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with many firsts...

2010-06-16T11:53:00.003-05:00

Originally, this was a post about some knitting, and a trip home, and then Aiden hitting 6 mo. then about mothers day, and a few other things in between all of that - but I'd start typing it out and never have the time to finish a post. So, I finally realized, I just need to post something! So this is a kind of catch up on it all posting...

Over the past couple of months (yes, I realize it has been that long...) Aiden and I have had a couple of firsts that I'm very happy about/proud of or feel you may find interesting.

First things first on the post of first - the little man himself! I've posted pictures of him up to 2 months so we've got a bit of catching up to do... so here are a few pictures of Aiden as he's grown:

We'll start where we left off... 3 months:

These two are him at 3 months - I didn't get the puppy dog or sign shots during this time - there was too much going on - Mike was away in Italy and I did some traveling back home.. so these two will have to do instead ;) He still looks pretty darn cute to me! The picture on the right is one of his first real trips out in the BOB stroller - I love that thing!

4 months.... too doggone cute! Okay okay, I may have overdone it on the dog theme:

5 months:

Sporting the gangster look thanks to his Uncle Stefan...

He bought track suits for all the nephews at Christmas - it just fits Aiden now - we had fun with this photo shoot!

A few more days and I'll post 6 months and the 7 months. I really can't believe he's grown so much. He's really starting to look more like a little boy and less like an infant/baby. Everyone tells you, but it true, time does move pretty quick. *sigh*

Here is his first time in the ex-o-saucer, with true concentration:

Man, he just loves that thing!

He had also figured out how to flip back and forth and sit up on his own! Go Aiden!

We had our first trip on a plane together when we went up to KY to visit the grandparents and got to see lots of friends and family.

He attended his first pro-soccer game here in Charleston, where he was so excited, he stayed up 2 hours past his bedtime!

I have some picture of his first time at the beach (just this past weekend!) and of his first try at solids- he loved it! But if I want to get this posted, they'll have to wait, as they're not loaded on my computer.

I had a few firsts of my own - I experienced my first Mother's Day! I know, technically, I was a mother last year, being pregnant but in my mind - that really didn't count. It was a touch sad not being able to share with my own mother, but it was a really lovely day. It started with a terrific breakfast in bed, and then all day with my two men - we went down to the water front and hung out on the grass in a park and played and enjoyed the sun.

I made salesperson of the month for the first time at work! yeah :) and while Mike is away at his internship this summer (8 weeks in VA) I'll be taking care of Aiden on my own for a while. I do have some friends and family who will be coming in and out, and Mike will be making frequent trips home, but day-to-day it'll be me and the little man!

I've knit my first shawl (a small one) - and was working on a toy, that I'm not sure is turning out as cute as all the other pictures. It's called Lutin, and was posted on a french knitting website (they've since taken it down). I'll post pictures of that when/if it gets done - it's been ~~abandoned~~ put aside while I work on a few other things.

That's about it for right now. I'm making a mental effort to try and post more often. We'll see how the summer goes with Mike being away.

back at work

2010-02-20T06:28:00.001-06:00

Which is my main excuse for not posting sooner!

Starting mid-Jan, I went back to work full time. It wasn't to much of an adjustment to going back - I felt like I settled back into the swing of things pretty smoothly. For me, the big thing was the catch up! I hate the feeling of being behind - even before I've started! So the first couple of weeks was just trying to dig-out from all that had piled up while I was out. I am very lucky, and have great support team at work, and that made it easier.

Then, the first week of Feb. the Little Man started Day care! :( So sad. That was an adjustment in and of itself, ironing out the details of pickup and drop off, what to bring, how much he'd eat, etc. etc. I feel like we're getting a good rhythm now with it too. I like the place, they're very sweet, and they work with me on the breastmilk/breastfeeding, which I was worried about. But I am able to drop off what I pump the night before when I pick him up, and they don't throw away the extra, but use it for the next feeding, I can stop by anytime... all that good stuff.

They say he's a great kiddo - always smiling, doesn't spit up (?? What! he does at home - hmmm... maybe I'm jostling him too much...) only cries when he's hungry. So it sounds like he likes it too! It's nice when you feel comfortable with where you're leaving him.

Of course, it's been a while with pictures, so... here are a few of Aiden at 2 months. I can't believe he's now 3 months old already! Wave hello honey!

A good family friend came to visit Aiden a few weeks ago, and Mamma Maz and had a great time with Aiden:

I've been knitting, and Aiden's been my model - here's a hat I made for my new....what would they be called if they're your 1st cousin's kid? 1st cousin once removed? 2nd cousin....anyways.. Cooper's hat:

Of course, I had to make one for Aiden, which I did - with matching mittens!

This is the first shot, I changed the hat so it's now more of a watchman's cap, but I love this picture :)
And a couple more of my favorite Aiden shots:

He really is a good boy and just so wonderful to be around! It's amazing to see how Mike's face just lights up whenever he's with him - we both just laugh and laugh. I am truly truly blessed. He's started squawking too - I call it pterodactyling - it's just too cute!

Then the highlight of the month for living in Charleston - we actually got snow! Now that completes my experience here and it was the perfect type of snow - here one day, melted the next, still really pretty and not too cold:

And I'll leave you with that image...

relaxing from the holidays

2010-01-02T21:33:00.003-06:00

Ahh Family. Gotta love em eh?

Over the Christmas Holidays, my 3 brothers, 2 SIL and 3 kids came to celebrate here in Charleston - it was a full house! Luckily they didn't stay with me, but rented a place nearby, which gave us a wonderful place to all be together, but also the ability to go home and have a bit of our own quite time as well.

Aiden did remarkably well meeting his new little cousins - although I shouldn't call them little - I hadn't seen Dominic since before Aiden was born, and at the time he was probably about the same size back then as Aiden is now, so I was amazed at how different it felt to hold him vs. Aiden! Then Max showed up and at 15lbs was the biggest of the bunch! Gabriella, being the oldest and the only girl, held her own of course and loved asking about all the different babies.

All the SIL bought matching outfits for the little ones, so we took some great pictures - of course getting them all to sit up together took some doing:

(Gabriella, Dominic, Aiden, Max)

there were a couple of meltdowns:

(Aiden, Max, Dominic)
some head-biting:

(Dominic, Aiden, Max)

But we got some cute shots too:

(Aiden, Max, Dominic)

(Gabriella, Dominic, Aiden, Max)

(Max, Aiden, Dominic)

My CA brother made us Christmas Eve dinner - it was fabulous!!! It's been a tradition to do 7 fishes on Christmas Eve with my family, but that dinner first evolved to a 7 seafood dinner, and now a clam-bake. So we had lobster, mussels, oysters, clams, crabs - it was really delicious!

Here's a shot of one of the main dish - even the presentation was amazing:

If you're in the California area and want a to have a great party with some great food cooked by a great guy - check out this site. (ask for Chef Alex!)

Knitting wise, I finished all the Christmas presents I was working on; a pair of legwarmers for Gabriella (that may have to be arm-warmers because she's grown so fast!), a hat for Dominic and my Grumpasarus for Max. I forgot to talk pictures, but I'm hoping they'll send me some.

The following week, Mike's brother and family came into town for a day, and I was able to give their littlest one her birthday present early - it's called the All Over Cables Hat - (ravelry link here) it turned out pretty well and I really liked the yarn - I used Berroco Geode, I loved the colors:

We went down to visit Mike's school and the kids checked out the jail:

It was great to see them all. I hope everyone else had as wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year!

geting ready for the holidays

2009-12-09T12:46:00.003-06:00

I can't believe Christmas is right around the corner!! I am excited and a bit overwhelmed. All 3 of my brothers, their 2 spouses and 3 kids are all coming to Charleston for the week before Christmas and I'm really excited to see them. They're not staying with us (no way I'd have enough room!) but are renting a place a short bit away, and all the new little boy cousins (and one girl) will get to meet each other! It's going to be so cute!

Right after Christmas, we hope to see Mike's brother and family as they come through town - their 3 kids are much older, and have been writing letters to Aiden and I over the past few weeks. I love them! We have become pen-pals, and I think everyone should do this more often, as the letters are witty and fun and just wonderful!

What that also means, is lots of preparation on my part. I want to get a tree, decorate and have most of my shopping done before they all get here. Easier said than done though.

Most of my time is spent in front of the computer, as Aiden is still eating quite frequently, and the doctors have recommended we not take him out in public very often due to the flu season and crowds - at least until he gets some of his shots. So I'm trying to do most of my shopping online. This would be a lot easier if I really knew what I wanted to get everyone! So I spend waaaay too much time browsing websites and looking for deals. Not so much on the actual shopping.

Mike is finishing up his semester with finals this week, and then will be off for the rest of December and all of January. We're really looking forward to that time together with both of us not working or in school.

I do love watching Mike interact with Aiden - he gets such a kick out of his son, and it just lights up both their faces! I have to say - I just love both my boys!!

On the knitting front, I have a new pattern that I'm in love with (ravelry link) that I'd like to make 2 or 3 of for various people. The instructions took me a bit to muddle through as they're very general, and I was hoping for my specifics, so I started one, started a second, and am going back and forth between the two as I go through the pattern. Pictures as I get further along.

Here are a couple more pictures of Aiden - proud momma can't help but brag:

At 4 weeks (8lbs 3.5oz):

Why is everybody lookin' at me?

Ok, enough photos mom - I'm bored of this!

2 weeks into motherhood

2009-11-22T19:22:00.004-06:00

It still hasn't settled in yet that Aiden is my son - that I'm his mother. - that he's not leaving with my MIL on Tuesday, or that I'm not just babysitting the most adorable child. I think once my MIL does leave, and with Mike back at school, it'll hit me then. Right now I'm just floating along.. feeding, sleeping, eating, rocking.. and repeat. With the C-section, Mike and his mom won't let me do much more, which is good, because I keep wanting to.

I didn't have many nesting instincts when pregnant, but now that Aiden is here, I really am feeling the nesting urge - but because of the surgery, I can't do most of it - I'm not supposed to be bending down and picking up, or going up and down stairs a lot, or transitioning from sitting to standing often. And I can feel it when I have been doing a lot of that - usually when my meds are wearing off or I'm due for another dose.

It's been lovely having her here - I really have been blessed with some wonderful in-laws. Next week is going to be .. a new challenge I think. Great way to start off my 34th year - as my birthday is Tuesday! Being 34 hasn't sunken in either, but I'm not too worried about that.

This week I had some friends stop by to see me, and they all came bearing the cutest of gifts for little Aiden.

My friend Sue hand made the softest rag quilt:

It's just beautiful! and I love the colors!!

Pam and Vera stopped by to hang out with Aiden:

and brought food (Jim & Nicks - yum!)

Vera made two super-cute hats - one for now:

and one to grow into:

(I think he looks like the LOL cat with the lime on his head here)

and soft socks for Aiden's monkey toes!

I keep wanting to knit, but don't have the focus right now. I can't seem to put a yarn and pattern together for the life of me, so that's been put on hold for a bit. Let's get through Thanksgiving first and we'll see where we're at by then.

Presenting Aiden Michael Lauer!!!!

2009-11-17T10:40:00.010-06:00

He's finally here!

Aiden Michael Lauer was born on Monday, November 9th at 11:21 pm after a long and arduous day!

So I had my 41 week doctor's appointment on Monday, and went in at 11:30 wanting to talk to the doctor about the changes I had been feeling all morning. I was thinking either a.) the baby had finally dropped, b.) I was having Braxton hicks or c.) something was going on! All I really knew is that it was finally something different than I had been feeling for the past two weeks, and I was hoping this would lay to rest the idea of having to induce me.
I met Mike at the Dr.'s office and was worried I would have to use the restroom before I had a chance to give my urine sample for the day, so when my name was called, I rushed right into the bathroom - where my water broke!!

