Why I'm not posting...

We are moving. Ugh.
12+ years of stuff in this house. You accumulate a lot of crap in that time...
My painting studio, my fiber studio, TJay's wood shop, my clay/cement studio plus all of the 'normal' stuff in a household. and a couple thousand books and about 300 paintings and sculptures.
And wine...much, much wine. :)

Sheesh -- I'm tired!

Walk in the snow at Edgewater Park

I went for a walk today on the beach with Buck and Alexandria. It was a really pretty, sunny afternoon. Most of the snow is dirty and icky now, but not at the beach.

From the parking lot above the beach.

That little skinny blue stripe at the horizon -- open water.

Alex and Buck walking to Canada, eh?

The ice is the easiest place to walk, less snow.

Much more snow here on the beach

Buck was lovin' it, but looked really goofy running in it -- he was all floppy-legs

Ice damage to the piers

Downtown view from the beach.

Yes, we can...

President Barack Obama!

Mission accomplished

Last night I finished TJay's scarf and then turned to learning this sock thing. Yay!

Bucky rolled in a ball in front of TJays scarf.

Everything round is starting to look like big balls of yarn...

.

I had an episode of Knitty Gritty on the DVR that featured ConnieA showing how to knit these gorgeous lacy socks from the toe up. That woman is the queen of socks!! You can see her yummy socks at http://www.knitanon.com/blog/

I'm not going to attempt the lacy part yet, but I think I like the toe up thing. She cast on onto two dpns with a figure-eight and that was really easy... (okay -- that's not quite accurate -- I had to back up the recording 2 or three {six} times) but I got it! Then you k2, m1, knit to the next-to-last one, m1 and k1. Turn and repeat. Then, (and this was srsly tricky for me) you divide your (now) 20 stitches onto 4 needles. Actually it was a nice transition. I liked that I didn't have to juggle 5 needles from the very start. After that you just knit all the way around one row, then do another row with the increases and repeat that however many time. It was fun and I actually have something that is recognizable as the toe of a sock. Way cool!!

My first toe!!

I think I'm going to love knitting socks.

:D

Today, I have a plan

I need to finish this for Tjay...

So I can continue with my 'learning sock'...

And start reading this

My most awesome present from Buck the dog

(in preparation for that little online sock yarn binge I went on last week)

Along with finishing the Twisted Sister book and Sensational Socks...

Yummy package

I just got my first order from The Loopy Ewe. http://www.theloopyewe.com/
I ordered it Thursday and it was here when I woke up this morning. It some lovely Lorna's Laces sport weight yarn. 400 yards of scrumptious! It is so very beautiful.

'Vera'

And they sent a couple of samples to tempt me (like that's so hard to do...) and 3 nifty little needle inventory cards. I just love lagniappe. :)
I'm going to put on my gnome hat and do a needle inventory!

I should have stuck with knitting today

I tried felting (fulling) the GIANT hat today.
I started in the kitchen sink -- hot water, a little soap, agitation.
Nothing.
Did it again.
Nothing again.
Decided to try the washing machine. Threw it in a pillowcase and tossed it in the washer.
5 minutes...nothing.
10 minutes---YIKES!!!!
Before felting it reached my shoulder -- it almost reached my armpits, for cryin' out loud!
It was THAT big!
Now it doesn't even reach my ears. :(
I had to really yank on it to get it over any part of my head...

Look, I'm a garden gnome! Ackkk!

Alex got a good laugh out of it when she picked up Buck.

She said it looks like a dunce cap.

Also that I could fill it with felted fruit and use it as a cornucopia.

Or put a handle on it an make a really ugly-shaped purse.

Or cut it up into smaller purses -- I have some of this yarn left to make felted handles...

Sigh...

On a happier note, here's Dexter the Dark Defender at the Duck