2011 Block of the Month KAL

My friends at Monthly Adventures have a Block of the Month KAL that goes on all the time over on Ravelry. I have tried several times to join mid-stream, but it never seemed to work out. I have decided to join the KAL in January and follow it through the year on my blog. This will be such a fun thing to do, and I may have a contest or two along the way, so stay tuned.

Listen ya'll, there is some real talent in this group and if you are looking for a fun KAL, this is it. Of course, you have to be on Rav, but then, isn't everyone?

The 2011 KAL starts tomorrow so I need to print the pattern and find some yarn..

Toodles!

Kim's Birthday

Take a quick jump over to Kim's blog and wish her a Happy Birthday! She is having a contest too! Click on this bitty bits and pieces.

Good Luck!

The Plan

I am so looking forward to having this long weekend. I am FINALLY getting the studio cleaned and organized. I am planning to spend these 3 days working to get everything in order. I am so looking forward to having a place to do my crafting and also to be my "place".

I have so many projects that are either started or are in my head that I want to complete and I can't wait to get to them. I have not done any quilting in quite some time and I want to get back on it. Here is my list of To-Do's.

1. Finish Dresden Plate quilt.
2. Organize all my yarn.
3. Make stitch markers
4. Make bracelets
5. Start scrapbooking all the stuff I have saved
6. Frame family pictures
7. Get back working on my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt
8. Make more soap
9. Organize my books
10.Finish some sewing projects that I have in the works.

Quite a list, I know, but I am excited to try and tackle it.

Happy New Year Everyone!

2011

Here are a couple of finished projects to start off the new year!

Eyelashes in Lime - This is a scarf that I made for my DIL, and it turned out great!



Reading Mitts - These are so soft and warm. I just love them. They are made from Malabrigo Silky....yum!

I have so many plans for 2011! I love the beginning of a new year. It seems like you are receiving a fresh start and a chance to make things better in your life. I intend to take full advantage of that opportunity this year. Randy and I have been working on my studio/office/craft room and it is looking so good! I am going to be so organized that I won't even recognize myself.

This is my year to make more, do more and really make my life good! I have a set of goals for 2011 and I look forward to marking them done, one at a time.

Starting Over

Today is December 5, 2010 and I have been quite reflective the past few days on the things that are really important to me. I want to change a few things in my life and really live the years that I have left to the best of my ability. So, I am starting over in 2011, and my goal is to improve the quality of my life. What does that mean? At this point, I am not sure, but I am certainly going to find out. One thing I that I am going to strive to accomplish is blogging. I love reading blogs and visiting new ones, but recently, I have gotten away from it because other things have seemed more important. So, here I go on a new adventure!!

One of my goals is to finish projects that I have started. Here are a few that I have finished in the past couple of weeks:

Saturday Ramblings

It is a beautiful Saturday and Randy and I are planning some yard work this afternoon when he gets back from a project at school. I am going to visit a quilt shop this morning that I have found in Buford and then probably to the Yarn Garden for a little therapy. I put quilting aside a couple of years ago when I learned to knit and I am really feeling the need to get back to it. Especially hand piecing, my first quilting love. I am excited about visiting this shop today and taking in all the wonderfulness of fabric. I am working on several knitting projects, so if I start back quilting, I am going to have do some serious schedule changing, but hey, I am a multi-tasker!!! So, I will update this post later with what I found!pdat

1:55 PM - Update - I went to the shop and it was beautiful! Oh, I wanted to make every quilt in the place.....I have definitely got the quilting bug again! Yummy fabrics, lots of new patterns....nice people. I enjoyed the visit!

Cooler Weather

I am loving the cooler weather. It is nice to wear a light sweater. I love this time of year. I have been thinking about the holidays and what I want to do. I have always decorated my tree the same way and this year, I think I am going to change it. The kids are all grown now, and it is just Randy, me and the dogs, so I am ready for a change. I have some ideas, but nothing concrete yet. I would love to hear how some of you are planning yours. Leave me a comment with your suggestions.

Good Morning!

My kids have started this great blog called Catchpost. Take a look at it. They are blogging about anything and everything!

I have been trying to find some variety in our meals lately and I started thinking about things I used to make when my kids were home and I cooked alot. We had family dinners on Sundays for years and they were always at my house. My whole family came over and we had the best day! I have several of my own original dishes that I made and I thought I would share them with you from time to time.