I realized this when the color was all wrong (there was meconium in it) - otherwise I don't know if I would have recognized it for what it was! The nurse seemed awfully calm, and put us into the examining room, and I had Mike start timing what I now am realizing are contractions. It only surprises me more when Mike says that they are 2-2.5 minutes apart! I guess I had always thought of contractions as feeling sharper or more distinct. All morning they had just been an uneasiness in my stomach, as if someone was tightening my belt on my pants and I had just eaten a really full dinner -that plus some mild crampy feelings. I will admit, now that my water had broken, they were getting more painful - now they were more like a stitch in your side, just all across my belly.

The Dr. came in and decided to wheel me over to the hospital (the office and hospital are connected) - I was officially in labor!!!

To make a long story short, my water broke at 11:30, I was admitted around 12 and was about 3 cm dilated but the baby hadn't dropped. By 1:00 I had decided an epidural was going to be a good idea. They had to do two takes on the epidural, the first one put in had a kink in the catheter in my back and was stopped up, so they had to put in a second about an hour later. By 5:00 I was 8cm, and at quarter to 7pm I was 100% effaced and 10cm dilated, but still no droppage from the baby - so it was time to start pushing. After 3 hours, the baby hadn't moved very much, and his blood pressure was dropping - that with the meconium in it, they wanted to get the baby out sooner rather than later, so I was wheeled to the OR for a C-section, and our beautiful baby boy, Aiden Michael Lauer was born at 11:21pm on 11/9/9!

We arrived home on Thursday, and I can't believe that he is officially one week old now! Here are some pictures of my new baby boy:

Here he is home from the hospital:

A few with Daddy:

and at one week:

Ahh Sweetness:

still waiting....

2009-11-07T08:44:00.005-06:00

No baby yet. Technically this Monday I'll be at 41 weeks, and no signs from baby that he or she is making a move for the door. :(

I think that's the hard thing about due dates - I'm perfectly happy being pregnant (I'm actually enjoying it quite a bit) and everything has been going quite smoothly, but now I have a little voice in the back of my head saying "something may be wrong here... no baby yet.. is this going to make delivery harder?...no baby yet....where's baby? why haven't you felt contractions yet?" etc. etc. and the little whispers go on...
If I didn't have a due date, I'd like to think I'd still be in my bliss of happy pregnancy. Although all the test I've had so far says' baby's doing fine - and I can feel (and see!) the little one moving all the time, so things like that usually quiet the voices.

Monday I have a Dr's appt. and I have a feeling an inducement will be scheduled. I know, I know, inducements happen all the time, but I know a lot lead to C-sections as well. And I know that a C-section is not necessarily a bad thing, just didn't jive with the image I had in my head of how labor was going to go.

I also realize I need to let go of any notion I had of how things are supposed to go, because from now on, I'm not in the drivers seat anymore - baby is. I think I can deal with that... I'd just like to meet the new driver!!! :)

I have finished a newborn baby hat - we'll see if it fits - I've heard 5-7 lbs for baby, but don't know how big the head is:

And I made mittens to match:

I'm almost done with Grumpasaurus Max - just needs feet and new facial feature colors - the blue is too light:

And I'm slowly working on another hat and the Ice Queen Pattern:

We'll see how Monday goes, and hopefully my next post will be all about our new baby!!!! yeah :)

waiting on baby

2009-10-31T10:00:00.008-05:00

...to get a move on!

Baby is completely content to just hang out in mama's belly and dance! My due date technically is this Monday, the 2nd, but they had also given us the date of the 5th, and I've had that date in my head for most of the pregnancy. Although it is the first full moon of Nov. I think baby's going to wait a bit till the end of the week at least.

As of right now, I don't feel much different than I did a week ago, or 2 weeks ago.... and it's not a bad thing, I'm pretty content too. The heartburn and that I get tired more easily are really the only things that bug me. So I'm good to wait until the baby's ready to say hello.

The Dr. was worried a bit because I'm so small for how far along I am, and we had a couple of extra ultra sounds to check and make sure baby had enough food/fluids etc. to be okay - and all is good. Baby passed his/her first in-utero test with flying colors! 100% - go baby go!

We're getting tested again on Monday, and we'll see how that goes - hopefully we'll have the same results. The nice thing about it was we got another ultrasound and Mike was there for this one- he missed the 20 wk ultrasound due to being in NY, so it was nice for him to see baby in real-time. Here are a couple of profile and face shots from last weeks ultrasound:

Here is a profile - and what looks like bubbles is the umbilical cord:

These two are face forward shots, you have to turn your head to the side, but I think they are so sweet... top of baby head is ---->this way looking straight at you.

look at those cheeks!

Here - baby is sleeping same as above - forehead is ----> like baby is laying on the side facing out:

My friend Jean made me the cutest baby hat EVER!!! I just love it! it puts my knitting to shame, and it was her first attempt at fair isle - it's just beautiful:

This week, Mike and I attended his school's fundraiser, called the RED party - it was a masquerade ball, and everyone was all dressed up. They had this fabulous person in drag with an amazing costume:

My friend Meghan and I got our pictures taken with... her

Not my favorite shot of me, but ah well!

Meghan made her mask out of broken mirror parts - it was really cool:

It was a good time but really loud, and I was tuckered out by 10pm.
Off to do some more knitting and enjoy the last few days of my pregnancy!

preparing for baby

2009-10-31T09:18:00.003-05:00

Ok, I first started writing this post when I had three weeks to go - now I have.. um 2 days.
We'll start with the old post...

Three weeks to go! Eeek!!

I know I know. Everyone wants pictures of me and my belly. It's just hard to find a good time to take one - in other words - when I feel like I look cute or at least half-way decent! Here are a couple of shots to sooth you all. (The ones in purple are from 2/3 weeks ago - the ones in blue - last week - I really haven't changed much...)

Mike and I are trying to pull things together for the baby. We're putting together the final details and trying not to freak out in the process. Or more than that - not get overwhelmed. There is SOOO much advice out there, and so many differing ideas, it's hard not to get swept away by all the chaos.

We have the crib set up, and have finally decided on a glider/rocker -although the picture isn't that cute, it looks much better in person and is very comfortable. We have our car seats and bases - and are putting them into the cars this weekend. I have started packing my bag and need to pick up some snacks and books to put in there. I'm hoping I'll have a quick labor like my SIL's though.

I have been knitting. I'm half-way through the cutest little guy called grumpasaurus - I misplaced one of my DPN's half way through knitting him, but I just picked up the next smaller size and substituted - it's a toy, and the fabric should be tight anyway!

I finished the baby sweater for Max and sent it off - here's a final picture, which doesn't do it justice:

And to torture myself, I've started IceQueen in a beautiful red/pink/purple colorway - not sure how it'll look with the hot pink color, but I couldn't find anything else I liked to make with the yarn (which is soft and oh-so-pretty!), since I only have one ball. I am still open to suggestions if anyone knows of a laceweight wrap/shawl etc. that would look good in the Alchemy yarn. Here's my colorway:

I'll put my new thoughts into another post....

having a bit of pre-mamma anxiety

2009-09-26T10:05:00.005-05:00

So at the Dr.'s last week, I realized that I am 34 weeks along, which means.. I have about a month and a half to go. Yikes!!! we're not ready!!! (is anybody ever???)

My due date was either the 2nd or the 5th, the doctors office chose the 2nd and I've always kept in my head the 5th (I hear your first is usually late), but I just checked the moon cycle and the full moon is due for Nov. 2nd. So... I may be right on time! (not that I hold a lot of stock in such things, but... they do say more babies are born on a full moon!)

I have some pictures from my trip to visit my brother and SIL in DC
Here are some pictures of "baby Dominic" as Gabriella called every toy/doll and her brother all weekend - it was so cute!!

Baby Dominic and Daddy

Baby Dominic and Mommy:

Baby Dominic and Gabriella:

G being much kinder to her brothers than mine looked like they were to me....

Me and Baby D:
(not the best picture)

And Daddy and his babes taking a nap:

I did finish my purple sweater and it fit Gabriella perfectly - but I didn't get any pictures of her in it - At first she wouldn't take it - all presents were for 'baby Dominic", but eventually she warmed up to it and I was happy to see it fit! Just she and I went to the park and played while her parents had an event to go to, so it was nice to spend some one on one time with her. One of my favorite shots was of her on the swings:

Having just come from 3 days at a work conference, I was pretty worn out - between having my 'game-face" on the whole time, and staying up late while everyone drank and socialized, it really exhausted me. The scary thing is, I know that when the baby comes, I'll be 8 times more tired than I was that weekend! Yeah, feeling a bit unprepared, but I know we'll do fine when the time comes.

Mike and I are going to pick up the crib and narrow down our choice for a chair today. I have one more baby shower coming up next weekend, and we're just trying to spend some quality time together and get the house ready. Crazy times eh?

watching time fly by...

2009-09-07T13:43:00.006-05:00

I can't believe it's been a month since I last posted! So much has happened - most of which has kept me from blogging, I just haven't had the time/energy!!

First off - Baby updates - 2 new babies in the Tamburro family - one to each of my two older brothers

Carlo/Kristin are the proud parents of :
Dominik "Nico" John Tamburro - born on Aug. 16th and

Alex/Amy are the proud parents of:
Max Michael Tamburro - born on Sept. 4th

Here are the boys "practicing" with me many years ago - I think they're going to do much better now!

I also got a promotion at work, and have moved up into a larger role - which means I'm spending a bit more time at work trying to get all my 'ducks in a row' before I go on my own maternity leave! So my focus there in getting into my new stride has taken up some of my time too, but I'm enjoying the position and excited about it!

I spent a week in KY with some old school friends who threw me a great baby shower! Here are a couple of shots of me out with friends and at the shower:

An evening out:

The best type of cake:

and the shower:

It was fun and silly and good to see my friends.

Mike started school again and is working hard as a Junior this year. He's also trying to get things lined up for when the baby comes. I can't believe it's happening so fast!! I've only got 2 months left - and I feel like there is so so so much to be done!

I have a few things on the needles to be finished up in the next few days and sent out to the new parents, and then a couple more in que for me and some other prego mamas! Pictures next time. I'm converting my office and craft room into the baby's room, and we're trying to find a place for all my stuff! It'll all work out, I know, I just need to keep calm and breath. There are days I get totally overwhelmed with all the decisions and things to do, and others I've got more energy than I know what to do with and don't know where to focus it. I usually have my hands full on those days anyway. Maybe that's for the best!

Knitting a bit

2009-08-01T10:51:00.005-05:00

I've been trying to get some much-needed knitting done lately, and all I've really ended up with, is more UFO's - but they're closer to completion than the ones that have been hanging out in my sidebar for forever.

I started with the baby sweater I've been working on for a while. I really enjoy knitting with the Elizabeth Lavold cotton, and I just adore the color - I've got one side seamed and I just need to do the other side, which I'm determined to finish today:

And here's what it'll look like finished:

sort-of - I may add something to the bottom sleeve edges - it looks kinda unfinished to me this way.

Then I started a crochet cap on my way back from NY that is also close to completion - I started this one, and then had to 'rip back' because I wanted it to be tighter, so I went down a hook side. I put the rip back in quotes, because I actually didn't rip, I just started from the other end of the ball (that's how far along I was) and would just pull out as I used up the yarn.

Here's a shot of it so far - I'm finishing up the brim. The problem here is I put it down, and had two copies of the pattern printed out and am not sure exactly where I am in the pattern - I just need to sit down and figure it out:

Then I also started another baby sweater - The Kipling, which I've always wanted to knit, and just love the greens in this yarn, although it's not as soft as some of the other yarns I've used lately, but it is machine washable and that's what counts here:

I've also been fortunate enough to win a couple of blog contests lately, and got a great copy of the book DomiKNITrix:

from the blog Lazy Knits and Purls which is great! I've wanted to try out some of the patterns in here.

And then I won some milk fiber roving from Silverstah's Etsy shop Feeling Sheepish which I'm a little scared to take out of the bags for fear of ruining it. I want to wait until I'm ready to use it - I've got to find a special project for it.

