the pictures!  Hope you had a nice weekend!

Crocheted blanket for the new baby Harrison!

The finished coral pillow

Swatch!  I want to make a sweater with this. With size 5 i may try 7.

A Debbie Bliss sweater in progress

fingerless mitts,

Day 55

Ack, Ack, Ack!  went to bed last night without posting to this blog!  Also without doing much knitting.  I had time to knit a few rows on the coral pillow and that's all.  I was busy rearranging Harrison's room and some stuff in the garage so I could unearth a table from the garage to put in his room.  Most of the stuff in the garage had been there since wi moved in almost 9 years ago.  Some interesting stuff!

Today I am starting on a button bracelet.  I have a LOT of buttons and i bought some more today at Eco Thrift!!  Crazy, I know.  I have seen some bracelets made from buttons and I want to try to make one.

No pictures today, more tomorrow.

Day 54, July 27

I did get some knitting done today on the moss stitch coral pillow.  I finished the back and one part of the front.  I started on the second part of the front of the pillow.  I also found a cute pink flower with a green center that I had made a few weeks ago and i picked out a cute yellow button for the center and attached it to a hair band! 

I had a great experience with customer service today!  I bought one of the re-usable plastic tumbler's from Peet's to use for cold drinks a few weeks back.  My lovely husband thought the top and straw were disposable and threw them out!  I went to my regular Peet's store to see is they sold those parts and they said they could not help me... *Sigh* so I thought why not try to get them from the website, or the headquarters in Emeryville, so I emailed through the website. 

A great customer service person emailed me back saying 'how sorry she was my husband thought the top was trash,'!!  and she just wanted to give me a whole new tumbler to replace it!  She asked me which Peet's I usually went to, I told her and I got a super nice email from the store manager at the Hazel and Madison Peet's and I went in tonight and picked it up!!

Restores my faith in folks who work in retail!!!!!!!

Here are the pictures and I hope you all have a great Thursday!

flower and coral pillow

here is a close up!

you can almost see the button holes.  I need to pick out some cute buttons!

day 53, Tuesday July 26

As I was going up to bed last night, I realized I had done NO knitting AND did not make a blog entry!  I have been busy doing other things.  And busy trying to do nothing once in awhile.  The other day, I think it was Sunday, I was sitting in our back yard on the big swing just enjoying the quiet.  There were a whole bunch of hummingbirds flying around.  I just sat and enjoyed watching them.  They seem to love one of the flowering plants we have in our backyard.  Two young ones were chasing each other around.  They even landed on trees and wires so I could really get a good look at them.  I have seen them fly around many times, but to watch them land and them take off is amazing. 

Today I did not do a lot of knitting either, and I have not taken the pictures of the fingerless gloves.  But I did work on some flowers.  They are pictured below.  I have soooo much yarn, I feel a little overwhelmed. 

I spent a lot of time today listing stuff on ebay.  It was 1 cent listing day and I have a lot of stuff to list.  Take pictures, download, research, list - Repeat.  All morning and some of the afternoon.  Now the stuff just has to sell.
I also went to Going Vertical and had the most challenging work out I have had since I started going back....  I am tired!  Instead of resting, I have been making apricot jam.  Don't ask me why.....

I do miss knitting, but I have been making a lot of jam.  I have also been taking this opportunity while Harrison is out of town to clean out his room!  Dust everywhere, toys he does not use, Magic cards all over the place.  Outgrown clothes, mis-matched socks, and legos.  I got a giant plastic container and it is now full of all his Magic cards.  Whew! 

More tomorrow, love LJ

Day 52 Sunday

It is too hot today, combined with hot flashes.....Argh!  I finished one fingerless mitt (with thumb) and began another.  It is too hot to do anymore knitting or typing tonight.  I will put the pictures up tomorrow.

Signed,

Flaky blogger and knitter

Day 51 July 23, 2011

Saturday was a busy day.  I am in a lousy mood.  and have been most of the day.  Irritable.  Not sure why. 

I worked on the coral pillow and finished the back.  And started working on one of the front parts. 

I also started on some fingerless gloves.  I have made lots of these, but this is a slightly different, and easy pattern.  Longish gloves, with a thumb and only stockinette stitch.  I found this nice lilac colored acrylic blend yarn.  It slips nicely on these metal double point needles.  Super soft, too.

I finished a blue flower and found a really pretty gold button with a black stone middle.  I like the way it looks.   The shiny gold button and the soft cornflower blue yarn.

