How was your weekend?

Mine went pretty much as normal. I started a sock because it was too hot and sticky to work on my WIPs. When I get a few more rows so you can really see the stitch pattern, I will post a pic.


Yesterday we went to the in-laws for a cookout. We had steaks, pork chops, and hot dogs. There was so much other stuff, I can't remember it all.


After eating and playing, this is what I found. My hubby and kids laying on Nana's bed watching cartoons. Is there any better way to spend a day off?




Earlier that morning, my new tenant arrived. I am sitting with a dog while his owners are on vacation. They couldn't find a kennel, and are paying me to keep him.




He's a sweet little dog and the only trouble he has made so far is making the cats mad. He wants to play with them and they don't see it happening. He gave the older cat a good shock last night. She went in my room and must have stuck her nose in his bed. They had a little hissy fit at each other. Good thing it's one of those metal cages. Don't feel bad for him though, it has all the comforts of home. They brought just about as much stuff for him as you might for a baby.




But someone forgot to tell him this is summer vacation. He got up a little after 6 and had to go out. And he already had his wet food. I thought I was supposed to get to sleep in. Maybe next week.

Drake ate my homework!

I finished the bag I was making for that grandson. It is Drake the Dreaded Dragon Backpack by Marnie MacLean. It is just too cute.



And here's a look at the back, complete with scales.



Now I can get back to my WIPs that I have been neglecting.

Bloggiversary

Today is my one year bloggiversary. Just seems like I started reading blogs not long ago.

Thanks to all of you who have stopped by and said Hi.

And thank you to all of you knitters out there who have accepted me as one of your own.

Strawberry Jam

I was asked to make something for someone's grandson. She also has 2 grand-daughters, so I thought it would be nice if they got something too. I found a pattern for a crocheted Strawberry 'Jamma bag. So I whipped up two of them. Aren't they cute?



Once I finish the project for the little boy, I will post info on it. It will be knit, so will take a little more time than those bags.

My kids brought me flowers from school yesterday. Since three of them are in school, I always get a bouquet. My little one picked a dandelion for me to put in the vase. She didn't want to be left out.



Hope everyone has a great Mother's Day tomorrow.

Stash Re-group

Yesterday I got my knit tool box set up. I can’t believe how much crap I had stuffed into one space. Here is the before picture.



It’s shameful, I know. But this is the only place I have at the moment for all my yarn and things. Where you see the box marked Medium, it is sitting on a cedar chest. And all those bags and boxes in front of the chest are stacked up on the floor next to the bed. So you can imagine how much is stuffed down there.

I went through everything, little by little. All of my WIPs were in plastic bags. I sorted those into canvas bags, so they are now nice and neat. I even went so far as to write down what projects were in what bags. They are different colors. I also wrote down what needles were in the bags so I could keep track of them. Could that be any more anal?

Here is the tool box before I put stuff in it.



It has a cool sticker that came with it. It says: “Beware of Owner. Don’t touch my tools!” That’s just perfect, right?

Here is the storage for all my WIPs now. There is also my extra Rosy shawl yarn and some crochet thread. Some of my finished pieces and swatches are in there too.



Here is my main stash of yarn. The box has just odds and ends. Balls of yarn, partial skeins, and no-label yarn.




Here are all my cone yarns.




Here is the top tray of the box. It holds my needles, and notions. All nice and neat. Again it seems kind of anal.



The first drawer has my nice yarns. Wool, alpaca, and lace weight.



The second drawer has my sock yarn, some baby yarn, cotton, and some purples.



And the bottom tray has all my books, magazines and patterns.



All nice and neat. Ready for me to dive right in and be able to find what I want.



This may have been after everyone else did, but now I have officially “Flashed my Stash”.

Reading Blogs = Trouble

It seems everytime I sit down to read my daily blog fill, I always end up getting in trouble. I usually see something that calls out to me to make. Yesterday was no different. I read the Yarn Harlot's post titled, "Longest Ever". Someone had made an afghan of tessellating fish. I was immediately hooked. If you scroll through the comments you will find an address for a blog that has their own version of this pattern. So naturally I had to make some.

Here are the first four. They look like an innocent little school of fish, don't they?



This is how they will be attached together.




I haven't decided how many colors I will use yet. This will probably be a fill-in project. Something to do as a break from a big project. I really ought to know better than let myself get into these messes. But, I just can't help it.

Is is fitting that I was eating this while working on the little fishes? I guess you could say I was "hooked". Heh. Or, maybe not.



And as a first for this blog, I have actual cat pictures. These aren't my cats, but they live here too. Usually they fight over which one gets to sit in the bathroom window. Yesterday, they felt like sharing. I thought it was funny and that is the only reason I am posting these.



Susie and Sadie. And this is the view from the outside.

Wool Weenies

Usually you think of hotdogs as being made of chicken, pork or beef. But wool? Well they are now. Talk about fiber in your diet.
















Looks yummy doesn't it? I got the pattern from LadyLinoleum. Another of her wonderful creations. I just couldn't resist making it. It is the Weenie Link Scarf. I needed a little break from my current knitting projects.

My little model likes it.

Happy Anniversary

14 Years ago today, I got married. Man, that's a long time. It almost makes me feel old. Somehow it doesn't really seem that long. I guess that's cause with the kids, it has flown by.

Here we are before we were married. (Excuse the photo quality, these are all a picture of a picture. I hope to have a scanner this year.) One of those little photos taken at a store. You know where you can get your picture put on just about anything.















And here is, what I think, the best picture taken of us. Also before we were married.















And this is a little over 4 years after we got married.















We need to get another family portrait made. We have since gotten the kids pictures made every year, but never all of us. It's about time, don't you think?

Here's to another 14 at least.