I got two bags - one small black bag of 'carbonized Bamboo':

The orange in the picture is from the light above - it was hard to take a decent picture with the plastic still on it...
And the other is called Robin's Wren and has brown and white and a beautiful streak of robin blue in it:

This picture may show the colors better:

So I'm super excited about winning those contests - thanks ladies!! They were great little pick-me-ups while Mike was gone. It's always nice to get packages in the mail unexpectedly or expected! Did I mention btw, that I'm so excited that he's back? I am. It's just nice to have him around to talk to and cuddle with.

The baby is moving around quite a bit. I do have more of a belly, but it really depends on what I'm wearing on how prego I look, and I'm really bad at getting people to take a picture of me and the little one. Still feeling pretty good - more heartburn than I'd like, but what are you going to do? Small price to pay for such a wonderful gift.

enjoying her hubby's company

2009-07-25T10:33:00.004-05:00

that's right - Mike is home!! yeah :)

Mike came home last week, a bit early, to help out his school (they're moving their shop locations), prepare for his upcoming semester, and to help us get the house baby-ready. There seems like so much to do!

First step is to get the 'spare bedroom' or my office turned into the baby room. This means disassembling the desk and finding a place for my stash of things, as well as deciding what will fit and what we'll need in that room. We don't really get to decorate much since we rent - just lots of consolidating and moving. Fun fun. Good fun.

I finished a cute pair of booties that I really like:
Mike helped me model them - teehee!

And am dong pretty well getting through a crocheted cap for one of my nieces, I hope it fits her, as I think it's going to be a bit small on my head, but we'll see. My SIL's are both due next month and I'm trying to get a few things done for them too. Other than that - general cleaning and whatnot - lots to do, and never enough time. So it goes in the land of pregnancy eh?

This weekend we did get to go to the beach and spend some down time together which was nice. It's good to have Mike home. In a couple of weeks I'm going to head down to Louisville to visit friends and family and am thinking about taking a trip to Chicago to do the same. We'll see how it all goes.

back in Charleston

2009-07-20T06:31:00.006-05:00

I made it back to Charleston from visiting Mike, and only had one little snafu/meltdown along the way. On the trip home, my flight was delayed from NY to Atlanta, and therefore caused my flight to Charleston to be canceled. I was stuck in Atlanta for the night, no luggage (still on the plane to Charleston) missing mike, tired, pregnant and really just wanting to be home.
Between the short trip from the airport to the hotel that night, (in which I managed in my distress to get on the wrong shuttle) I lost my phone. I had left it on one of the shuttles and was devastated. I spent then next few hours trying to track it down and left the next day resigned to the fact that I had lost yet another phone. My late flight home and lack of communication gave me about 20 minutes to change and get back to the office to finish out the day with a round of meetings. The bright light at the end of the day was a voice-mail on my phone from Mike:
"I hope you haven't bought a new phone already, someone called - they found your phone and are sending it back to you"
YEAH!! Wow. My faith in humanity was restored. Turns out, I had been trying the wrong hotel shuttle-buses, and in the meantime, a very kind and responsible attendant at a Comfort Inn, took the time to turn my phone off (to conserve the battery) because she felt it was too late to call when the phone was turned in, wait till morning, look up "home" in my phone and contact Mike to find and address to send the phone to. She shipped it out to me next-day. Wow. You just don't find customer service like that any more. Especially since I didn't even stay at that hotel!!
It's one of those things that really wasn't as bad as it seemed at the time, but I'm very thankful it turned out the way it did.
With my final arrival being on a Monday, it threw my week off a bit, but made it go by a little faster. I spent most of it cleaning and catching up on my rest and laundry. I even managed to post a prego picture of myself :

I feel like I look bigger than I actually am in this picture, but it depends on where the baby is, what time of day it is and what I"m wearing actually.

While in NY, I got to spend a day with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins. It was great to see them, and we realized I hadn't been to the house in over 10 years! They had been out to see us for weddings and other various events, but I hadn't physically been to the house in a long time. It made me feel a bit better to know I wasn't crazy when I drove by the house because they had changed the siding from dark brown shaggy shingles to white aluminum siding... 5 years prior!
Here's a picture of the family - complete with Uncle Ed's 'new hair':

And all the 'girls' tried on the headband I made for Sabrina:

, ,
It was really really good to see them all, and a great way to end my trip to NY.
Now. Just to get Mike home...

on the Brooklyn Bridge

2009-07-09T17:31:00.003-05:00

Last night Mike and I went for an evening stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge - it was really pretty. I took some pictures, but I don't have my computer with me, and won't be able to get them uploaded till next week when I get home. To tell you the truth, I don't think many came out very well.

On our way, we did see Neil Diamond! He was being interviewed by the one of the local stations about his upcoming show or something. We decided not to ask him for his autograph, and just walked quietly behind him, trying to think of more than 2-3 songs that we know of his. I think had it been someone different, I might have asked for a picture or autograph, but both Mike and I agreed that we weren't big enough fans or that star-struck to do so.

On the way to the bridge I had my knitting with me and saw another woman crocheting at top - she asked me how hard it was to learn how to knit, and we had a short mini-lesson/discussion before we had to hop off and switch trains. That's the 4th person I've shown how to knit lately. On the way here, in the airport, I showed two guys while waiting for our delayed flight - they picked it up pretty fast, and it really helped pass the time. The 3rd guy was sitting beside me on the flight and was from India, and said he'd have to tell his mom that he knew how now. It was fun and silly. I wasn't expecting to show them, therefore the yarn I had wasn't the best for beginners, so I was impressed by how quickly they all picked it up. I'll have to put some easy yarn to start with in my carry-on for the trip home.

I head home on Sunday, with a trip to visit my aunt and cousins in between. Then 3 more weeks before Mike will be done with his internship. He's enjoying it, and learning a lot, but he's ready to be done and head back to the comforts of home. He's blogging about it here, but hasn't been keeping up with it as readily with me here distracting him.

So far I have finished a pair of booties, the baby sweater except for the seaming (blah) and am halfway through a headband for my cousin. I did get a 'gift' of yarn that Mike got me to start a shawl - it's some pretty alpaca that I have just the project for!

spending time with her hubby!

2009-07-04T08:52:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was my first full day with Mike in NY since I was here 6 weeks ago - it was so great to see him again!!! I flew in Thursday night, and thanks to delays, didn't get in till 12:30 - and went straight to bed.

Yesterday we started the day by doing a little shopping, and running a few errands, then we stopped a place called the Havana Outpost for lunch. That place was great - they are the only solar powered restaurant in NY, and recycle the rainwater from their gutters for their bathrooms and such. It was a really cute/cool place. We had some uniquely-seasoned corn (Parmesan, butter- or maybe mayo red pepper and lime) and sandwiches that hit the spot perfectly.

Then we headed to prospect park, and after a leisurely walk, took a really nice long nap on the grass in the park. It was very relaxing and wonderful just to sit, and sleep, and not too have to be anywhere or do anything but we could just... be. I think it was exactly what Mike and I needed - a day of no agenda.

After the park we took a stroll around Park Slope and wandered into a bunch of cute little stores and shops before settling down to dinner at a little Italian restaurant that had a duo playing guitar and upright bass providing some pleasant background music.

Had only I been hungry enough for desert - but by that time I was worn out and we headed home for bed. It was really a perfect day. ahh...

at 20 wks +

2009-06-30T18:31:00.003-05:00

So I'm a little more than halfway along in my pregnancy! I can't believe that - half way!!

I went for my 20wk ultrasound last week and it was amazing! It's always fascinating to see the baby up on the monitor moving around. Mike and I decided not to find out the sex of the baby (much to the chagrin of many of my knitting friends - sorry guys!) so I kept my eyes shut during the "money shots" while they were taking all the measurements. I had to get up and move around at one point because they couldn't get a good shot of the heart - but everything is 100% so far! Yeah for healthy baby!

Here are a few photos from the ultrasound -

The baby is on his/her back in this one, and has one knee up by the shoulder, (which kinda looks like an arm to me) and one arm tucked behind the back:

another profile shot:

The foot:

the face! Which is really pretty cool:

i think it has my nose...

in this one the baby is 'waving' to Mike - He wasn't able to be there for this ultrasound - which makes us sad, but my friend sue who went with me took some video for him to see while I was there:

The wonderful thing is I get to see him in 2 days!!! YEAH!!
I really miss him a lot. I know part of that is my hormones, but it's the little things that I miss about him not being here. I know he's not having the best time up there either and we keep telling ourselves, just a few more weeks. a few more weeks.

Then I think we're going to go to Louisville for a week or so to see some family and friends. I will fly from here and Mike will drive from NY and we'll meet up there, and then I'll drive back with him together.

I am definitely showing now, and I can feel the baby move - mostly kicking my bladder while I work - good fun! They're just little burps/bumps right now, but I'm not used to them yet so they still catch me by surprise. I hope by next week that maybe Mike will be able to feel them a little - that will be really neat.

Now it's a matter of figuring out what things we need/want for the baby. I think I'm going to go stroller shopping with Mike in NY so we can see what we both like, and I'm asking advice from some of my friends and family on everything from bottles to breast-pumps to strollers, toys and car seats.

On the knitting front- I'm almost done with my ribbed baby sweater - it's turning out much better than the first try. I have a couple other projects in mind - I just need to choose one or two to take with me when I go see Mike. I am trying to utilize my stash, as I know I have a plethora of yarn, I'm just deciding what works for which projects. I feel like I've been doing that for a while. But I'll get there.

BTW, Did I mention how excited I am to go see Mike?
I'm really excited.
I mean I really really really can't wait!
2 days
that's it!
yup.
going to see Mike.

yeah.
This isn't making the day go by any faster.. I'm off to eat and sleep to get rid of another day!

knitting for quasimodo baby

2009-06-14T10:01:00.005-05:00

A little while ago, I stared what I thought to be an easy baby sweater with some beautiful plum yarn from my stash. I figured it would go quickly and was a great project to take with me as I traveled to visit Mike - and I was right. I plugged away on it and got pretty far.

The sweater is knit in one piece, with minimal seaming under the arms and is knit from the bottom up and around the shoulders to the front. Then you pick up the lapel and carry on. I had gotten through the back, and shoulders, and had split for the neck and was just going along following directions when I noticed things just didn't look right. I asked a friend, and we figured out I had counted wrong, and I ripped out a small bit and started again.

Fast forward to knitting this Saturday - I am 'finished' with both sides, and have gotten to the end of the pattern on my page, and am looking at the garment, and just can't figure it out. I am about to pick up for the lapel, and am looking at it and thinking - this just can't be right! So I ask for some help, and go through the pattern as written on my instruction sheet, and all is right.. but it's soo not right - I finally realize, I am missing 2 lines from the bottom of my pattern page that didn't print off properly! Two lines doesn't seem like much, but it's like missing two main ingredients when baking a cake - it will turn out oh-so-wrong, and mine did.

This is what it's supposed to look like at this point:

And here's what I mine looked like by the time I figured out my mistake:

Yeah. um. not so much. I ripped out and with the extra 2 lines of pattern will hopefully have this going in no time.

Mike is doing well, but has acquiesced to the fact that he is not a city boy. I think it's mostly his neighborhood, which is very loud and not as close as he would like. The neighbors drive by at all hours of the day/night and have the car stereos up really really loud - almost as if the song that's playing on the radio is their calling card they're leaving to say hello. Many times this causes a car alarm to go off, or another car to drive by with a different song and retaliate. Good fun when you're trying to sleep at 1 am. But he's managing. I will be up to visit in July - we're working on dates.

While visiting another friends blog I came across this really cool website which asks the question - What have you left behind? And he asks people from all over the world to answer the question. It's amazing how much you can identify with the answers. I suggest you check it out. Wish it was coming nearby, it'd be a cool exhibit to see.

The pregnancy is going well, I do have a belly now, but mostly feeling about the same - a bit more tired here and there, but nothing that a nap wouldn't take care of. I've been trying to hang out with friends on the weekend more since Mike isn't here. Next week is my 20 wk ultrasound - and NO, we're not finding out! ;) Mike won't be there, and that makes me sad - I'll have to send him pictures from the DVD. I miss him and will be glad when he's back. Only 7 weeks left - not too bad.

home alone

2009-06-06T11:38:00.008-05:00

This week started my summer without Mike.