I also found two pairs of socks that I need to weave the ends in to completely finish.  Not only do I have 'second sock syndrome', but the weaving in of the ends is such a drag, I often put that off, and off.

The socks - one is made form Lorna Laces 'Zombie BBQ'  i love that name

Hope you all have a nice Sunday.  No comments lately, but i do think some folks are reading this.....

Day 50, July 22, 2011

We are practicing being empty nesters!  Both boys are out of town.  It has been quiet here and I am enjoying it right now.  I miss them, but I do enjoy having more freedom.  Freedom to stay home and not drive anyone anywhere! 

I finished the wedding purse (Don't scroll down to see the pictures, Heidi!) and I really like the way it turned out!  Hope she likes it!!!! 

I started on another style of flower - it's a zinnia - and I am trying it in different color combos.  I like the way the petals flare out. 

Victorian inspired drawstring bag

Nice and lacey looking!

Zinnias a plenty!

The petals flare out and the center is puffy. 

We are watching a DVD of the British series "Prime Suspect" with Helen Mirren.  We watched it years ago and we like British mystery series.  The writing is good, the casting excellent and the stories are engaging. 

I will sign off and hope you all have a great weekend!

Day 49, July 21

I finished the little bumble bee and the Arum Lily I started awhile back. I would make the lily again, but with maybe DK weight yarn.  The fingering was tooooooo tiny to really look good, I think. 

I started on making a green leaf - crocheted.  And i worked a bit on the coral pillow.  But today was busy and not much sitting around time.  I am taking our youngest son to the airport soon.  He is flying to San Diego to see his friend Patrick.  They were babies together in San francisco and then both families moved when they were about 5 - one to Sac and one South.  The two still get along and it is amazing how alike they are even though they don't see each other very often!

Then our oldest will be going off to San Francisco to work and hang out this weekend, and then he is going to Morro Bay with his friend Jaxon.  Everyone is getting a vacation except us!  Peter will be taking a week off in September to help his mother move.  Not a real vacation, but he loves driving and that is what they will be doing.  Driving from New Hampshire to Phoenix.  I am trying to take a day off now and then, but it has not happened yet! Wish me luck getting some time off.....

No jam making today, just Jam eating!  I tried the blueberry peach and it was YUM! 

Pictures and then I must sign off and finish dinner before we drive to the airport.

Bee and Lily

Crocheted leaf in progress

Day 48, july 20

I am obsessed with Trader Joe's Vanilla Meringues!  Obsessed, I say!   They are yummy. 


I finished a cute purple and deep pink flower with a heart bead in the center.  I also started on another bumble bee! 

I worked on the coral pillow using the moss stitch design pillow.  It will have a button closure.  It is knitting up fast and the pattern is mindless.  I also worked on the turquoise pillow and it is amazing how I can mess up an easy pattern.  I keep making one of the cable rows wrong.  Ugh!  I took out about 3 inches this morning and have not picked it back up.  I do not know how to determine which row I am on without a bit of trial and error.  I have to set some time aside to concentrate on that, maybe tomorrow, maybe Friday.  I have to work on calling the IRS tomorrow, so that may take all my available concentration.  Dealing with that stuff wears me out.  *Sigh*

Okay - so here are the pictures. 

Bumble Bee

Moss stitch pillow

another flower with pattern i made up!

 

 

It's going to be Hot tomorrow!  Yuck!  See you later, Love, Lanie

Day 47 July 19, 2011

Another Jam Making Day!  Peach, Apricot, and Peach-Blueberry.  Yum!  Apricots from my friend Teri's mother's tree, also white peaches! We made three batches.  We are a little obsessed. 

And I am tired.  All that standing on a hot day in the hot kitchen...Plus I worked out today at Alex Van Dykes Going Vertical.  http://www.avdgoingvertical.com/

Always a tough workout! 

I did do some knitting.  I finished another bulky baby hat, this time in a soft blue.  I also started on a bunch of flowers.

Blueberry and White Peach,  yummmmmmm.

Apricot - took a long time to cook. 

The finished product!

A little green apple in progress and flower

Bulky Blue Baby Hat- finished!

I really, really want to get some more time to knit and crochet.  I have so may tedious things I need to do.  and so many projects going, plus two boys, husband (one) and 4 cats.  The house never gets clean, and endless boring chores pile up. 
Enough whining.  Things are really fine.   I will have the peach blueberry jam with some lovely whole grain bread I got today at Trader Joe's, for breakfast.  There is always something to look forward to!!

