old project......new deadline

i have been knitting a hat for the hubs

i started it december 1st with every intention of stuffing it in his stocking

deadline missed   : (

rather than a hat, he was gifted a IOU.. awwww poor hubs

my first mistake...

 choosing a pattern that begins with

cast on 180 stitches using a size 0 needle

my second mistake...

using a fingerling yarn in a very dark brown given i have oldish eyes

AND

trying to shop, bake, wrap & well you know all the christmas goodness

you try to cram into a period of a few weeks!

but...

i do love the pattern & the quince yarn....pure heaven!

and i am fond of the hubs

pattern....eliots ass kicking hat

yarn....quince finch in bark

needle... size 0

motivation....andi's january kal/cal

we would love for you to join us!

~*~

happy new year~

new year....new slate......

out with the old....in with the new

resolutions...make them or no?

for me

 this is the season of

organizing

cleaning

new calendars

cleaning out the file cabinet

cleaning closets,drawers & cabinets

de-cluttering

dieting & exercise (usually short lived)

giving our living space new life

all this and....

promises to be a better

wife 

mom

daughter

friend

person

&

blogger

wishing you and  yours a very happy new year

~*~

looks a lot like me...

the pixie drew a picture of me...

there are many mornings my hair looks just like this.... 

and there are some days that i am wide eyed as shown ...

and there are moments that i feel like my arms are missing hands 

and coming out of the place my ears should be

and then there are days i do walk like my legs have no feet and they are coming out of my chin

i love that she sees me with a big ole smile and no torso (hence the smile)

but

there were a few inaccuracies 

 there is no part of my body that resembles sticks or straight lines

nor do i have a cute little button nose like the one she gave me

and i need glasses...

but other than that...she is right on

~*~

button, button...where do they go?

"what happens to the buttons on your shirts?", i ask the hubs...

his reply...."i don't know, check the dryer"

he also blames the dryer for missing socks and for shrinking his clothes...

(the dryer & the attic have both been accused of causing his clothing to no longer fit)

hmmmmm.....

and all this time i was blaming twinkies & bowls of lucky charm cereal 

mending....do you mend or get rid of?

i mend when i can although i will admit,

 people have outgrown various pieces of clothing

before i get around to it 

some even graduating from high school

mending isn't high on my priority list...unless it's something i want to wear right now

and if that's the case, i have been known to sew a button on a shirt while wearing it 

you've done that right?

do you take buttons off old shirts before turning it into a rag?

oh tell me i'm not the only one that does that...

yea...i didn't think so

~*~

sunflowers & blue skys~

we headed to yellow springs

to see a field of sunflowers 

it made us happy to just to stand among them

it really was breathtaking

the skies were as blue as the sunflowers were yellow

the bee's were busy

just look at those happy faces

sunflowers work that kind of magic on you

it was one of my favorite days this summer

~*~

the sweetness of friends~

my friend andi of my sisters knitter

has been hosting a KAL/CAL on ravelry

the goal.....to finish as many UFO'S or WIP's 

the reward.....a finished project!!!!!!

and andi, being the sweet girl she is, will also be doing a drawing at the end

where she is giving away goodies like yarn, fiber & stitch markers

she is also hosting a KAL/CAL in October

stop by ravelry & check it out

i've found by joining this group, the reward for me is not the finished item,

nor the prizes at the end....

it is the friendships that are made, the encouragement offered a long the way,

and the closeness of those in the group

case in point...

andi has a friend who is in the need of some comfort

she let the group know she was doing a comfort blanket & ask for help in achieving this goal

the girls in the group came through!

soon someone in need will feel the warmth & care of not only one kind & thoughtful person but

 a whole group of caring women

when i think of the women in this group, i'm reminded of this african proverb...

"If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

~*~

and if you are in the area

don't forget the wool gather at youngs dairy on saturday & sunday

cheer at the end of a poopy day~

i am a caregiver to a person with dementia

needless to say

some days can be a challenge 

and at the end of those days, i find myself drained

both physically & mentally

yesterday was one of those days

and my sweet daughter knew it was going to be one of those days

when i came home

sitting on my table was a vase of sunshine wrapped in ribbons of my favorite colors

and the sweetest card

she's a little bit of heaven that girl of ours 

~*~