A snowy WInter day

WInter has come early to my area of the midwest. Enough snow to cancel school today. It seems a bit early for the cancelling but I will take advantage and get some knitting done on my DD's monkey socks. I had to frog them yesterday. They were too narrow. That is hard to do in my family- we have skinny feet. Oh well- when you knit- you frog!
I ordered some Noro sock last week and can't wait for it to arrive. Probably why I am in a hurry to get the monkeys done. I have heard good things about the Noro sock and I liked the coloways. Allison has it at her website -www.simplysockyarn.com Check it out sometime.

I just remembered to join the hot cocoa swap- yesterday was the start of signups and I almost forgot. If you are interested look here and see if sounds like fun www.cocoaswap.blogspot.com

Later- Stay warm!

Hooray for the weekend

My daughter will be home this weekend for a month. Hooray! It will be so nice tohave her arounf for more than a couple days.. I could use the help to decorate the house anyway. Seems my energy leaves me by the end of the work day and I just can't face the boxes of decorations. I have been working on a pair of pedicure socks for a raffle at work- hope to combine them with a pedicure for a good raffle prize. Fun thing about the pedicure socks is they knit up so fast compared to the fingering weight stuff.

I have a few dishcloths to make- requested bleachable colors- that takes the fun out of it. But should be a quick knit. My step daughter loves to use bleach I guess. Gotta run, Later.

Check this out

Yvonne from Virginia spoiled me rotten! I wonderful pound of Eithiopian Limo- so wonderful- I drank nothing else till it was gone. She sent cookies and chocolate ,honey and a great mug. The mug has great coffee related things on it. The "literary Latte" will always remind me of Yvonne. A wonderful string of soaps from Mexico and some local produced Alapaca. I do love to knit with alpaca. It smells so good and feels so luscious. Yvonne's kiddos even decorated my packages with some artwork suitable for the frig. As a matter of fact,that is where they are now. I enjoyed every last thing. Many thanks to Yvonne.

Curing the WInter Blahs

I am trying to be more responsible to this blog. I mean why have it if you don't post. Seems like I get so busy that the last thing I want to do is spend more time on the computer. In an effort to cure that problem, I have decided to join a winter swap. It is the cocoa swap. SOunds like a fun way to beat the long Indiana winter BLAHS! I never look forward to it. Everyone is all a buzz today with the possiblity of our first real winter snow and I am saying,"Help-give me a ticket to Florida please!". Check out their blogspot at http://cocoaswap.blogspot.com

Look for pictures of my coffee swap tomorrow. I mean really tomorrow!! Later

Long time -no post

Life has finaly slowed down enough to post again. 2 swaps have come and gone with wonderful goodies received(and sent I hope).

Check out this one from Anne- Marie in Seattle for the KTS4. She spoiled me with lovelys from the west coast. Lots of tea and treats not mention yarn and handmade soap.

Look at this fab box from Sandy in Michigan. She was monkey swap pattern. She made a sethoscope cover for me and found 2008 lighthouse calendar. Lots of monkey goodies too. Beautiful artyarns ultra merino that I can't wait to whip up into socks. It cam from a yarn shop in her home town which is not too far from me, Niles ,Michigan. It is called the Red Purl. I think I must make a road trip soon.And here are the lovely monkey socks she made for me from Panda Cotton in the picnic colorway.

Sorry I must go back to work. Duty calls. We had a late night for parent teacher conferences , so I am out of here soon. Yea!