I've been taking it easy when I come home for the most part. The worst thing is trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I just have little ideas/motivation, except for the fact that I'm usually pretty hungry and wants something right away. I'm really trying not to take the easy way out and just do cereal or simple salads. I know that's not healthy. I'm working on it slowly.

Today is my day for cleaning, as I didn't do much throughout the week, and it definitely needs it. Part of that means updating my photos, so here are some pictures from my trip:

First I have to explain that on Saturday, Mike and I went walking around Central park and saw some real characters! It was great fun. The best part was happening upon the rollerskating rink. They do this every weekend and holiday during the summer, and anyone who wants can come and rollerskate/rollerblade! It was wild! and the music was great. Here are a couple of clips and pictures of some of the crazy people we saw and met:

This guy had 3 waterbottles balanced on his head while he skated around:

And did his own little 'show':

This guy was selling CD's and talking about his prodigy (above) - guess the terrycloth thing is a linking fashion statement!

A shot of half the circle:

loved his hat:

These video's give you an idea of the crazy skating that was going on - The guy in the black pants had a metal belt that read SEXY SEXY SEXY all the way around - and he had the moves (although I didn't capture them well on here)

And if you didn't know better, you would think this was a shot of my brother (Gabriella's dad) - he really really reminded me of Carlo - even with his dancing! He was completely cracking me up!

The batman guy:

His dancing:

Presenting - Dotty the Chicken! She needs a few more spots, but I'm pleased with how she came out. She looks very regal here I think:

Here's a 'cousins' shot, including the one in my growing belly:

My other niece Gabriella and her new pink hat:

The little guys we found all over union station that cracked us up, and made my feet a little less sore while walking around:

Overall, I'm really glad I was able to spend the time with Mike - I think it was good for both of us - a nice transition. We're able to Skype most nights, so that makes it easier too. Plus, I keep up with his new blog (not to be confused with his website) where he's documenting what he's doing at his internship.

Next time I'll and post more pictures of me an my belly - first I have to get someone to take some pictures for me!

leaving the city

2009-05-30T11:25:00.005-05:00

So my week with Mike in NY is over - so sad. It's definitely going to be different being at home without him in SC - the pregnancy just adds an unknown factor, but I'll take it one day at a time.

While we were here, we visited the MOMA museum and I realized ... I don' t get modern art. I just don't get it. I mean, there were some pieces that were nice and that I saw took talent, but there were 3 times as many that just didn't make any sense to me - not visually, emotionally or any other way. It probably didn't help that I was exhausted after walking quite a bit, as I took the train to go see Mike's work first, and let me tell you - NY blocks are long - especially when you've been sitting on your butt for the previous few weeks. I do need to get some exercise in there. I was also asked, for the first time, in pubic, by a stranger, if I was pregnant! I guess I'm really showing then! We were waiting in line to check Mike's backpack and the guard directing people looked at me - did a double take and then said "Are you pregnant!?!" Like - what is a pregnant lady doing waiting in this line? or at the museum at all? It was a bit odd. It may have been what I was wearing or how I was standing, but it was definitely a shocker.

We've also been to two different villages - one near Mike's work in Greenpoint, and one called Williamsburg - both cute areas with little shops and restaurants. We've had NY and NJ pizza and I do like their crusts - not like you can find in the south. Today we're thinking of hitting Central Park and tomorrow I head back to SC.

I was able to upload the video of my cute niece singing on Memorial Day - here is her singing debut to the world:

She's so cute!! I also finished the chicken - well except for a couple of spots, but pictures will have to wait until I get back to Charleston. I am working on a baby jacket by Debbie Bliss in a pretty plum color and here is the Ravelry link, but pictures would just bore you as it's just stockinette right now.

Off to the park - and maybe a yarn store - see ya Brooklyn!

in the Big Apple

2009-05-26T06:37:00.004-05:00

New Yooork City!

Well, actually, I'm in Brooklyn - but close enough. Mike and I took a nice drive up through DC, stopped by to see my brother Carlo and his family - it was great to see them - Kristin looks great and Gabriella was as cute as ever.

Then we traveled to Rumson NJ to see Mike's brother and family - man! those kids have gotten big! We had a great time hanging out with them, and even got to attend a Memorial Day parade (as well as have an impromptu one of our own by the kids). If I can figure out how to upload the video from my camera, I think I may have another American Idol candidate. My niece did a beautiful job of serenading us with "God Bless America". Very cute!

Mike started his internship today, and I can't wait to hear how it went. I'm in the process of setting up my 'out-of-the-office-office" and praying I can get the internet phone to work properly. If not ... it's going to be a looong week. I'm hoping everything will work out.

pregnant!

2009-05-20T06:33:00.005-05:00

As most of you already knew, Mike and I are expecting! And those that didn't - I'm in the family way, I've got a bun in the oven, I've been... we'll you get the picture. I wanted to make sure immediate family and my work knew before posting publicly and now they all do so I can talk about it!

Plus my belly has 'popped' so it's getting harder to hide. I feel like I just look like I need to hit the gym, but my friends insist that no, it looks like I am pregnant and have a little person growing inside of me.

I'm due the first week of November, the 2nd or 5th. Mike and I aren't finding out the sex of the baby - we want to be surprised. And those of you that know my family or reads my blog, also know that both of my brother's wives are pregnant as well! They're both due in August, so there will be 3 babies on the 'Tamburro' side born this year!!! It's pretty exciting. They're not finding out either, so no one's discussing names and as my knitting friends agreed - this does put a small crimp in knitting something cute and gender specific, but I'm sure I'll find something.

My first trimester went pretty well. I had some 'evening sickness' which was more like a mild hangover, no vomiting, just an uneasy feeling if I didn't eat - so I made sure to always have something on hand to nibble on throughout the day. I told one of my workmates that I was on a new diet - 6 small meals a day! Up until this week, (I'm at 15 weeks now) I haven't gained any weight, but according to the doctors scale at work (don't ask me why there is a full doctor's scale at my office -it's really random!) I've gained 2 pounds this week - which I think is on target. My next appointment is the first week in June so we'll see then.

This has all been part of the reason I haven't been blogging. There were so many things I wanted to talk about, but they all had to do with the pregnancy! Also, I was more tired and was trying to get more sleep and just wasn't motivated to do much for the first trimester.

This weekend I am traveling with Mike up to NY to spend a week with him as he settles into his new place and internship. He's never been to NY so I'm excited to go with him. I'll fly back on Sunday and be here in Charleston by myself for most of the summer. I will take another visit sometime in the next month or two, in between doctor's visits. I'm just trying to prepare myself for the lovely craziness that a baby brings!

trying to break out of the laziness slump

2009-05-03T12:41:00.005-05:00

...which in this case, starts with a bit of overdue blogging. I know I've not been posting for a while - so I'll try to do a recap of what's been going on with us here in SC.

First off - Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there, and mothers-to-be (Amy and Kristin - my SIL's included!!) May your day be joyous and .. simply wonderful! Mike and I are quietly celebrating our 6-yr anniversary as well today :) And he has started his own blog to write about his plaster adventures.

What I've been up to...the main thing that's been going on, is we've been trying to work Mike's internship for the summer. As part of his schooling, Mike is supposed to work for a company, in his trade, for the summer to gain experience. It can be anywhere in the world, it's just supposed to be at least 8 wks and paid. He's been working on finding one since December, and due to one thing after another - nothing was working out. Finally after writing to a company he was thoroughly impressed with, Mike was offered a 12 wk part-time internship in NYC! And, of course, the next day his school presented him with an opportunity for an internship in England. Now what to do!?

So then, a 6wk England/6wk NY internship was suggested, but didn't fit well with the NYC parameters and so, upon their suggestion, he focused on the England opportunity - only to have it fall through due to the company not being prepared for an international student and not having a work visa ready. Luckily, the company in NY, Foster-Reeve generously extended their offer again and Mike has accepted for 8wks. YEah!! The stress of not-knowing and waiting to hear back was almost worse than not having one.

Now Mike is trying to find some temporary housing in the lower Manhattan/Upper Brooklyn area for the summer months of June and July. (Email me if you know of anything!!) Once that is settled, we'll decide for what extent of time I'll be joining him. This will be the first time in the 6 years (as of today- Happy Anniversary Honey!) we've been apart where I'll be living by myself. The previous two times we were apart, I was either staying with family or had roommates move in for the interim. It'll be interesting - especially with my current developments (to be discussed in a future post - and I promise it won't be too long before I post and it'll include an explanation of another reason for the lack of blogging lately). We've got a couple things in the works and we'll just have to wait and see what works out.

In other 'happenings', I did get to see the Cirque du Soleil a few weeks ago here in Charleston - it was really amazing. There were just so many people doing things you would have thought were not doable! There were trapeze artists, jugglers, pole climbers, flippers, people doing all sorts of acrobatics on top of one another - it was really neat. The arena was also small enough that there really wasn't a bad seat in the house. I didn't quite understand the storyline, but it kept me engaged anyway.

In knitting news, I haven't been doing much knitting. More so the equivalent of pushing your peas around your plate but not really eating them - you know - looking at lots of patterns, and sorting through my stash, but not coming up with much. I'm in a bit of a knitting slump, but here are some pictures of a couple of projects.

My finished cable hat called Clamber or the Lilac Cable hat:

I am very pleased with how it came out, and it'll go perfectly with my Evangeline hand-warmers - although it may be a while before I'm able to wear either of them with summer being here but that's what I get for taking so long to get things done.

I have gotten a bit farther with my Dotty chicken thanks to the ladies at Knit-nite the other night. It was looking a bit phallic and I wasn't happy with the way it was turning out, so it had been put on hold, but with a bit of encouragement, it's looking a bit more like a chicken:

I really like the way the beak came out, but I'm not really thrilled with the crown, I may redo it. Now I need to fix up the tail feathers and add some spots!

So that's enough for today - I'll be back to write more soon - promise. No 3 week hiatus this time. And pictures and news next time. Just have to finalize a few things at work first....

worn out!

2009-04-05T20:47:00.003-05:00

This weekend was wonderful and draining!

Our friends drove down this past weekend, 10 hours from KY, for their spring break and stayed with Mike and I while they checked out Charleston. They have 3 little ones, twin 4yr old boys and a 2.5 yr old - all simply adorable, adorable boys, and cute as buttons! But to tell you the truth, I don't know how they do it!!!

While Mike was at school, and I at work Thurs. and Fri. they checked out the Aquarium and submarines at Patriots Point. We checked out a cute pirate-history-themed restaurant called Queen Ann's Revenge, for dinner on Thursday night - which the boys loved (although they did keep calling Blackbeard Captain Hook, but I think we can let that pass) and their history-buff of a father enjoyed as well. Friday we chose Andolini's for a bit more relaxing pace and walked around downtown - finishing up with some delicious ice-cream.

On Saturday, we took a carriage ride, took a tour of the old city Jail where Mike's school is, and ended up on the beach to throw sticks and rocks into the ocean. And as they say, Sunday was a day of rest - at least for Mike and I - Susie and Mark had to drive back, and then start up with school and work on Monday bright and early.

I don't know how they keep up their energy - it took the steam out of Mike and I, and if you think about it, that was 4 adults to 3 kids!! It also makes me reflect on how my parents did it too. There were 4 of us, within 5 years, and we used to drive from Kentucky to upstate New York and New Jersey every couple of summers, in our old station wagon. No DVD players, usually only one walk-man to share between us (or maybe two, but one set of headphones didn't work very well), our crayons and cooler of food and that was it! License-plate games and pillows and blankets were our entertainment for as much as I can remember. I couldn't even read in the car because it made me car-sick. Of course I don't remember seat-belts being enforced very hard for us back then either, so at least we were able to move around and mess with each other. Although I don't know if that made things easier or more difficult for our parents!