I will post the recipe and a picture of the dish.

Last weekend the babies were here and we took them to the park. We had fun until Brian was stung by something. We think it was a yellow jacket. He cried for a long time and the next morning his hand was really swollen and purple. I cried too.

Good Things

I found this pattern for a beautiful throw and I have decided to make it for myself and Randy. I just adore granny squares of any kind. Granny squares are what made me want to learn to crochet in the first place. I saw one of those throws that are multi-colored and lined in black and I fell head over heels in love! I bought a book, a skein of Red Heart and a G crochet hook at Kmart, if I remember correctly, and I never looked back! I think I was about 16 or 17 at the time. Over these many years, I have made 100's of throws and probably 1000's of granny squares, so I think that this will be a fun and nostalgic project for me.

The Holidays are Coming!

I am trying to come up with some ideas of things to make for Christmas gifts. I am knitting Anna and Brian blankets, but I am thinking about making some jewelry, possibly some stitch markers and maybe a cute tote bag that I have been intending to make for a while now. Randy and I are seriously considering going away for the holidays. With our kids all over the place, it just isn't the same anymore. It is always such a hassle to try and get them all together at the same time and almost always, someone can't make it. It would be less stress for all of us if we go away. If you have any ideas for Christmas gifts, please comment. I would love to hear what you are making!

Catching Up

It is so hard to believe that I have not posted for almost 3 months! Where does this time go? I started a new job and have had family issues, but it sure has passed quickly.

I have several projects going on right now, knitting and otherwise and I am always trying to find a way to stay organized as I run 100 miles an hour everyday. I thought that when I became an empty nester, I would have all this free time to sit on the deck and drink lemonade, but I am just as busy as ever, maybe more so.

Brian and Anna are getting so big and Michael is in college! Benjamin is in high school and playing football. They are all so sweet! I am one lucky Nanny/Mommo!

The Twilight Saga....Eclipse

The third movie in the The Twilight Series, Eclipse, premieres on Wednesday, as I am sure all of you know. Unfortunately, I can't see it until Friday. My daughter-in-laws and I are going to see the movie and then out to dinner. I can't wait. It is going to be a great 4th of July weekend. BBQ's, movies, grandchildren, the Pepsi 400 and just general fun! We live in such a great country!

Summer and Middle Age

Baby, it is hot out there! My car thermometer has been reading over 100 every day! Summer is officially here! My yard is looking good, but needs more attention and with the heat, it is so hard to get out and work. My favorite pastime has now almost become a chore. As I get older, I seem to be unable to tolerate the heat as I could when I was younger. I guess that is the price of middle age.

There is much to be said for middle age though. Lots of things change, some better, some not so good. Your body doesn't cooperate with you as it once did and somehow, I keep finding pounds I would prefer to leave where they are.

The good parts of middle age, in my opinion, most of the time, outweigh the bad. The kids are gone, the grandkids come to visit, and your daily responsibilities are not so bad. You can eat when you want, sleep when you want, and generally be lazy or productive, your choice. You have more time to do things that you want to do, as well as more time to give back to others. I do more things at church now, see friends more often and can help my children with more things.

I think I like middle age.....

Saturday are for Family and Fun!

This is my first weekend off in a long time, and it is so fun! I have the grandkids and we are chillin' at the homeplace!

My oldest grandson, Michael Alexander Starkey graduated from Yuba City High School on June 3, 2010. I am so proud!

Thursday Ramblings

IMG_0035, originally uploaded by GardenLynn.

I have decided to give up the shawl for now. I have too many projects going on to spend so much time on the shawl. And speaking of projects, I have started 2 new sock projects. I started this one on Monday. This is a new yarn that I bought at the Yarn Garden and it is so pretty! It is called Zauberball from Schoppel Wolle. I am making a simple sock to show the graduation of the colors. I think it is so interesting.

The second sock project I just started last night and it is called Mock Croc Socks. The pattern is from Knit Picks and it is a nice lace pattern. I will post a pic tomorrow. I am making it in a really pretty yarn that I got a few months back. The yarn is from Punta Yarns and it is called Merisock Hand Painted. Here is a thumbnail of the color:

This little thumbnail does not do it justice, but the color is almost spot on.