Coffee Swap Questions

1. I have been bitten by another swap bug- Time to answer questions for my as of yet unknown swap partner:
   Whole bean or ground- Whole bean
2. Fully loaded or decaf- Fully loaded
3. Regular or flavored- regular
4. How do you take it? Black- sometimes a little cream in the aafternoon
5. Favorite coffee ever?- La Cuesta Puente, Rwandon Bourbon- my local roaster has these sometimes- I can't pass them up
6. Fussy?- I guess so- I enjoy good fresh beans- hard to go back when you have tried the better stuff I guess.
7. Fav coffee treat?- scones, shortbread, muffins
8. ANything else about your coffee? I do like variety. I try lots of different kinds
9. Yarn preferences? I love sock yarn- can't have too much! Special likes? smooshy yarn ,Shibui Knits, Koigu etc.
10. Yarn dislikes- not fond of total acrylic yarns
11. On the needles- SOCKS!!, prayer shawl, intarsia shawl, booga bag.
12. I am trying to expand my horizons a bit- browns( love this with blue or pink)earthtones, blues and greens, reds
13. Loves?,don't like? Get off your chest? Love my family, my dogs and knitting. Knitting is my prozac,my yoga, my sanity. Don't like? my job (right now) Off my chest? I hope I have said it all.

Enough of that for one day- Jan

1. Yarn disl

Monkey Progress and Buggy Salad!!

Long time -no post. I guess between knitting and work I haven't even thought about posting. I decided to do my monkey socks on magic loop. I am very pleased at how they came out. I used Shibui Knits for the first time. I can highly suggest using it. SO very soft, nice twist, no splitting . It is a sock knitters dream.
Took a trip to visit my daughter last weekend which meant lost of good knitting time in the car. We met each other halfway, so it was an easier trip. It sure was hot though in ELizabethtown,Ky. We all decided to eat lunch at SHoney's. Amanda(DD) and I had the grilled chicken salad. While its was a little small looking, over all was fine. SO I am munching away when a bug about an inch long comes running out of my salad,over the rim of the bowl and into MY LAP. I jumped up and bug scurries across the floor. I was proud of my slef for not screaming but man I was freaked out. I hadn't planned on that much protein for lunch.
We got free lunch and a card for more free meals but really- it will be a long time before I forget that one or eat at SHoney's again.

Back to work- Later JL

Monkey Sock Maker

I heard from my secret knitter last Friday. Yea! Glad to know she is out there. I have not received an assigned person yet and am a bit worried. I thought this was a secret swap but I am beginning to wonder now. Not like I am hurting for projects-Ha! I have a couple waiting in the wings .

I am finishing up my very first magic loop toe-up sock. After reorienting my self with the construction, it has gone smoothly. I will post a pic of the finished product soon. I really see why knitters like this type of knitting. I did not teach myself this concept but went to my fav yarn guru Lea-Ann at Knitting Today for a class. She does such a fine job of teaching. Many different levels of knitters in this class and she handled all of us with greatest of patience. Check out her website at www.knittingtoday.com . She is great for the maching knitter too.

Enough of a break- The sock is calling!
Jan

Monkey Swap Questionaire

My questionaire has arrived and here is all the info:
The basics- I guess I would be somewhere between intermediate and can make them in my sleep. How is that for vague!!
The measurements- Shoe size- 9AAA
Foot circ- 8 inches
Foot Length- 9 1/2

Yarn Preferences
Fav Colors- Teals, greens, reds, pinks, blues- purple is ok- I really do like funky stuff
Soild or variegated- Either
Yarn type- wool cotton, bamboo, alpaca
Never where colors- probably grey, yellow or anything that was mostly orange
Fav yarns- Koigu, Sleeping Dragon, Schafer Anne, Fleece artist merino
Wish List Yarns- Smooshy, Socks that Rock, Shibui, Sweet Georgia,Seawool or Somoko to name a few :)
Cookie A. Patterns
Which have you knit? Monkey only :(
WHich would you like to knit? Thelonious especially
Other inportant stuff
Location of monkey pal? Prefer USA
Allergies? No
Knitting around smoke or pets? Dogs and husband :)
Ravelry?- No invite yet:(

Well that is it. Hope to hear from Monkey pal soon. I can't wait pick out yarn and colors to make some super fun Monkey socks.

Jan

First Of Many

I have come full circle in life. I am now an official member of the blogger nation. Never thought I would have the time or skill to do this but here goes. I have joined the monkey sock swap and a blog is so politely requested that I said NOW is the time. Jump on board and watch me fumble through the blog world-Yes you too Natalie!!:-) Later, Jan