Anyway, the weekend was fun, and it was really great to see my friends from home. I hope others will follow suite and come and visit too. I'll post pictures as soon as my camera recharges - I was letting the boys be little paparazzi, and they used up every bit of the battery - taking pictures of silly things like their hands and the glasses on the table and such, but I guess you've got to start somewhere eh?

actually blogging on a weekday

2009-03-30T13:20:00.004-05:00

I've noticed that I seem to be blogging on the weekends only - and by that time, it's hard to remember all the events of the week, or it could be that my week just isn't that exciting!

This weekend i know is going to be a bit crazy- in a good way! My hometown-old school-longtime friend Susie & her family are traveling down from the 'ville for a visit! I'm super excited :) I haven't seen them since Christmas (which I know wasn't that long ago...) but they're the first friends that have come to see us in our new 'digs'.

She's got 3 little ones, so I spent the weekend cleaning, and will tonight and tomorrow as well to ensure things are put up and away from their little hands. I wish I was a fast enough knitter to make all 3 of them a little toy, but that's outside my abilities.

I'm hoping the weather holds out and hear there is a nice Flower/Azalea festival going on not far from here over the weekend. And of course there's always the beach! But I don't' know if it'll be quite warm enough for that - I hope so though - Mike's been craving the beach, and I always think the more the merrier on the beach. I mean - a game of Boccie is great fun with Mike, but sometimes it's nice to have a team rather than 2 ppl playing!

I'm sure after the weekend there will be plenty to post and lots of pictures of cute little faces! (I can't wait to see the little cuties!!!). Hmmm.. maybe if I knit them really really reeeaaallly small things?

getting organized

2009-03-28T11:58:00.005-05:00

Ok! Found my phone charger - charged, found camera battery and charger - charged! Took pictures of hat, elephant, and stash - uploaded! Found new pattern - printed out, and started! I'm on a roll! It's amazing what you can find/do when you start cleaning ;)

My friends from the 'ville are coming to visit - Susie & Mark and their 3 kids, next week, so I'm trying to get thing organized for their visit, and make sure things are put up and away. Plus it being spring - we needed to do some spring cleaning as well.

Here are those pictures I was talking about:

Mike and I at the Biltmore House:

His finished hat, on his head and mine:

The finished Blue Elephante:

It feels nice to finish things. Now I'm working on this hat with the same Malabrigo I used on my Evangelines. I've started the brim and it's coming along swimmingly!

wanting to live at the Biltmore

2009-03-22T20:11:00.005-05:00

This weekend Mike and I headed to Ashville to see the Biltmore Estate - I knew very little about it, but Mike had been studying it in some of his classes at school, and since it was his spring break, we took to weekend to go and visit his brother & family as well.

The place is huge! and beautiful and really amazing. We took the "behind the scenes" tour, and I think what amazed me the most was the forethought and planning that went into the house as it was designed and built. Everything was thought through so well, you wonder if they're done the same today.

It was really nice to get away and see some family too. Mike's niece and nephew live about an hour away and so we spent some time with them - just hanging out and relaxing. This year is the "Tamburro Christmas" meaning we're all supposed to get together, but as both of my brothers are pregnant, (yup both - Carlo's on his 2nd and Alex his 1st - both due about the same time too!) I'm guessing it might be a bit more difficult to get together with family this year, so I like being able to get together when we can. Plus, it's even nicer when you don't have the holiday stresses added to it.

Speaking of babies, my friend who is the recipient of the blue Elephante had her baby boy Orin Gabriel on March 16th, just a few minutes shy of St. Patty's day! Luckily, I was able to finish his ears and he's all ready. Unfortunately I've been having charger issues (in other words - misplacing them) and can't pull up the pictures. I think that's one of the things that holds me back sometimes from blogging, is I can't find my camera/battery/charger or don't have a picture of the thing I'm talking about, and want to wait until I do. Perhaps I'm being too picky.

I was also finally able to finish Mike's hat on the ride up, but the only shot I have of it (due to same camera issues as before) is before I bound off to make sure it fit right - but I still think it looks cute:

Not sure what I'm going to start on next, but I've got a couple of things in mind. Right not, my knitting mojo's been stalled trying to finish the last two projects just right, so I'm hoping something pretty straightforward will help me get it back.

celebrating Lent

2009-03-01T22:35:00.010-06:00

I had a post all written out about what I was giving up for Lent and why and I realized that in doing so, I was not really following the things I'd like to do for Lent itself. Funny eh? To sum it up, more reflection and thanks, less expectation and self-indulgence.

Things have been going along smoothly lately, and I think that's part of the reason my blog has been quieter recently. There just hasn't been that much going on. Mike and I have had a few social events for his school - His visiting professor from England is headed back home this week - I know Mike will miss him. I only met him and his wife (both lovely people) a handful of times, but he's been teaching the plaster students at the school for the past 8 weeks, and had a wealth of knowledge to offer. So we've had 'beers at the pub' a few times, 'a going-away dinner' and a few other related events to keep us busy.

We're getting used to the SleepNumber, although it's still tough to stick to a setting, (its so fun to play with it though!) but I think we're finding our groove. Partially because I'm just so tired when I go to bed that it makes it easy to just keep it at whatever setting it was at the night before. I've been working out more the past few weeks - there's a friend from work who's been joining me (or saying she will and then bailing at the last minute so I'm already there) so that's been helping a lot with motivating me to go. I've been doing more yoga/Pilate's than the cardio, but try to fit in a cardio or weight class at least once a week.

There is another friend who is supposed to 'run the bridge' with me (or at least attempt to walk/slowly jog it at first) sometime after work, and I've been a slacker on calling her on it, but I'm tempted to this week, depending on the weather. (YOU know who you are, and YOU'VE been warned!! I know you read my blog there girly!!! :) We all need a nudge now and again eh? I shouldn't push too hard - I haven't done it yet so who am I to talk right?

A while back, I won a contest on this blog, and was told my prize would be coming in the mail a bit late, and promptly forgot all about it. Well, it came the other day and is just beautiful!! There were 2 skeins of Brown Sheep's Handpainted Originals, and 5 simply gorgeous stitch markers - I love them! The website doesn't do the yarn justice -so here are some pictures, but they really don't capture the lovely colors either:

Knitting wise, I'm almost finished with the baby gift as I've been calling it, and I've decide to post some pictures because I don't think the recipients mother really reads my blog very often. I'm still stuck on the ears - I made them once, and they were too small, and not the right shape. I think I've finally fiddled around and found a shape I like, but I can't get the color to work out right with the color changes without it looking really weird. After a bit I'm just going to give up and stick the ears on there, but in the meantime, I will give you a few pictures:

Here he is without any ears:

and here

and from the top (which i think is so cute!)

And here are his first set of ears which Mike said made him look more like a bear than an elephant:

I kinda agree. So I've been working on another pair and then he'll be done! The baby's due in April so I'm not sure if I should send him on, or bring him with me when I go to visit. We'll see.

I'm also working on a hat for Mike. He drew me a picture:

and I've chosen this hat pattern for the basic idea (here for you Ravelry folks), and making a few adjustments. I'm not doing the actual patterning on it and changing some of the garter stitch to stockinette,and adding some stripes to it. So far he likes it, and that's with me only ripping it out maybe.... 3 times due to my own knitting mishaps. Once I cast on too many stitches making it too bit, another time, the striping wasn't working out the way I liked it, and the third, I was trying to match what I did the first time and couldn't get it. But now I think I'm on a role. It talks me a bit to get going sometimes.

But overall, it's all good. Right now, life is all good. And that's something I'm going to try to actively remind myself - that it's not that way for everyone, and so, I need to continually count my blessings. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.Thank you, thank you thankyouthankyouthankyou....

sleeping well

2009-02-21T10:25:00.005-06:00

Mike and I needed a new mattress and after much debate, decided on a Sleep Number bed! He and I had different ideas of how hard/soft we wanted a new mattress to be, and this seemed like a great solution. We settling into our 'numbers' (and if you're wondering - I'm around a 40 and he's closer to a 70), and it's hard not to play with the settings every night, but I know I need to, literally, sleep on it, for a bit before I start adjusting things. But if you really think about how much time you spend in your bed, comfort is pretty important!

I had been hedging on finishing a certain baby gift because I can't find the rattle and wanted to fill it with poly pellets, but couldn't find them in any of the stores nearby. So I tried to figure out what else I could use.

The fill needed to be heavy, small, preferably pretty uniform, definitely child friendly and have the ability to get wet so the toy can be washed/spot cleaned or chewed on. Washable and non-toxic were my two biggest concerns. I went on Ravelry to see what my other options might be. After reading many various suggestions and looking around at what people had used, I gave up, and decided just to go back to the rattle idea and off I went to the pet store to buy another. After looking around the store for a bit I was inspired - why not use aquarium gravel! It's small, pellet sized, can get wet, is non-toxic and would allow me to fill with any amount needed - I'm so excited about it!!

So today I'm back to work finishing the gift and will be ready to send it out soon. (The recipient's mother is not on Ravelry, so she won't be able to see the link, but I'll post pictures as soon as it's on it's way). I worked on it all weekend, and it's coming out cuter than I expected, I just need to finish some ears...

Although I'm really trying to finish up all my UFO's - things keep calling to me to cast on. I have some lovely yarn I want to make another pair of smoochy socks out of:

And I really need to start on Mike's Hat. I crocheted Mike a hat a few years ago, but the 'denim blue' yarn I made it out of turned out to have more of purple cast and it's a bit too small. So I offered to make him another, and had him choose the yarn for it. He selected some beautiful "rustic wool" (doesn't the yarn sound like Mike?) in an olive, sienna/rust and charcoal, then he drew out a picture of the type of hat he wanted. I've looked on-line and on Ravelry to see if I can find a similar pattern, but I'm thinking I'm just going to free-knit it with some basic guidelines and see how it goes.

Plus, I've finished my hand warmers (and it has gotten chilly enough again for me to use them) - now I need to make a matching hat to go with them! But I want to ~~finish~~ Mike's hat first. So I need to finish what I've started and then prioritize appropriately.

finishing up and tidying up

2009-02-15T19:33:00.006-06:00

I've been working away this weekend at my UFO's and I've finished the hand-warmers, just in time for the weather to warm up - typical me, but I know I'll use them on cool mornings when the steering wheel is a bit chilly or the office has the AC cranked a bit too high, so I'm not worried.
Here they are finished and basking in the sun -

There are little things I don't like about each of them, but they're picky things that no one will notice but me, so I'm not going to fret over them.

Then I found a rounded decrease toe that I liked and finished my Thermal socks! I think they look great:

I even wore them out yesterday, and they fit great too!

Then, I have finished knitting my semi-secret baby gift, but I still have to stuff it - so pictures will be coming soon on it I hope. I spent all morning and last night looking for the 'rattle' part I had bought to put inside it, and I can't find it anywhere, so this may take longer than I thought.

Last weekend, Mike and I went to see the Old Crow Medicine Show, and it was really fun! It does remind me that I'm getting older, as I wished for earplugs half-way through the show as the music got to be really loud. I think the show would've been really great in an outdoor venue.

I have today off from work and have been straightening (might as well as I searched for the rattle thingy), and organizing and cleaning. Now I just need to figure out what to have for dinner - any ideas?

creating living statues

2009-02-03T06:41:00.004-06:00

Last night there was an event for a wonderful musician, Joshua Bell, and a party afterwards put together by one of the founders of Mike's school, so many of the students were recruited to show their talents and help support the event.

My role (as a supporter of a talented student) was to turn two of the stone-carving students into real statues! The house itself was a work of art, and the two students were to stand out front as part of the architecture. With the rain and cold, they ended up on the porch on small squares of fabric that looked a bit like pedestals. There were elements pulled together at the last minute, and I was a little nervous, having not done this for a number of years, but I was fairly pleased with how it turned out! Here are a couple of shots of the students:

We only had a short amount of time to get them ready, makeup, dressed and out front, before the guests started to arrive, and I wish I had had more time - I didn't get to add as many finishing details as I wanted. Plus, the weather didn't help the 'actors' in their bare feet, but I think it came out alright.