Day 46, July 18, 2011

I found some yarn today at two different thrift stores....  I know, I am not supposed to be buying yarn but I just could not pass it up!  Some brand new Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride, and some bulky yarn from Lion Brand.  I have made the cutest bulky baby hats in the past with this bulky yarn so I decided to work some up tonight.  I finished one while watching 'Antiques Roadshow'!  and started on another one. 

Here are the pictures:

see the baby in the pattern wearing the hat?  Cute!

I plan on making some MORE jam tomorrow with my friend Teri.  Peach and apricot. Yum!  I will need to work on some knitted projects, too.  Wish me luck!

Day 45

Sunday night.

We had a great day.  A wonderful pot luck brunch, a great live show - Best Little Whorehouse in Texas!  It was fun t see live theatre again.  I love live theatre, and live music.  I used to see a lot of both and I hope now that we have more time, I think we can do more of that.

I worked on the turquoise pillow, started on an Arum Lily with size one needles... and finished some crocheted flowers.  I do love playing with color and I want to bet a little more bold with my color choices.  I have so very much yarn. 

I need to go to bed!  See you all tomorrow.

Day 44, July 16 2011

It's late but here is the daily update.  I worked on the turquoise pillow and I am really enjoying knitting it.  The pattern is easy to follow and I like the way the cable looks.

I started on some more flowers.  I am trying to knit one  with varigated yarn to see what it will look like.  I am not sure yet, as that one is in progress.

What a gorgeous day!  I sat out on in the backyard and did some knitting, listened to a book on tape and even just sat there, quietly doing nothing!  The cats come around and hang out when I am in the back yard.  I find them so amusing to watch!  They stalk and play with each other and act like they are in the tall grass of the Serengiti.  The grass needs to be mowed....

We are going to see our friend Ruth in "Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" tomorrow.  It is at a theatre downtown.  Can't wait!  I have not been to a play in years...!  Yeah! 

I have no idea how much time I will have for knitting tomorrow.  I will have to wait and see.  Enjoy!

Pillow progress plus flowers

more flowers

Varigated yarn....

One is a Daisy!

Day 43

We went and saw the Harry Potter movie this morning!  It was great and great fun to see a matinee on a Friday!  Felt a little like playing hookey!  I did go to work first.  :-)

Then we went to the yarn shop Filati's.  I was looking for some coral colored yarn.  Coral is a very hard color to find!  I was walking around the store trying to find anything coral colored and started talking to another customer who was looking for some orange yarn to match a shawl she was making.  We bonded over our love of the Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool Yarn!  I made a wall hanging with it a few years ago and have been looking for another reason to use that yarn.  I love it!  It is sooooo soft, and comes in many wonderful colors.  it is a bit tweed and the color are so rich and deep.  Yum! 

I have not spent much time in a yarn shop in the past year or so as I have so much yarn, and i have been trying not to buy more so it was a great to spend time there petting all the yarn and looking at all the patterns. 

I could not find the right yarn in the right color for the pillow I am making for my sister in law, Sarah, but the woman at the yarn shop showed me the color card for  Cascade 220 superwash wool and I found the one that really looked like coral to me.  I have some turquoise Cascade 220 that I am using to make Sarah one pillow so I wanted to use that same brand t make the other pillow.  I took the number of the coral yarn and easily found it on the Jimmy Beans Wool website and turns out that yarns name is - Coral!  Hurray!  I have looked, on and off, since Christmas time for a coral yarn. 

So the only knitting I did today was to work on the cabled turquoise pillow.  It is a pretty easy pattern for me to follow and fun to knit.  I may take out the bamboo needles and use some addi turbos (metal) if I have them in the right size. 

I have to re-evaluate this starting and finishing a project everyday.  I have not been able to adhere to it these past few days. 

Here is the cabled pillow. 

Now i cannot wait to get the Coral yarn in the mail!

Day 42, July 14, 2011

I did not, again, spend much time knitting today.  I spent time finishing some more head bands and pony tail holders for the fair on Saturday.  I love looking through all the mostly vintage buttons I have and have been given (Thank you Shirley!!!!!!)

I finish a flower, sort through all the beautiful buttons, decide which one looks best, which is always challenging as there are so many good ones, and I attach it to the flower and the flower to the band!  It is a time consuming process so that is what I did tonight while watching the Women's World Cup game we had recorded.  Great Games!  Exciting soccer!

