What Is On Hooks & Needles?

My first order from Jimmy Beans Wool was 9 skeins of Debbie Bliss Como, a merino wool/cashmere bulky yarn, and 2 new Addi Turbo needles, size 8 & 9 in the 16" circulars. This green yarn will become Jesse's dress. My girl is gonna love cashmere. It is sooo soft!



Second is my works in progress:

Divine Hat in Bernat Naturals Alpaca



Baby Jumper in Hand Dyed Lamb's Pride Bulky



Knit2, Purl2 Hat in Hand Dyed Lamb's Pride Bulky



Crochet Mittens in Hand Dyed Lamb's Pride Bulky



Seriously, I'm addicted to this yarn. I dream of it. I sniff it. I love working with it. I suspect the addiction is reaching proportions I'm not willing to admit.

Hope your Monday went well. Mine turned out fine as can be. Worried all weekend and voila! problem gone by 11AM.

Peace and Hook On!

Optimism

If ya pray, please pray today goes well. I can't share the details because it is work related. If you follow me on FB, then I mentioned that I felt effed on Friday. Well, today will tell the tale.

I knitted a hat, mittens and another dress this past week. I'll show you pics later.

It is currently 5:35am. Managed to get up before the electric went off and jacked my alarm. So, one win for today. I'm counting every little blessing.

My yarn from my first order at Jimmy Beans Wool should arrive today. SOOOO! Excited!

I've mailed two packages to my brother, Zack. One was to Fort Benning and one was to Afghanistan. Neither package has ever made it. I'm beyond upset. Two knit hats, a variety of good stuff and someone else is enjoying them. So, today, I'm putting together a THIRD package, in the hopes it will make it. USPS can kiss my ass. I'm going FedEx or DHL with this one.

What does it say about our postal system when our boys in Afghanistan don't get packages for 4 weeks? They need our support and we have to rely on the postal service to get them the packages. Zack says nothing has been getting through. So, pray that this package makes it.

Have a good Monday!

Three Things (1 really important)

I love to do things in threes. I will decorate in threes, count my M&M's out by threes, make three things. Today, I'm going to show you two things (well, technically I made the third with some help) that I've made and I'm proud of. Eh. I'm always proud of the stuff I make, I'm just pretty nonchalant about it.

First item is the little dress I promised I'd show you. It is the exact same as the blue one I showed you a few posts ago. LOVE IT! I'm so excited to make Jesse one, I'm just waiting on Friday tax return to buy some yarn. *HUSH!*



Second item is three things I made in January, but just now got to sewing in the ends, washing and taking a picture of it. I LOVE this little scarf and arm warmer set for Jesse. It is the exact same yarn I used for one of my giveaway hats and armwarmers. Bamboo silk by Ella Rae. Great stuff. So sumptiously soft. I like alliteration too.



Third item, which I'm sure none of you saw coming, is....



Jesse is crocheting! Four years old and a crocheter. Can I get a woot woot?!

Peace and Capturing the Pieces of My Soul One Happy Moment at a Time

Three Hats for Sister Sara

Okay, anybody know what book I'm thinking of? I don't and it's a lame title, but it just popped into my head. I'm sure it's based on some convoluted thought process my brain connected the three hats I made to a book I read as a child.

Anywho, I did three hats and a baby dress this week. I have no idea when I did them. But I did them. I'll show you the dress tomorrow.

These three were requested by two ladies at the job I've been working on. Anybody know how to say "$15 each" in Spanish. I keep saying it, but not sure I'm getting through. Lost in Translation, anybody? Which just totally reminded me of the movie Ocean's 12.

The pink and tan is the 128 Cascade superwash bulky in a basic hdc beanie with a fpdc and bpdc brim on it. (Yes, Mom, it is the stirrup off your old saddle.)



The blue and red one is made using Vanna's Choice yarn and is the brim hat I've made many times before.



The purple one is made using Vanna's Choice yarn and is the Divine Hat by Rhythelia. Love her stuff.



This last picture is to show you Jesse's bangs. Girlfriend cut her hair again and I've given up trying to grow her hair out evenly from all her haircuts. So we've been pulling her hair up, which she promptly pulls back down. I don't want the front part of her head to be all bangs. Hello, mullet! What to do?