I also got a new phone! I've been needing a new one for a while and finally got one. It's blue, and pretty and works, and that's what really makes me smile:

Now I just have to be careful not to text too much. I decided not to put it on my plan, but I do like the ease of the typing.

Knitting away for more little ones

2009-01-27T17:46:00.012-06:00

Yep KM's right :

That's my Happy New Year Wishes picture of Gabriella from my brother - I'm an aunt again - that makes 10!

The newest Tamburro is due in Sept. and the other baby I hinted at is our friends Karl & Emily - they're on their 3rd! Nopressurenopressurenopressure....

Actually I'm enjoying celebrating all these new babies - and another friend's baby is due pretty soon, so I've been working on his gift - trying to find just the right yarn for the project - so far it hasn't worked out exactly as I wanted, but I think it'll turn out pretty cute. Here's a mystery shot of bits of the swatching I've been doing, :

And I've actually started something for myself! I'm getting pretty far on the Thermal socks, and I think I'm going to keep them - I just need to figure out how to finish up those toes better. It's not often I make something for myself really. In that theme, I have also started on a pair of Evangelines with the Malabrigo that my ~~little~~ younger brother gave me for Christmas for myself. They're knitting up really fast, wonderfully soft and I love the color, although this picture isn't that great -bad lighting:

The blue by my thumb is the stitch marker for the thumb stitches - I haven't put them on yet. I may do a little shaping to the palm to give it a better fit on the palm.

Next week, I'm helping out with an event associated with Mike's school and get to do a little Theatre makeup! I'm excited, but a little nervous - I haven't done any theatre stuff for a while, and I'm hoping it'll turn out right. I'm supposed to get two of the students to look like this or this or this. I'm pretty confident about the makeup - little more nervous about the costumes. I'll post pictures to show how it turns out. Keeping my fingers crossed!!

trying to figure out where the time has gone

2009-01-13T13:03:00.005-06:00

~~I can't believe it's already Jan. 13th! (Happy Birthday Stefan!!)~~

When I said I wasn't going to feel guilty for not posting, and not make excuses about why I hadn't posted, I really didn't intend to drop off the blogisphere. As you can see I meant to post a few days ago, and didn't have access to the pictures that went with the post, (a typical excuse for me not posting) but I really feel like the days and weeks are flying by! I still feel like it's somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas not the beginning of 2009!

So what have I been doing? Well, Mike and I have been doing some deep recycling/cleaning over the past weeks, and gave away 6-7 large boxes full of clothes and other things that we're no longer using. It feels really good to 'clean house' and let go of things. If you read my blog, you know I go back and forth with this concept - this time, this stuff needed to go, and it was good to let it go.

I have also signed up to do some volunteering and teach knitting/crochet at a women's shelter and unwed mother's house. I'm excited to be doing some teaching and working with people again. Not that I don't work with people at my current job, but it's over the phone, and just not the same thing. I went to one last night, and pulled out my crochet hooks, which I haven't done in a while, and it reminded me how much beautiful stuff can be created with crochet. You may be seeing some soon because of it.

Speaking of my current job, we're moving offices to a new spiffy place that's a bit closer to home -so, shorter commute, yeah! (only by about 10 minutes - but I'm still excited). In the move I also got an upgrade to my computer, so yeah again! It really doesn't take much to keep me happy. At the moment, there's no power or internet, so we're all working from home. I like this concept, but in reality, I think I like having the option to do this rather than wanting to do it all the time. If I ever did have/want to work from home, I think it definitely helps having worked in the office with most folks first, so when I call them for stuff I know who they are - then it's almost like being there!

I've been working diligently on my 'thermal socks' as I call them, or the Faceted Rib socks as they're know to the rest of the world.
They're from The little box of socks, and I just love the pattern. I finished one, but don't like the toe - see the decreases form a ridge up the middle of the toe, and I think it breaks up the pattern and would bug me (there's a matching one on the bottom too) if I wore them with anything closed toe.

So I'll be ripping that out and figuring out a new toe. I haven't had time to explore that yet, so I've stared on the second to keep from 2nd sock syndrome. I'm about 3 inches into it.

I have a handful of other projects with yarn and pattern ready to go. They were things I was thinking about over/before Christmas that I didn't get to, and now that I've taken the deadline away, I'm not as worried about them, but that makes me in no rush to finish them either.

I do have one more baby project from the last set of babies, and hear that I need to plan for another 2!! coming up in about 9 months (different people) I'm not at liberty to say who these potentials belong to, as I don't have complete clearance yet, but when I do I'll be bragging no doubt.

I took my newly converted knitter to It's a Stitch shop b/c it's closer to where she lives. I'd never been there before, and it's a cute little shop. They've got a small, but nice selection of yarns, and the staff was very nice. My knitter friend bought some beautiful yarn that she wants to make into a cowl, so I'm working on finding her the just perfect pattern. Something not too complicated, (although she's a quick learner), but fun. She's very good about being a one-at-a-time project knitter, we'll see how long that lasts!

Off to enjoy the warmish weather - especially compared to most of the rest of the US. There are some things that I really enjoy about SC, and the weather is definitely one of them!!

reflecting on 2008

2009-01-03T19:30:00.009-06:00

Welcome 2009! and Goodbye to 2008.

I think 2009 came so fast that it zipped into place before we were even aware it was here! At least that's the way it felt. Both Mike and I have been going full steam for the past few weeks, and it's nice to finally have some time to just ... sit... and be and reflect on the last moments of 2008.

We drove to KY for the Christmas holidays and saw lots and lots of people and lots and lots of babies! Some new arrivals that we hadn't seen in weeks or months:

baby Claire and her brother William
baby Gabriel - yes, he is wearing the hat I made him (yeah!) and his bib says "My dad is cooler than your dad" - I just love it!

Others we hadn't seen in a few years!

Like sisters
Georgia and Vivian

or Brothers
Gabe and Andrew
(I missed snapping a picture of the other brother Nicholas - Gabe's twin)

and brother/sister duo
Carsen and Keegan

Of course I also got to see my 'baby' brother:
who liked his new hat and it fit -yeah!

I also finished a scarf for my FIL
and some dishcloths' for my MIL:
and and

.

My MIL really made some beautiful gifts this year though. I loved them all, so I can't say which are my favorite, but they were for her grandkids, my nieces and nephews - she's so so talented, I just had to brag about them.

First there are the 2 gorilla's she made for each of the boys - each one with it's own personality - which matched the boys really well!

The one on the left is Andrew's and the right is Jacob's

There was a beautiful Octopus for Mike's niece Olivia

and a great topsy-turvy 'babydoll' for Claire:
Sleeping:

And awake:

It's so so cute! It makes me want to make a knitted one, so I've been searching for patterns and have found a few. It's on my 2009 list.
There were so many things I just didn't have the time to make and do, but that's what a new year is for eh?

I was reading a blog post that instead of asking what you had planned for 2009 (which I'll do in another post) asked what you had accomplished and did right in 2008! I thought this was a wonderful way to start the new year. Why think about all the resolutions we didn't do, but focus on what we did right. So...

my reflections on what I did right in 2008

In 2008, I, (and my hubby) sold a house, and moved across the country to a new place neither of us had lived before, to start a new dream. There were times, when things didn't look so good, and we were apart, but we worked together and worked through them, all for the better.
My motto: It'll all work out in the end - if it hasn't worked out, it's not the end.

In 2008, I found a job - that I like! and works for what Mike and I need to support us while he's in school. And I'm doing well, having gotten a promotion already and enjoy my company and job.

In 2008, I have ~~given/thrown away/gotten rid of~~ let go of many things that no longer hold value to me, but I was holding on to for the wrong reasons. This one was hard and I know I have more to do, but it feels good to let go sometimes. Goodbye old bedroom set, may you serve some child well.

In 2008, I made some beautiful knitted heirlooms that I am really proud of - (the baptism gown, and baby sweaters this one and this one for sure) and gave some great baby gifts that I really enjoyed as well.

In 2008, I finished some old UFOs and have been using my stash yarn and more often buying yarn for projects rather than buying the yarn and then finding a project.

In 2008, I've found and kept up with new friends via the blog, and I'm ashamed to admit it, but facebook too ;)

In 2008 we were able to see lots of family and friends, we are happy and healthy and holding our own in this economy! Yeah for 2008!!!

gearing up for another long drive

2008-12-20T12:10:00.005-06:00

I was going to start my post with an explanation of my lack of blogging lately, but then saw this icon:
and explanation while browsing some blogs and decide to keep my apologies to myself.

Mike and I are on our way to the 'ville for Christmas and quite a few of our friends will be in town as well, so it'll be nice to see family and friends over the holidays. I'm not looking forward to the change in weather, as the temperature here in Charleston has be between 60-80 these past few days and it's just been beautiful. But that also means, I haven't felt as much in the Christmas spirit, because it doesn't feel like Christmastime. I suppose I'll be over that in a few days, but in the meantime, I'm rushing around trying to remind myself that Christmas is in one week people! one week!!

I've had work parties and social events for the holidays, and haven't gotten much knitting done at all, but I did get to go to a wonderfully fun yarn-tasting at Knit last Saturday. They had 20 small balls of yarn in little muffin cups to try out, knit with and see what you liked. Vera decided to crochet hers, and ended up with a beautiful granny square of a multitude of colors and expanding weights - it was really pretty:

I was taking a bit longer and am bringing my samples with me over the holiday to play with. I am trying to come up with some favorite yarns so I have some staples to go to, but then again that will also encourage growth for my already-needing-to-be-trimmed stash, so I should be careful.

And the previous Thursday I got to talk to Franklin Habit while he was at a book signing for his book It Itches, at my favorite yarn shop in Chicago - Sister Arts Studio. He is so funny and such a charming person to talk to and it was great to talk with him & all my knitting sisters as well! He even blogged about it here. When I lived in Chicago, I used to see him at events and follow his blog pretty regularly - and it's nice to see that he had a good time while he was there. He's one of those multi-talent people like Mike, where he can do photography, draw, knit and write all with ease and beauty. I am so in awe of such artistic people.

Mike and I often have discussions about the difference between creative people, or coordinated people who can create and artists.
I classify the first as those who can following others directions, - i.e. place nail, hit with hammer, miss finger or see number, wet brush, apply appropriate paint. They have the ability to manipulate the mediums to copy or imitate the ideas of others. Or maybe they have great ideas but not necessarily the talent to get their ideas across - (I'm thinking win, loose or draw, or charades on a much craftier level) Not inspiring, but wonderful and gets the idea across.

Then there's having a gift or talent that I think of for an artist - the ability to create something from nothing or something amazing from another simple thing. Having an idea or image or creation reach others and speak volumes, inspire to create and be happy. I think of an artist as putting that type of beauty and inspiration into anything they work on or create. And do it well. Really well.

I guess for me, I put myself in the first category and Mike and Franklin and plenty of people like them in the second. I have lots of ideas, great intentions, I can follow a pattern and pull a loop through with a hook or pointy stick, but give me a blank sheet of paper, and it stays blank. I can point and shoot a camera and won't cut your head off, but it also won't be something you need to print out and hang on the wall or use as your background. And I'm okay with that. I know my 'talents and gifts' lie elsewhere and I enjoy exploring them.

But when I browse Franklin's pictures, or cartoons or knitted pieces, or watch Mike freehand or create his website, or see the pieces he's carved, I am always amazed and inspired and think, ... how awesome. I wish I could do that. And I love knowing people like that because they are what keep me creating and trying and doodling and thinking and maybe someday I'll inspire somebody too.

On that note, may your Christmas (or whatever holiday you are celebrating) inspire and create happiness and joy wherever you go!

resting between vacations

2008-12-07T16:30:00.003-06:00

It's always amazing to me the amount of catch-up time and rest you need when returning from a vacation. After spending 28+ hours in a car for the Thanksgiving holidays (14 hrs each way) I'm happy to be home and NOT in a car.

The trip itself was wonderful, the best part being able to see family we hadn't in a long while. My cousin and I share a birthday which was the Monday before Thanksgiving this year, so it was great to have a double celebration with her (a first in over 30 years I think!).