I also got some YUMMY blackberries from my friend Teri today.  We decided to just eat them and not make jam....  I did get a whole box of peaches from the Orangevale Farmers Market.  Jam and peach preserves to come!

Here are some pictures of the flowers.

Pink!

Blue, too!

More pics of the stuff I am sending to the fair.  I put some baskets together and made little tags that say "Play with your veggies!"

lots of this was made during the 365 journal

You can see the my laptop and pattern book, too.

Day 41, July 13

Okay - found the camera.  So there are several pictures below.  Today, I finished a bunch of flowers,  Put buttons on and attached them to headbands.  My niece will take some to the Corn Festival at Sloughhouse this Saturday.

I was listening to NPR today and caught part of an interview with a writing teacher and author who gave me something to think about.  I may have to go back and try to listen to that interview again.  She teaches a class about writing memoirs.  She talked a lot about deciding what story you are telling.  "what is the story about?'.  What story are you trying to tell.  Anyway, I am not explaining what I heard very well.  i am thinking more about my writing and I hope to get more focused. 

I think I am on the rather well worn phrase of 'a journey of self discovery' through creating with sticks and string.  But that not is the story I want to tell, exactly.  Maybe I don't want to tell a story at all.  This is a journal, not a memoir but many  of the things she said were helpful and I will do some more thinking about it.

I made this basket last night.

Flowers!

on little headbands.

I made two of these baskets yesterday along with the larger pumpkin

Pumpkin!

Two pumpkin friends

I want to make enough fruits and veggies to fill these three baskets to try and sell.  Maybe kids would like to play with them in their little kitchens!  I will have to make time tomorrow to knit.... 
Love,
Lanie

Day 40, July 12

I can't find my camera!!  I am going to owe you a lot of pictures!  Right now I am working on a big pumkin and i finished 2 crocheted bowls.  My niece is going to take some of my stuff to a craft fair this weekend.  I am working on putting together a few bowls of fruit and veggies.  Kids might like playing with them in their kitchen.  Maybe it will encourage them to actually eat their veggies....  not just play with them!
Pics soon.
Love,
LJ

day 39, July 11

I have no pictures today!  It is late and I did not take any today, and only got to doing any handwork until after 8pm.  It is now after 10 and I am tired and ready for bed!  I did finish a cute pumpkin, in a varigated yarn.  and started on another one, which will be larger.  I also got a lot of work done on the wedding bag!

More pictures tomorrow, I promise!

Day 38. July 10

This is a quilt that my Grandmother pieced and my mom had quilted.

Happy Sunday!  I am so grateful for air conditioning....!  and the breeze that comes up at night.  I worked one only one project today...  I know, I know, I am supposed to start one and finish one each day, but today, i just could not get to anything but this one project.  i went and got some different yarn - it is actually crochet thread - to make the wedding purse.  I have been working on it today and I think it will be really pretty.  I may get some linen or satin to line it when it is done.  The wedding is not until October, so i have plenty of time!  But, i want to make the couple something else.  I always have PLENTY of projects! 
Maybe I will inventory the projects I have going.  I know I have the lace scarf.  A second toe up sock, a baby poncho, and those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head without looking at my yarn room.......

Oh - and the crochet baby blanket.  I also want to get yarn to make another blanket for a baby due in October.

Here is a picture of the in progress purse:

 

 

 

I have been upstairs working on it. 

Several generations of Jewell/Hoch  handwork

Day 37, July 9 2011

I started on a crocheted bag for my friend Heidi.  I like the pattern, but I think I will get some different yarn for it.

I did not finish anything today !  I worked on the lace scarf and a crochet baby blanket for a friend who is having her second baby. 

We watched 'The Black Swan' tonight.  I had no idea what it was about and I found it super creepy.  Maybe it was good not sure.  I feel out of sorts after watching this.  More tomorrow.  I will shop for some yarn.  See ya!

the baby blanket is in the bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 36 June 8, 2011

i worked on my collage today, but I am not thrilled with the way it came out.  If I end up likig it, I will post a picture.  I am too all over the map with what I am making and what I want to do about it.  What I want to make .  what I wan to focus on.

I finished a carnation and a Dahlia today.  And i am still working on a group of Borage.

It is Friday night, it's still soooo hot.  I get a night here alone for a few hours, and as much as I love my family I do enjoy this alone time.

Have a great weekend!

Carnation

Dahlia

borage