Peace and The Roast In The Oven Smells Divine!!!

Star Sighting!

George Clooney is in town. Woop tee doo.

Pioneer Woman aka Ree Drummond is in town. Holy mother of excitement!

I love her. She is just so real. So funny. So down to earth with the most etheral presence of anyone I've met. Driving home, I imagine she is not the type to think she would have ended up on a cattle ranch. In fact, it is one of the things I admire most about her. She follows her heart.

She was asked a question tonight about blogging. Her answer was "Just blog." She's right, just blogging makes for good practice.

At the book signing they assign letters for the order she'll sign books. Each letter has 25 people in the group. I got letter N. She started signing at 6:30 and at 8:30 she was on letter I. I gave up after calculating the time for five more letters, since each group seemed to be taking longer and longer. Being generous, I had another 2 hours to wait.

Since, I have been up since 5AM, worked all day, and had an hour drive home, I called it quits. I wish I could have endured and gotten a picture with her. I did knit! My friend, Latonya, went with me and we talked a lot, so just a little bit of knitting got done. I love her, she's such an easy person to hang with for hours on end.

It's okay. I'll be there with bells on next time she comes through.

Hope your Friday went well. My day started with me sneezing mid-step and peeing my pants as I loaded the Blazer for work. Went inside to change and grabbed an extra pair, because it seemed like it was going to be one of those days. It was. The disappointment about giving up on the book signing was pretty par for the course of my day.

I'm off to bed. Praying my kids sleep in and life is calm this weekend.

Peace and Love P-Dub!

Respirator

Okay, this particular blog has nothing to do with knitting or crochet. In fact, it is a glimpse into the other facet of my life that I have a hard time explaining to people not in the field of my work. But I'm going to share it because today I spent way too much time working and during the work, this stuff about the respirator kept twirling through my head.

Here is a glimpse at "work Sara". Enjoy!

So, I still have respirator face from earlier today. What is respirator face, you ask? It is the line indentations on my face from wearing my respirator. Makes perfect sense. Why do I wear a respirator, you ask? Um, because I'd rather not die of mesothelioma, asbestosis or lung cancer. Though the lung cancer is iffy 'cause the last three weeks, I've inhaled lots of second hand smoke.

Work sucks. Let me rephrase this. "I love my job, but sometimes the job sucks.". I actually really enjoy working. I'm such a busy head, hands, heart person, working does me good.

While wearing my respirator today I realized the following: (BTW, I wear a full-face respirator because I have a small face)

1. Sneezing is counter-intuitive in the mask. And if ya hock one while wearing the mask, it gets all over your mouth, chin and nose. I didn't hock one, but fought back a sneeze today, because I could just see my respirator getting clogged with snot. That stuff sucks. (Wonder how many times I can say sucks in this blog?)

2. If you burp, you will regret it. See snot issue above. Who wants to keep smelling a burp?

3. Respirators cut off your field of vision. This is a pro and a con. Con because ya can't see worth a crap. Pro because when ya walk smack into a metal bar, the respirator protects your face. It won't save your dignity though. I did do this today. It saved me a nasty black eye.

4. The statement about seeing worth a crap should also have the additional information that breathing too heavily or getting too hot will cause the respirator to fog up. There are no nifty windshield wipers on the inside. Once you are fogged up, you are fogged.

5. Respirators make me feel safe. There is a whole checklist to go through before I am able to definitely say "I AM SAFE with a respirator on", but that is a lot of boring regulatory mumbo jumbo that only weird people like me are interested in. I have done stupid stuff like forget my respirator and then I feel like an idiot with a lot of education and a easily distracted mind.

My job exposes me to many different people, work environments and challenges. Each day I feel I meet the challenge, other days I know the day has won and I go home with my tail between my legs. I enjoy my job. *RINSE AND REPEAT*

Have you ever been in a situation where you wore a respirator or considered wearing one? Were you one of those pig nose dust mask people during the swine flu epidemic? Would you rather inhale the spray paint fumes than wear a respirator? Have you pulled up carpet without wearing a mask? I'm curious how often people think about what they inhale daily. Any inhale jokes are welcome too.

Peace and Only Three More Weeks and I Blow This Joint!

