Tuesday’s Thoughts and a Finished Cloth

This is the last day of work before the Thanksgiving Break.  Trying to get four days’ work finished this morning should be quite a challenge, but worth it.  ’Cause five family days follow this!  

T will be home this afternoon.  Although we talk to him often, we haven’t seen him since early summer.  Everyone is excited to have him home.  If you tell Sydney “Your boy is coming home” she perks her ears.  She’s excited too.

The Christmas Tree Cloth is finished.  I really like this pattern — quick, easy and very clean lines.  This is part of a set for a Christmas gift.  I’m looking for one (maybe two) more patterns.

Christmas Tree Dishcloth by Emily Jagos

Finished Size:  7.5″ x 7.5″
U.S. size 7 needles

Sugar ‘n Cream – Sage Green

Completed:  11.23.09

The color is a little wonky because I had to edit the photo a bit to make the tree pop out.  The sage is really a very pretty color and little more green than in the picture.

I hope you have a great day.  Thanks for coming by!

Weekend Stuff

This weekend . . .

. . . there was some serious Thanksgiving shopping going on — fresh turkey, country ham, “city” ham, veggies and all the ingredients for pies.

. . . still searching for buttons for the Ribbed Baby Jacket.  Decided on the little lamb button and then discovered that there was only one.  One button would be OK, but it needs to be pretty big and the lamb was just too small.  Here’s what I brought back from the fabric store.  Still trying to decide?

 

The top button matches the colors perfectly. The lamb and duck come together on the card, but it's the lamb that would look really cute.

 

. . . finished knitting the baby jacket and ready to seam.  I need to block the acrylic as best I can before starting the seams.  It’s really curling up.

. . . DH repotted the white and lavender mums and brought them inside for the winter.  Surprise . . . they already have new growth and a couple of buds.  Yea!

 

Bright green new growth and a tiny bud.

 

. . . a little progress on the cross-stitch lamb.  No pictures because it really looks pretty much the same.

. . . started the November dishcloth (from the Monthly Dishcloth KAL).  No.  I don’t need to start anything else.  I just can’t help myself

 

November Monthly Dishcloth KAL

Thanks for visiting today.  Hope you have a great day!

 

 

Fall Into Reading Update – November

One month left in the Fall Into Reading Challenge (sponsored by Katrina at Callipider Days).

I finished my third book last week, Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani.  I’ve enjoyed her series and have another of her books waiting on the shelf.

 

This is on the table now — Kate Jacob’s Knit Two — the sequel to The Friday Night Knitting Club.  I loved the first book and have been waiting patiently for the second to come out in paperback.  A trip to the bookstore earlier this week and I’ve made a good start.

I’m pretty confident I can finish this up before the December 20 (end of Fall) deadline, even with the holiday cruch ahead.

What’s on your reading table?  Want to share a favorite title with me?  I’m always looking for a good book to add to the list.

If you have a minute, take a look at The Button Tryouts and give me your opinion.  I have to decide soon and I’d love to know what you think.

And, if you need a smile be sure to check yesterday’s post and click the link for the hamster dance music.  Guaranteed to put a smile on your day!

Thanks for dropping by!

 

A Hamster Dance for Dogs on Thursday

T has been doing some major studying this semester, culminating in three days of tests.  I found the perfect card to send him last week as a little “pick me up, put a smile on your face before the tests start”.  It was a musical card playing a goofy tune that had a couple of funny stories attached when T was in high school.  He emailed later to say it definitely made him laugh.  Mission accomplished!

An added little bonus was Sydney’s reaction to the musical card.

Are we sending T a card Momma? He'll be happy to get mail from us. It looks like a nice card.

What's that? Do you hear something weird?

It's the Hamster Dance!

I'm dancin' like the hamsters. Everybody dance!

Now to fully enjoy the pictures, here’s the original Hamster Dance and music.

Hope that put a smile on your face, too! Happy Dogs on Thursday!

Thanks for visiting us today.  Be sure to go over to Dogs on Thursday and see what’s going on with our friends there.

And if you have an extra minute, take a look at yesterday’s post and let me know what you think about the buttons for the Ribbed Baby Jacket.

The Button Tryouts

Ribbed Baby Jacket button tryouts have begun.  Yesterday the contents of the button bag were dumped and sorted.  Gee, there’s got to be some serious button organization done soon.

There’s about an inch more of ribbing needed.  But I stopped here to fit the button hole.  And now I’m toying with an i-cord loop.  I’m not real fond of the “snappy” things.  The button decision must be made so that I can finish the rib and the sweater.

These four buttons have survived the elimination rounds.  (Click each picture for a closer look.)