This is my last day off during the week and starting next week I will be back to working 5 days a week like a normal person. I am so looking forward to that, as well as this new job. It is almost like a dream come true for me. The title "Policy Clerk" is music to my ears……..

The Shawl

Well, the shawl has now become a MAJOR ordeal. After going to the shop and getting Marcia to run a life line, I tinked it back to the beginning of the lace pattern and started over. I have followed the chart specifically and I can only hope that it is right. The question I keep asking myself is "Why are you doing this"? I still don't have an answer. I am a sock knitter and a good one. I started all the shawl nonsense when I saw other shawls that had been done and wanted to do one myself. You see, my problem is that I want it all and I want it now. So, I am plugging along and we will see what the end result is.....

Thursday Chatter

I am proud to announce that my best friends, Butch and Marie, became grandparents for the first time last night. Mason Parker Deal was born at 11:21pm. Congrats to my best buddies!

I finished both Anna and Brian's socks and I am taking them up when I go to graduation tomorrow night. Here is a pic of both:

I think that both turned out great! I am not really good at posting pictures on my blog, but I am trying to improve.

I was offered a new job yesterday and I accepted it. I am happy and excited. No more weekends and no more commute across Atlanta......woo-hoo! I am starting on June 1.

Graduation and Other Stuff

Beany is graduating from preschool on Friday night. He is getting so big! He will start kindergarten this fall. Time does fly! I see another busy weekend coming up! I am almost finished with Anna's socks and hope to get the ones done that I am making for a friend of mine.

The shawl is on hold since I can't figure out where I am in the pattern. I am going to the shop tomorrow and see if Marcia can help me. Darlene may be able to meet me there, but if not, I know that Marcia can figure it out. I am trying to have patience and learn the lace as I did socks, but I am getting so easily frustrated with it. And, on my best days, I have zero patience, so I don't really think that is going to work out. I think that until I learn how to know where I am in the pattern by looking at the work, I will never get the concept of lace. I have been thinking that I need to make a practice swatch and knit it over and over until I get it. Who knows??

Catching Up

I have been so busy the past few days that I have not had time to blog. I am trying to finish 2 pair of socks, work these crazy hours and recover from shingles. I am almost over the shingles thank goodness!


Beany had his birthday party at school this past Friday and it was a great success! The kids loved all the snacks that his Mom made and brought for the party and he seemed to really enjoy the party too!

His Mom took these pictures, and the one that I think is so cute is this one:

He looks as if he might kiss Miss Allie any second, or she might kiss him! All in all his birthday was a big success!

Beany's 5th Birthday

Today is the Beanman's 5th birthday! I can't believe that little rascal is 5 years old! I can't imagine what my life was like before he was born. Every single day of the last 5 years has seen me with a smile on my face and so happy to be his Mommo. He has brought out the best in me and has made me see that the world is a wonderful place. His charm, his laughter, his beautiful smile has made my life the happiest that it has ever been and every night I thank my Lord and Saviour for giving me this priceless, precious gift. I could just sit and talk to him, play with him and cuddle him 24/7, but we all know that is not realistic. I am forever in love with Brian.

Ramblings on a Tuesday Morning

I am working on a lace shawl called Traveling Woman. It will be my first lace shawl and I am so excited. My friend, Darlene, is helping me with it. She is a lace shawl expert and I am thrilled that she agreed to help me. I want to be a really good knitter and I am improving every day. I am planning to start on my ATC's this week, even though I don't have enough people to participate. I want to get mine in the mail.

I have been looking at right and left brain information and I can't decide which I am, though I am leaning toward left brain. The characteristics seem to match me in more areas than right brain, although I have some right brain characteristics as well. It is interesting to study. Will post more when I know more.

My garden is just beautiful! All the new perennials are thriving and the veggies are blooming and starting to produce. I hope that I will get veggies all summer....ah the taste of home grown tomatoes...my most favorite food. I know that they will be on the menu everyday in heaven.

Stitches South and an ATC Swap

I didn't go to Stitches because I am not well enough. I tried to go in to work today, but had to come back home. I am just feeling so bad. On a lighter note, I am doing an ATC swap with some of my blogging friends and I want to invite anyone who would like to join us to email me.

It will be tons of fun and you will get so many ATC's! Come on join us!