Valentines Day 1996

From Handy Hooker

Honestly, I don't like Valentines Day. I am able to pinpoint the exact moment my loathing of this holiday started. It was February 14, 1996 (or thereabouts) approximately 2:37 PM. That was the day and time I was rejected. It was the first time I'd ever asked a guy out. It was the first time I got turned down when I asked a guy out. Actually off the top of my head, I don't think I was ever rejected unless you are counting the two boyfriends that dumped me. I take rejection WELL.

Fast forward May 1996 and the guy who rejected me asked me where I wanted to eat Prom night. I told him to piss off.



Tonight, I look at him and I still see that 17 year old kid. There are more smile wrinkles. Maybe a little more umphing for the oomphing. But hey, I've got more too. He still looks at me with a goofy grin. He kisses me and says, "I don't know what I'd do without you. I'd never figure out how to pay all the bills. Please don't leave me. EVER.".



So, I stay. I stay with this man, who was my best friend in High School, who is still my best friend as we stare hard at our mid-thirties.

Who knew we would be where we are today? Maybe our friends. Maybe our family. Maybe. I knew though. It was always him. My world is so much better with him. What a blessing God gave me when He made Jon.



Hon, ya get a kiss and a tickle, as always.

Peace and Where Is My Tax Return?!

Hat Week!

From Handy Hooker

Hey hey hey! What is UP?!

Okay, so I'm faking it till I make it. I have zero energy. Spent most of the day in my bathrobe and I've been informed by my 4 year old that I'm turning into a hairy bear. This was after she tried to pluck the hair from my big toe.

This week I made three hats. I can't tell you when I made them. They just spontaneously appeared when I went looking for blog fodder. Because honestly, I didn't think I made anything this week. It has been that kind of crazy busy on the job.

I guess my skills surpass my memory.

From Handy Hooker

The first hat is made out of Lion Brand Cotton Ease using a size I crochet hook and basic beanie hat pattern. I made it for a 2 year old, but the lady informed me in Spanish that is was too small and she wanted red or blue.

From Handy Hooker

The second hat I made the week before and felted this past weekend. I made it HUGE! and knew I wanted to felt it. I really like how it felted out. It is made out of the hand dyed Lamb's Pride Bulky I've dyed a hundred thousand skeins of. Okay, just a few dozen skeins. Love this yarn.

From Handy Hooker

The third hat is a favorite of mine. It is made using a size 9 circular needle in Cascade 128 colors 1963 (pink) and 1926 (tan) in a basic knit beanie. Love the colors and love the yarn. Beautiful stuff.

From Handy Hooker

Okay, that is my report for the week. I have more stuff on the needles and will bang them out this weekend. Didn't get much bloggy love on the knit dress last Sunday, but lots of FB love for it. I'm considering making another one. It was one of my 12 in 12 projects for the year and I do like things in excess. What is one more knit dress with no home, just as long as the yarn gets knitted/crocheted. :)

Peace and Have a Great Weekend!

Knit Baby Jumper

Today, I made this blue baby jumper. It was a quick knit...approximately 4 hours and used one skein of my hand dyed Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn.

The pattern is Baby Jumper by Blue Sky Alpaca's (Ravelry link) and calls for a size 17 needle (Website link).



I used a size 13 needle (my new Addi Turbo's) and made the size for 12 months. This looks to be about the right size for a 12 month old. I'm not for sure since I don't have a 12 month old to try it on, but it is looking pretty promising.



Jesse was quite disappointed it wasn't big enough for her, but she quickly offered to take it next door to "the baby next door". She's a sweetie!



Hope your weekend went well. It looks like another week of crazy work stuff. Typically, I have down time on the job and am able to knit. This job is not working out like that and it seems that for the next 6 weeks, I'm going to freeze my butt off for 10 hours each day. Have to say, though, two different regulatory agencies showed up on Friday and everything was fine. So, walking the building to stay warm does have it's benefits...you know, no fines to pay.

Peace and Knitting On Yet Another Hat!

Week Synopsis

Eh, I wrote a post, it sounded awful.

I'm not dead. Just tired. Not too much crafting got done this week. Been crazy busy at work and home.

Hope you have a great weekend!