My cousins' kids have gotten so tall and big I really didn't recognize them. The last few times I have seen them, they were pretty small or it was at my wedding, which means I really didn't have any time to spend with them, so it was great to get to see them all again.

We also brought some old 8mm film reels that my dad had taken over the years, his childhood and ours, and with my aunt providing the projector, we watched events spanning from her 16th birthday party (won't say how long ago that was.. just that her youngest turned 32 this year) to my 5th birthday party. They were all without sound, and hilarious to watch and try to figure out who was who and what was going on. There were great shots of my grandparents, great grandparents, aunts and uncles, and my parents as well. I only wish that they were there to fill us in and enjoy the moment. My aunt did a pretty good job of filling us in on who was who and I know she was excited to see these videos. I doubt anyone had watched them in over 30 years. Now we need to get them onto DVD's to preserve them, as one did split while we watched it, and we want to make sure we are able to keep them as long as possible.

I did manage to get quite a bit of knitting done on the ride up (which we took 2 days to do) and the ride back - which we did in one.

I finished seaming the EZ baby sweater, and in doing so, realized I forgot/didn't pick up the extra 14 stitches created when making the arms and had to do a T-shaped seam job in the underarms, but I'm considering it a design ~~flaw~~ element and the jacket will just have a smaller chest/body and flared or more kimono like arms.

I made 3 scarves from this pattern, which I just love the stitch pattern on. When I saw the pattern I was immediately enthralled by it, and just knew my cousin would like it. So I first chose this Linus yarn which called to me b/c of the small red strips of color running through it:

It came out a bit too masculine, so I continued it into a scarf, and may keep it for myself, or perhaps give it to one of my brothers, we'll see. Here it is unblocked:

Then I started another in orange to test out some thicker yarn, and just love the way it came out - I just need to get a big button for it:

Then I bought some beautiful alpaca with just a touch of tweediness to it, used some of the Linus yarn to make a button and some fringe, and made this one for my cousin:

Here's the button:

It was fun to make. I may get sucked into making another out of some bulky alpaca, but we'll see how my other projects keep me busy.
I started a pair of Fetchings for my other cousin out of some Cherry Hill Alpaca and they're coming along nicely. No pictures yet, that'll be the next post.

celebrating her birthday!!!!

2008-11-24T08:24:00.006-06:00

that's right. I'm old. getting older. But now Mike and I are the same age - for at least another couple of months!

I'm getting ready to head to Louisiana to see my aunt/uncle and cousins (one of which happens to share my birthday as well!) and am trying to figure out what I need to do and bring before I leave. I am, of course, knitting her something, and have tried 3 different yarns to find the right one for the gift I'm making for her. (MB - if you read this - don't click the link!!). The first attempt was too manly, but I loved the stitch and am going to use it as a scarf. The second, is working, but rather bright, and may be used for a matching parent/sister gift - we'll see. The third I will cast on in the car once we're on our way in this yarn:

It's so soft and yummy! Considering how the yarn for the other two worked out, I may have to try a couple of needle sizes, but it should work out perfectly. I just love the stitch pattern, it's really easy and looks great. I think I'll be making quite a few of these (not that 3 isn't a few...) because I think I want one for myself!

In other news, the baptism went great, and the bonnet, although didn't match her dress at all (antique white vs. White-white) it looked cute for the 2 minutes it was on:

We got to see a lot of Mike's family and not only was there a baptism, but also a birthday for William! Go November Birthdays! and I took lots of cute pictures. I've put them up on my Kodak gallery, and will be sending out links to the family. William has a fascination with keys, and during the baptism, was fixated on opening up a side vestabul door with his parents car keys - it was super cute. I took a series of shots of him trying to unlock the door, as well as shots of the actual baptism that are gone off my camera! I have no idea where they went - but then Mike suggested that I may have been using someone elses camera. This is a possibility as there were a number of camera's being passed around, and I really hope I was - there were some cute pictures on there.

We went to a pot-luck dinner the other night thrown by students from Mike's school, and it was very nice. We brought homemade cranberry sauce that hadn't had time to cool/gel, but it still tasted pretty good and pumpkin tartlets that were a hit! I made another batch last night and have been trying not to eat the entire dish.

I still have not seamed the EZ Sweater, but I have finished knitting it:

It needs to be blocked, and I realized I got so far and then just kinda skipped/skimmed over the directions at the end - I didn't do any of the shaping at the bottom (there are supposed to be some decreases in there somewhere) and I think I was supposed to pick-up the armholes when I picked up the rest of the sweater. *shrug* that's the EZ way I suppose, and I'm happy with how it came out.

Now I'm off to get my hair cut, run some other errands and then it's off to Louisiana to give thanks for my wonderful family!!!

returning from Spartenburg

2008-11-16T20:21:00.004-06:00

I just got back from a weekend with my in-laws for my niece's baptism, and one thing I realized, other than I have some beautiful beautiful nieces, is that the booties I made for our friends are going to be WAAAYYYY to big. I guess they'll be for when he gets a couple of years old eh? The baby bonnet look cute, but didn't stay on long. It was too off-white for her dress, but looked pretty.

It was a really nice weekend. We got to hang out with a bunch of his family members that we haven't seen in a while. His nieces and nephews are getting really big! And playing with his brother's dog just made us want one even more. In just a couple more weeks I'll get to see my family for the holidays. We're driving to Louisiana to see my aunts and cousins for Thanksgiving. I'm really excited to see them too since it's been even longer since we've seen them! Then for Christmas we'll head back to the 'ville to hang out with friends and family there too. I'm looking forward to the holidays, just not all the driving. I guess it's some good knitting time though.

I'm almost finished with the EZ sweater, it just needs to be seamed up and it looks great! I'm really proud of it. One of these days I'll be brave enough to make and adult sweater for myself. I've got a few favorites right now that I'm thinking of starting on. On is this one (on Ravelry here) called the Green Gable hoodie. I think part of the reason I like it is because it reminds me of the Central Park Hoodie. My second favorite is Riding to Avalon, (here for fellow Ravelers). I was thinking about making it without the hood - or maybe the hood as a flap in the back. My ultimate favorite I think I've mentioned before and is called Pakuna. I keep meaning to pick up the booklet for it, but I've decided to wait until I'm more ready to cast it on and then get the booklet.

Pictures will have to wait until I download them off my camera - maybe tonight if I'm lucky.

at then end of antother crazy week

2008-11-08T20:01:00.009-06:00

It's been another busy week, but a quiet weekend, which is nice. It seems like so long ago now, but I did get out and vote on Tuesday. I think they only had one polling place for all of DI where I live, because I spent 3 hrs in line waiting to vote!! The first 1 and 1/2 was just waiting to sign in! This was due partly to my last name being in the middle of the alphabet, so our line was the longest. Then we had to get back at the end of another line that wrapped back and around the parking lot. It was really crazy. I did remember to bring my knitting along and Mike was with me, so I managed.

Then Thursday night was the Fete des Artisans at Mike's school - it was a lot of fun, and both Mike and I got all dolled up to go. Here we are in front of what they've been working on all semester:

Of course looking at it now, we're standing in front of half of their work so here it is as a more unobstructed view:

It was very nice and there was some good food and fun people. One of the ladies I met wowed me with her eyelashes - she had teeny-tiny beads on them!

Are they not great? I love them. I want some. Of course having blue eyes and long lashes in the first place can't hurt either, but I'm determined to find them and find a place to wear them and look just as fabulous!

Today while out shopping, I stopped into a boutique where jeans start at around $250, and was browsing around when I saw the adult version of the sweater I just finished for Crystal's baby on the rack for over $180! I was laughing when I saw it, but then thought - maybe there are a few fun and Christmas presents in it....I could definitely make it out of a better yarn than it was made out of. It still makes me giggle a bit. Well, we know Molly Mack will be fashionable this year! I really did enjoy making that sweater, and I think it's going to become a staple/favorite of mine. I'm going to try it in a few different types of yarn, and then perhaps the adult version is next. I need to see if Ravelry already has one on file to save me some math.

I also completed some knitting this week. The baby bonnet I've been working on is done and I've actually finished something early for a change! The christening is next weekend and I don't have to mail it, so I know it will be there on time and completed. I think this is a first. Of course, I now want to cast on something else either for William or another gift for Cindy. The EZ sweater is coming along, I have one sleeve done and it's going much quicker on the second, but I get distracted easily so I pick it up and put it down. But I've got the pattern down solid in my head so I know it'll go faster now. I should keep an eye out for good buttons. Any suggestions on colors?

2 things I didn't get to go to were my brother's Prive party that he had in Atlanta. They're an invitation only party, at an undisclosed location until the evening of. He's a chef who has a great Cooking/Party Company in San Francisco, and so normally I just hear about them. This time the party was in Atlanta GA, which is only a few hours away, but we weren't able to go because of Mike's schools fundraiser. I heard it went over well, and hope maybe next time he's on this side of the US we'll be able to make it.

Also my cousin Sabrina is receiving her Confirmation this weekend - I didn't realize how hard it can be to find a decent Confirmation - or Christening card these days. It took us three stores, with the last one being a Hallmark store before we found a nice selection. I know next time to hit up Hallmark first. I did not knit/crochet anything for her, but am sending some love along - late as usual. The nice thing about family is they know you, and love and forgive you anyway.

all dressed up for Halloween

2008-11-01T15:04:00.008-05:00

This year for Halloween I didn't think I was going to need a costume. Mike and I were going to a party where, as far as I knew, costumes were not required. Then came the email that costumes were "strongly encourage" - 3 days before Halloween!! And then I started to get a bit worried.

I have a few staple costumes that have worked for me in years past, but none that I felt comfortable wearing this year, or I was just plain sick of them. Then while browsing some costumes on the 'net, I came upon one I thought would work - Velma from Scooby-Doo! Pretty easy - maroon skirt orange tights and turtleneck - I already had the glasses, how hard could it be? Well, even in a Clemson loving town, orange is not a color to be easily found. I came up with the idea Wed. and spent most of Thurs. night running from store to store, and finally at 10pm with no tights or turtleneck in sight, gave in to the realization that it was the night before and I had nothing.

I went to sleep hoping I'd dream up something amazing and easy, but nope. Woke up with Nada. So, while getting ready for work, I took one last peruse through my craft room in the hopes that something would inspire me - and realistically, to take note of where my old costumes were. At this point I figured it was going to be an old idea or nothing. As I sorted through the boxes of yarn and needles and fabric, I thought - if only I could do something with all this yarn - I have enough of it, but I don't have time to knit anything.. wouldn't it be great if I could just be .. !!
... but wait!!

what if I....

YES!

I have it!

And with a few tips from some friends at work, I was able to pull together my costume in a few hours when I got home and I went as....

A big ball of yarn!

I have to admit I was pretty proud of myself. It took me an hour or so of fiddling to get the base just right, and then I hand wound the yarn around it to give it the oh-so-real look just the way I envisioned it. Yeah for me!

Mike went as a wind-blown guy - another costume put together last-minute, and I think it turned out pretty well too:

And I quickly learned that when I get pregnant, I may have some maneuverability issues - but at least I won't have to worry about sticking anyone with pointy sticks! Here's me trying to sit in a chair without falling off...

At the party there was also one of my most coveted costumes - Wonder Woman! I've always wanted to dress up as her, but for some reason, never done it:

It was a good time. In what-I've-been-knitting news - I'm almost done with the baby bonnet, and was doing so well on the EZ baby sweater, that I knit about 2 inches too far in the pattern and had to rip back!
The EZ Sweater:

(It's really only coincidental that I've been knitting with so much orange)

Here's the baby bonnet for a certain niece who is about to be baptized:

I'll post more pictures of it once I kitchner the back of it.