Stitches South

Finally the time is here for Stitches South. I have been looking forward to it for quite some time now. It starts on Thursday, April 22 at Cobb Galleria, well actually the Waverly Hotel and goes through Sunday. Fortunately for me, my office is right down the street, so I am planning to go on Friday and Saturday after work. In addition, I am off on Thursday, so I am going early. This will be my first time to go, and I am so excited. I am hoping that some of my friends will be able to go with me.

I am off today and I am so glad. The shingles have literally kicked my butt to the moon and back. I don't recall ever having anything that was as painful as this. I had to work on Monday and Tuesday because there was no one to cover the office. Today I am planning to take it easy and nap all day.

I am also working on a plan for my studio/office. Right now it looks like a storage facility, but I have big plans for that room and I am excited! I might post the progress as I go along with pictures......

It seems that I can't finish a project before starting another one. Shame on me . But, I always finish them at some point. I am working on socks for Beany and Anna and I also have a cute hat that I want to make for Anna.

You gotta love this face:

Life is so strange

I have not had a great couple of weeks, and now I have shingles. At least I am 99% sure that I have the shingles. I am calling the doctor at 8 to see if I can get in to see him. The pain is the worst pain I have ever had I think. I can understand how people who have chronic pain feel I think. I couldn't take this day in and day out. Advil helps, but only for the short term.

On a happier note, I am working on several projects and I am trying to get things organized to make the project bags and a tote that a friend of mine designed. I have been working in my yard and in the gardens. My border is looking great! I love gardening, it is my favorite pastime and I just don't get to do it as much as I would like.

Early ERG Results

Kate received the test results from Dr. Lambert yesterday, and it is confirmed that Brian does have Retinitis Pigmentosa. Though it is not the diagnosis that we had hoped for, we are all trying to understand and be strong for him. Though I am totally devastated, I will work through it and fight for him to have a life that is as normal as possible.

Bitty Bits and Pieces Giveaway

If you have not looked this blog bittybitsandpieces, you should go now and have a look at all the beautiful creations. They are also having a great giveaway right now so take a look!

The ERG and other stuff

Well, Brian had the ERG today and everything went smoothly. We will not get results until Monday. Brian came home with me from the hospital to spend the night and we are having fun. He was very groggy for a while, but seems to be back to his old self. We have been playing and watching all his favorite shows. Poppy is coming home and we are going to cook hamburgers on the grill. Brian and I are planning to go to the park tomorrow, and take a picnic. I am making very good progress on my scarf for the Crush the U 04. I have several projects waiting to be started once I get the UFO's completed, so I need to get with it. So much yarn, so little time.......Happy Spring Everyone!

Just Stuff

I finished the one scarf, and I am so glad. Still have another scarf, 2 pair of socks and a shawl to finish for the Crush the U 4. I have been extremely worried about the ERG that B is having tomorrow. I plan to be there as soon as they take him back to surgery. I believe with all my heart that God can heal him, and I am praying that he will.

Sunday

I am about to head to work. Church was great this morning! Would like to stay home and watch the final round of the Masters, but have to open the office. We had such a nice time last night at Butch and Marie's house. They had several of us over for dinner, and it was so wonderful. These are the kinds of things that life is all about. We have a very important appointment on Wednesday. Beany is having the ERG finally after several months of waiting. He will be at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite in midtown. I still believe in miracles and I still have faith that God can heal him if it is his will. If it is not, I believe that he will show us how to deal with it. I am praying and I have all my wonderful friends praying......

I Miss Saturdays

I really miss Saturdays. I work every weekend now, and I just don't like it. I have tried to adjust, but I can't. I miss working in the gardens and shopping with Randy. I miss wearing my jammies until 10 or 11. I really miss being able to have Beany and Anna for the weekend as much as I used to. If I have them now, I have to leave and go to work. I miss Sundays too. Now I have to rush home from church and get ready to go to work. I miss watching sports and taking naps. I really want to retire, or just quit, whatever you want to call it, but that isn't possible for a while. I just wish I could get my weekends back.

Allergies

I love this weather, but let me tell you, it does not love me. For the first time in my life, I have allergies and I am not sure why I developed them in my old age. I cough and sneeze and sputter all the time, and my head aches. Oh well, it is always something, isn't it?

I have been working on several projects and I am pleased with the progress that I am making. This is my own pattern for a scarf. Nothing fancy, but still my own.

