Pumpkin Sunrise

Everyday lately is a thunderstorm day, sometimes Mother Nature switches it up and gives us a tornado watch or warning.  Daily rain yields flowers blooming (that's me focusing on the positive).  My weather app shows clouds every day for the next ten days.  I'm hoping that the sun will visit once in a while just for giggles. Next week is my LAST week of babysitting and then I'm on summer vacation for TEN whole weeks.  I'll miss the little preschooler but reclaiming two days a week will be decadent.  So far here is my summer bucket list (in no particular order): - walk with my husband and Frodo - weather permitting -watercolor daily and improve my skills -sketch daily -read a book a week at least (lofty goal because I do not read much during the day) -go to the gym five times a week (weight training stays at 3x/week) -improve my endurance on the never-ending step machine at the gym -knit holiday projects -go thru my yarn stash and pick projects to knit

I've discovered that when you are in a car for 8 hours, you can get a lot of knitting done.  I have to be honest, I typically do not knit that much in the car, I tend to window gaze and daydream while talking to my husband.  However, this trip I was focused on getting this shawl off the needles.  And I did. I enjoyed the shawl pattern, easy to remember after a few run throughs.  I did have a bit of trouble setting up the edging.  It was probably my fault and was too lazy to count those multitude stitches so I just fudged the edging in as best as I could.   I highly doubt anyone would be able to find that fudging so I'm pleased with my craftiness.   The wool is 6 Karat by Schoppel-Woole .  I liked it!  There is a bit of silk mixed in with the wool that makes the stitches glide on the needles.  Ravelry notes

Grab a beverage and sit back for the extended weekend recap.  On Thursday we drove up to London Ontario to visit family.  We stayed at my mother in law's house for three days and also visited with my brother in law and sister in law.  What a fun weekend and our son went with us! Friday we went to a few shops then stopped at the cemetery to visit my father in law's gravesite.  The day was beautiful, sunny and the air was perfect.  In the afternoon, I painted a picture for my mother in law that she requested.  She paints as well!  We took her to an art store so she could get some paints and other supplies. On Saturday we shopped at the attic book store and grooves record store .   I bought nothing but my husband found some treasures. We ate at some great restaurants as well as at my sister and brother in law's house.  I enjoyed seeing everyone again. Yesterday we came home (sweet wonderful home!).  I've been unpacking and catching up with all

On Monday we drove down to Newark Delaware to visit our daughter and spend the day with her.  We had lovely weather and a great time.  Instead of eating at a chain restaurant for lunch before meeting her we stopped at a small family diner to switch it up. The food was great, the service was fast and we were happy to eat somewhere new to us. I worked on the blanket for five hours knitting my little heart out.  I loved being in my element, just me and my knitting and a handy driver (husband).  He loves to drive, I love to ride --  a match made in heaven. My schedule has been full and I'm feeling the pressure with trying to keep up with everything.  There are tasks that have to be done and then there are tasks I want to do.  Striking a balance is the challenge.  How do I do it all?  Well as you know, I can't do it all. I'm  terrible at delegating duties.  I know I can do it faster and better and there lies the problem.  I need to delegate and let go. I know

Frodo admiring the blanket :)  Oh hey!  I finished that blanket yesterday after some intense marathon knitting.  Because it's mostly a wool -acrylic blend, I buried the thread ends and took a photo.  Phew - another mammoth project finished.  I feel free and light.  So about the blanket, I originally started a different pattern but there was too much stockinette stitch and garter stitch mixed and the fabric created wasn't flat.  As you know, blocking acrylic blends is nearly impossible so I ripped that project out and started again. Second time around, I picked my tried and true no nonsense personal pattern.  I alternated six knit stitches with six purl stitches for six rows then flipped the pattern to create a series of knitted and purled blocks.  I've used this for baby blankets many times and love the simplicity of the design.  The blanket size is three feet wide by five feet long and it's a perfect throw size for my son's apartment. Ravelry notes a

On Thursday evening I thought it would be great if I focused on knitting the blanket and have it done.  Is it done?  Nope.  The weather was too nice for blanket knitting even with the AC on.  However, today isn't over yet.  How are you?  How was your weekend?  Mine was stuffed with busy goodness.  Friday we had friends over for dinner which is always a great time.  Yesterday I did some watercolor painting in the afternoon after doing not much in the morning (I cannot remember).  Once Saturday evening Mass was over, we went to dinner at a local bar and grill.  Today I rejiggered some yarn stash around.  I unearthed some half skeins and left overs of fingering weight yarns and plotted out a way to make the 3 color cowl .  If you're guessing I'm thinking of Christmas presents you are guessing correctly.  And I wanted to thin out the left overs.  Now the fun part will see if I have enough yarn to make three cowls.  I believe that pattern is forgiving and I'll be

Holly watching the birds Thank you all for you comments and suggestions on my Stormy cardigan .  Being a perfectionist isn't that great when your expectations aren't met.  I loved how each of you had a trick I didn't think of to ease in that odd dye lot.  The sweater is tucked away for the fall and I'm predicting that the color change doesn't bother me.  I really appreciated all of you who would embrace the nuance. When I'm babysitting and doing sidewalk chalk (love!) I tell the preschooler after every artwork created what a great job she did.  She is so proud of herself when she draws a smiley face, a fish or whatever is on her mind.  I'm smart in that I ask 'what are you drawing?' because sometimes I just can't tell what it is.  However, the process is the fun part and the learning.  I learn so much from her as she learns and navigates the big world. pay attention to me I want to embrace imperfections to an extent just so I can

If only I could read into the foreshadowing in my cardigan 's name.  Stormy indeed is how I felt about this project running out of yarn.  Can you see the dye lot change?  Oh yes, I can.  Honestly I'm trying not to let it bother me, but it does bother me a bit.  But not enough to rip out the entire sweater. I will occasionally check Ravelry to see if anyone has a lone skein in my dye lot....maybe.  I could also rip out the sleeves and stripe in a contrasting color to ease in the odd dye lot skein, but I think the yoke is the main detail and a striped sleeve would make the garment 'busy'. Part of me is embracing the imperfect, may I say design element  that was forced upon this perfectionist! The sweater pattern was fun to knit and of course you know I love Quince and Co yarns.  Running out of yarn could be from various reasons: 1.  I didn't get gauge (who does gauge???)  (however the sweater fits so I think I was awfully close) 2. the yarn company