Love the wood button. A little too busy for a baby boy?

Pewter color is good.

Picks up the gray colors very well. Like the starburst.

Cute! Too cute??

Any opinions?  Remember there’s about an inch more of ribbing and I’m wondering if these are too small, if a bigger button would be better.  I’m leaning heavily toward one of the buttons above (don’t want to say yet and sway your opinion) but also wonder if I should I keep looking?  I’m certainly not opposed to a little shopping trip!  :-)

I’d love to hear what you think.  Please leave me a comment with your opinion.

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

New Lantern Lights

Until last weekend, we’ve had the original outdoor lights on either side of the front door — brass torch-like lamps — the same ones we put up when we built the house 20ish years ago.  Great when we bought them, but aging fast now.  One of the bulbs when out a couple of weeks ago and when DH went out to change it, the bulb broke off in his hand.  A closer look showed a lot more “age” than we’d realized.  And besides not looking so good, they were becoming unsafe too.

So . . . time for new lamps.  Yea!  Shopping trip!  We narrowed the choices down pretty quickly and bought black hammered iron lanterns.

DH got a little help supervision moral support from Sydney.

 

I'm here for you Dad. Just let me know if you need any help.

She’s a very focused helper — as long as it doesn’t take too long.

 

Looking good Dad. Keep up the good work.

The new lights add a little weight to the front of the house and a lot more light.  I think they look really nice.  Here’s the new lantern to the left of the door.  I’d show you the one of the right, but . . . well . . . it looks pretty much the same

 

Thanks for visiting today!

 

 

 

 

TUSAL – November

Today is the new moon and that means it’s time to check in for the Totally Useless Stitch-Along.  My little jar is overflowing.

 

November TUSAL Jar

Inside are scraps of beading cord and lots of yarn.  The Gail/Nightsongs shawl, Cauchy socks, two sets of Kids’ Mitts and the crochet coaster are all represented.  The “fluff” coming out the top is the chunk that had to cut from the Ribbed Baby Jacket skein.

And somewhere in there are the white and gray threads from the little lamb ornament.  It’s been pretty neglected lately, but here’s an update.  It looks more complete than it is.  Most of what you see is the gray shading.  The white hasn’t been stitched yet.

Lots of folks will be posting their TUSAL updates today.  I’m going to head on over to Dragon My Needle and see what they’ve been up to.

Thanks for visiting!  There’s a beautiful morning sky outside my window signaling the start of a good day.  I hope it’s good day for you too.

 

Weekend Campfire

Last night DH built a fire in the copper fire pit.  It was a perfect night — overcast and dark, cool but not cold, very little breeze.

He loves to build and tend fires.  Campfires are mesmerizing and so peaceful.

Sydney was a little less at peace than DH and I.  She would watch from the top of the deck, come down to lean against my chair and then return to the deck steps.  It was easy to look up and spot her two bright eyes in the dark.

One can enjoy a wood fire worthily only when he warms his thoughts by it as well as his hands and feet.  ~Odell Shepherd

It Has A Sleeve

The Ribbed Baby Jacket (Ravelry link) is coming along nicely and I’m enjoying the knit.  If I can keep this pace, I might be able to mail it in time for my niece’s baby shower.

Ribbed Baby Jacket 11.10.09

Shaping on the left sleeve is finished and I’m heading down the front panel.  It’s knit across 16 stitches so it shouldn’t take long.  I love the colors and the way they’re striping.  Matching it (or at least coming close) on the other sleeve and front might be a little tricky since I don’t have a great track record for that so far.

Heading off to get in a few more rows before I leave for work.

Have a good day everyone and thanks for visiting!

Weekend Wrap Up

We had an absolutely beautiful autumn weekend here — sunny and warm.  DH got most of the leaves raked, with Sydney’s help of course, and used them to mulch the gardens.  He was also able to collect seeds from the marigolds that have beautiful golds and crimsons.

A little shopping at the craft store scored some yarn and clear ornaments.  This year’s ort jar contents, from the Totally Useless Stitch-Along, will be transferred to an ornament or two to celebrate the year of stitching.

Another pair of Kids’ Mitts are finished and in the bag for school.  This is the “real” medium pair.

My niece is expecting a little boy soon.  And you know what that means . . . Baby Knitting!  I love baby projects.  They’re small, relatively quick and sooooo cute!  I started the Ribbed Baby Jacket (Ravelry link) in Red Heart’s Collage, tundra colorway.  You can’t tell much from the picture.  It’s fuzzy ’cause I was in a hurry.  Better pics later.

Whew!  Busy weekend!  Hope you enjoyed your weekend and have a great day.  Thanks for visiting.