This scarf is Carol Siegrist at the Yarn Garden's creation. It is so pretty and the design is spectacular. I am doing it with Zitron Life Style. It is heavenly to knit, so smooth and silky. She is so talented.

And finally, this is a blanket I made for my friend Marie's new Grandson, Baby Parker. He is due May 15 and his Mommy and Daddy are so cute, so I know he will be. This is the 8 Hour Baby Blanket Revisited and I did it with Plymouth Encore.

I am still doing socks and my second shawl, still an easy one. I am about to make project bags, I have this great pattern and I am going to make them from quilt fabric, which is 100% cotton so they will last for a long time and be easy to clean..........

2010 Medal

2010 Medal, originally uploaded by GardenLynn.

This is the medal that I won for this year's Ravelympics. I completed LaLa's Simple Shawl and it turned out great! I am so proud that I completed an event this year!

Old Age and A New Beginning

Well, I have been away for while, and I think that I just did not have my priorities in the right place. I have been wasting entirely too much time on websites and activities that did not benefit me or enrich my creative side. Those days are over. I have much to catch up on and much to do to get back to where I want to be, but I am working diligently to get there.

I had all the tests that the doctor said I needed and I got a clean bill of health! Thank you my Lord! Because of this, I have decided to change my priorities and make a richer life for myself. I have already started doing some things and today I resume blogging and visiting my friends blogs. I have been very lax in my blogging for quite some time now, and I enjoy it so much. I have not participated in a swap for such a long time and I have not posted pictures of my latest creations, projects I am working on, and just the great things that are going on in my life and in my friend's lives. So today, I start fresh!

Old Age and the Cost of Redemption

Getting old is no fun. Not only that, but it is costly and time consuming. Get a bone scan, get a colonoscopy, get a stress test, take calcium, eat better, and yada, yada, yada. The bad part is that in order to redeem myself ( if I can), I have to do so many things that I have not been doing, so that means changing my lifestyle, my attitude and how I spend my time off.

It isn't that I have just become a couch potato who eats thick crust pizza, drinks beer and never exercises. It is that I have not exercised as I should, and I have not eaten as I should all the time, and so now, I am trying to get redemption. I have improved my eating habits and have lost a few pounds, but I still need to lose more.

On a happier note, my projects for the Ravelympics are going very well, and I am thinking I might just finish both of them before the flame goes out. Woo-hoo!

2010 Ravelympics

The Ravelympics have begun and I am challenged to get my events done by closing ceremonies in 2 weeks. I am doing a shawl and a market bag, one knitted, one crocheted and I am excited about making the deadline. We had some snow this week, very unusual for Atlanta, and I actually knitted in the car while sitting in traffic trying to get home. I worked on a pair of fingerless gloves that I was trying to finish before the games. They are cast aside now for the more important projects....so many projects...so little time.

What a Nice Day

My Mom and I went to lunch today and had a great afternoon. We looked at pictures of all the fam and ordered some prints from Walgreens.

My First Noro Project

IMG_0006, originally uploaded by GardenLynn.

Yesterday, I finished my first Noro project. It is a self fringing shawl and I made it with Kureyon. The colors are just breathtaking and I can't wait to wear it. (It is blocking).

I also have several UFO's that I need to finish and get off the needles, including 2 pair of socks, a baby blanket and a scarf.

Much work!

Learning the Hard Way

Today has been a day of enlightenment for me. I realized today that sometimes I just jump in feet first, with no preparation. Not only that, but I think that I can do things that I am not capable of doing, so it is time for a "come to Jesus meeting". Do you ever feel like you just don't fit in this world? That is the way I am feeling today. I am not sure where my place is, and what I am to do with it if I ever find it. I can never seem to do things the way other people do them, one step at a time. I always think that I can do step one and then jump to the end. I must admit that I am not as smart as my brain thinks that I am. And that realization gets me in deep do-do sometimes. I have decided that I need to take a step back and figure out what is important to me and work on accomplishing that thing...gee.

A Slow Start

It seems that I have had a slow start to the 2010 New Year. I have many projects going on and I can't seem to get my projects organized. I hope all of you are doing a better job of organizing than I am. I am having a problem organizing my supplies and being able to find needles and yarn and markers and stuff when I need them. I have tried several plans, but have found nothing that works yet. I am not giving up though.