I also decided to add a small flower to the sweater for Crystal's baby - she just had her on Wednesday and named her Molly - so here's the flower and sweater for Molly Mack which is on it's way to her now:

Once I get the EZ sweater and bonnet done, I think I'll be starting on some dishcloths and... I'm not sure what else. Perhaps a yoga bag or a sweater for myself. But I'm betting I'll end up working on a few Christmas ideas I've been working on in my head.. we'll see. I do need to plan out some projects and make sure I have the yarn and whatnot put together for the drive to Louisiana for Thanksgiving. Perhaps I need to peruse my que on Ravelry again.

playing catch-up

2008-10-22T18:06:00.010-05:00

It's been a busy week and a half and I find I've been playing a bit of catch up at home and at work. I was a bit sickly this week, and all the things I had put aside some time to do ended up becoming resting time instead.

I did want to post a few pictures from the Puttin' on the Ritz extravaganza! We found a great little place to eat beforehand called Fast and French (or G&H) that is top on my list of favorites here in Charleston, we had some great fondue and cheap table wine - it was great! All the ladies and their gents looked their finest and we had a lovely time - it was rather entertaining evening, and not just because of the show - the audience was just as amusing. Here we are all cleaned up:

And our hat looked pretty fine too:

(upper right)
I only wish it had been on the table so you could see all the knitting parts better.

Speaking of hats, I promised pictures of the baby hat I finished:

It doesn't look as cute in the pictures, but I was trying to take pictures on a rainy day. I think the rain is partly why I've felt so cruddy lately.

And I have almost finished the booties to go along with it -I did run out of yarn for the ties, but I'm going to add some brown ribbon instead:

Ignore the stuffing as I blocked them! I just have to get out of work in enough time to make it to the store to get some ribbon. I will see if Knit has any tomorrow when I go.

Part of the reason I haven't been getting out of work until late is ... I got promoted! whoo-hoo! I kinda knew it was coming because they added two people to replace me a few weeks ago - that's right! It took two to replace me! So lately I've been training them to do my job, while also trying to get my job done.. oh and although technically things don't go into effect until Nov. 1st.. I'm now doing the new job too. Oh. joy. So, I'm getting a bit behind - which really frustrates me, because I'm usually pretty good about being up on my work and tasks and getting back to people.

I just realized tonight, I have to let some of it go, and that's what I was having a hard time with this past week. I didn't want to turn over my duties to the new people quite yet, I wanted to try to get them all done and cleaned up and in order before they were passed on. But I'm realizing I'm just being less effective at the new job, so I need to do that tomorrow. I just don't want to be a slacker or fall behind in the new position. I'm giving myself the end of the week to clean up as much as I can, and then .. let all the old stuff go. Move on and forward.

Next progress on the last of the baby items (for now I think) - a flower for Crystal's sweater, 1/4 of the way through the EZ baby sweater and I found the pattern I'm going to use and have started on the baby bonnet. Pictures of all that in the next post. I'm trying not to wear myself out too much.

with car trouble

2008-10-13T10:00:00.004-05:00

I've been having issues with my car, but couldn't put my finger on just what it was. First I thought it was the brakes and brought it here and they were so nice that they didn't even charge me to look at it and tell me my brakes are fine. Then I got an extra oil change - nope - still acting up. Finally I took it in and found out it needed a new transmission. Ugh. The mechanics here were so nice they let me know that it could still be covered by the warranty and I so I took it to the dealership to find out I was 300 miles and 6mo. past the extended 'defect' warranty! After a discussion with the dealership and a call to corporate to make my plea, Acura/Honda is standing behind their product and covering it -whew! I still have to pay for the service and a new transmission mount, but all-in-all that's not anywhere near as bad as it could have been. Thanks M&D for keeping an extra eye out on me!

I have been quite productive on the knitting front - I finally sent out a few of the baby things I had made. Missy liked the hat I sent her son so much, she requested one for her daughter as well! Yeah! It's always nice when people like what you made them. And the Anouk did fit Gabriella - whew! I was a bit worried there. Just this morning I finished the booties to go with the hat for the brand new Chicagoan. They're blocking now, so they should be able to go out once I have transportation again. I'd take pictures, but my camera is in my knitting bag, which is in my car, which is still at the shop - doh!

Now I'm onto EZ's baby sweater and a christening cap for a certain baby girl (I got a few in mind and need to pick one to start on). Another thing down to the wire - but I've been feeling much more productive and quicker with my knitting lately. I think I'm getting a better handle on when I need to sit and focus, and when I can knit while talking/watching TV etc.

Since I'm off work today - I'm trying to be productive around the house and get things cleaned and in order. We had the bug-lady come and spray and all the 'palmetto bugs' I've seen lately have been dead or dying so I feel oh-so-much better about that too!

in awe of my hubby's mad skills!

2008-10-03T21:33:00.005-05:00

This semester, Mike's project for school has been for the plaster students to photograph, document and duplicate one of the ornamental plaster ceilings located inside Drayton Hall here in Charleston.

It's the third ceiling for this house, dates to the 1870s and is beautiful and massive. Each plaster student chose a particular element to replicate from the decorated ceiling:

To give you an idea of scale, each star around the outside is I think, about the size of your hand. In the picture you can see spots where the stars are missing around the outside and a portion at the bottom middle that has been repaired without all the decoration. These decorations are what they are trying to replicate.

If you look closely, you can barely make out the part Mike chose - it's the very center medallion piece and looks like a sunflower with a large middle and small petals:

This is the type of work he wants to do when he graduates, so he's been working really hard to get it just right. To replicate it, he had to draw it all out in proper proportions and then carve it out of clay. The clay is then used to make a mold to cast the plaster piece in. (If you really want to know more about how the whole thing works, look at his website - he explains it all there).

Here's what he started with, which is about the size of a small Frisbee:

And then carved away, ending up with this beauty:

Not bad for his first ever clay sculpture. Puts my knitting to shame eh?

knitting again

2008-10-02T20:24:00.008-05:00

Mike and I have decided our Thanksgiving plans and are headed to Louisiana for the holidays to see my Aunt & Uncle and cousins! The have come to us the past few years for my brothers and my weddings, so now it's time to visit them! It's been a while since we've all been together that wasn't for a wedding, so this should be a really good time! The Tamburro side (which this is) usually gets together every 10 years or so for a full family reunion, but I think that's still a few years away, so this will do well in the meantime!

I think I've figured out what to make with the Indigo Moon fibers yarn I won recently. I'd love to make a pair of socks out of it, but the color really isn't right for my skin tone, so I've decided it will look really wonderful as the February baby sweater by Elizabeth Zimmerman, and it'll take care of one of the last baby gifts I have to make.

In the meantime, I'm knitting as fast as I can to finish a gift for someone due this week (who I don't think reads my blog, but you never know). Either way, I have some beautiful baby alpaca yarn 3-ply in browns that I tried making socks out of and they just didn't turn out - see blob on left-hand side of photo? Can we say bad gage bad!?

Then I was going to make a baby boy sweater out of it, and realized I didn't have quite enough yarn, and we don't need to go through that again! So I have now decided a warm hat and cute booties will work perfectly. I've started on the hat tonight and am already 2-3" up the brim (don't get too excited here, it is a baby hat) and its' going quickly. I didn't take any pictures, but I will in the next day or two. I've chosen the bootie pattern that I want to use already too - it's got a cute bulbous toe and ribbed cuffs that fold over - it should be really cute and just in time for the Chicago winters! What I really need to do is enter all this in Ravelry so it'll show up in my side bar and if I ever add pictures people can see what I'm talking about. Another night, not this one - it's too late to get going on that. I'll never make it to bed!

with the best hat

2008-09-28T16:51:00.005-05:00

My friends Sarah and Laura and I were asked by our LYS to decorate a hat to be auctioned off for a local theatre troupe. Their up coming show, Puttin' on the Ritz is being hosted by the hat ladies society are they are auctioning off hats to raise money. Knit was asked to decorate/design three of them, and as part of the Thursday night knit-night crew, we were asked to make one our own.

We started a few weeks ago with a white top hat, a bunch of our scrap yarn, a free Saturday and our imaginations - we ended up with our very own Puttin' on the Knits Hat!

On the front is a collection of flowers that have been crocheted and knit and sewn on the hat to a lattice work of fun-fur. On the sides are teeny-tiny little outfits knit up and then sewn on.

I just love it! The other ladies from the Saturday afternoon group and the owners did their own, which came out beautifully as well:

Here is the And They Called It Macaroni hat by the owners/employees (which is a bit big on my peanut size head):

but it comes complete with feather duster!

And the gorgeous Saturday Women hat:

Which has a felted butterfly on the side that I had a hard time getting a shot of:

There are more/better pictures here if you're a Raveler in the Knit forums. It was fun to make, and I'll be interested to see how the auction goes on opening night I think it is? All the "designers" are going to get all dolled up and go to see the show. It should be a good time.

petting pretty yarn

2008-09-23T21:36:00.005-05:00

I entered a contest on yarnfloozy's blog ~~a few days ago~~ I mean... ~~about a week ago~~ really more like.. a couple of weeks ago (I've been lost in a small random time-suck - I have no idea where the time as gone) which was quite fun. I got to peruse all the lovely socks she had made and do a bit of investigative math, and low and behold ....I Actually Won!!! I never win anything and I won!! I was super excited - not only because I won (which made for a really nice day) but also because the prize was 200 grams of some beautiful Indigo Moon merino wool!!

It's so pretty and soft - the pictures don't do it justice. Now I just need to decide what I'm going to knit with it. I'm thinking socks because I also received a cute little sock bag and set of addi turbos that go perfectly with the yarn:

The card she sent was really sweet too!! It doesn't hurt that Mike and I are wanting to get a puppy and the mere words cause me to swoon like others do over babies. But now is not the time for either and so I just ooh and aah over the cute ones that are sent to me via cute little cards and such!

I'm also working on the Jacques Cousteau hat I had one started. Gay over at Knit helped me find another color that is working just wonderfully - the pattern I'm hoping will continue as smoothly considering I haven't picked it up in months. Here's my progress so far with the new yarn:

It's not perfect, but it's coming along. I taught one of Mike's classmates how to knit last weekend, and she picked it up really really quick! Then she went home and I think she figured out how to increase and decrease on her own. So, not only did she not give up once she gone home and, as she put it, "was no longer under my supervision" - she went and tried new things! I forget how much I enjoy teaching someone who wants to learn. I think she, and a few others are going to come over this weekend for some more Sn'B'ing which should be fun.

attending a city council meeting

2008-09-10T19:25:00.007-05:00

This week I also went to my first City Council meeting ever. It was really ... entertaining and quite surprising. There were quite a few things brought up that I really didn't expect to be city council issues, but it was interesting to hear people say their piece. I was there to support Mike's school - the ACBA, in getting the vote for a loan from the city to support their growth and accreditation. We won the vote (7-3) YEAH, and will be getting the loan and Mike even got up and spoke to voice his support for the school. I did like hearing all the different perspectives and ideas from those both for and against the vote, but I don't know if it's something I'd attend without good cause.

Our next door neighbors are in transition - one has moved out and another is moving in. There was a package on their porch when Hanna was moving in, so we took it inside and left a note, not quite sure which neighbors it was for - the old ones or new ones. It was the old neighbors and we left it back next door for them to pick up. Then the other day this sampler was left on our doorstep:

once again, we're not sure which neighbor left it or who it belongs to. As we try to figure it out, it got me thinking - cross stitch was the first craft I remember doing, and although I still have all the supplies for it, I don't do it anymore. This brought back some fond memories and showed me that there are some really cute things that can be done with cross stitch.

Here is the sweater I finished for Crystal:

I think I'd really like to do a clasp closure on it, especially since I didn't make any button holes - but does it really need buttons or a clasp? What do you think?

high and dry

2008-09-07T12:49:00.005-05:00

Yup - the "tropical storm" Hanna passed by with little damage, and only a bit of a storm here. Mike and I took advantage and went for a bit of walk in the rain, which was fun. I thought it'd be cold and rough, but it was pretty warm and mild. It's so weird to look outside and think the weather is one thing and then step outside to find it's another.

I'm almost finished with the 'Baby Raglan' sweater:

The green and orange look a little pumpkin-y, but then again, the baby is due in October! Yes, I do know one sleeve is longer than the other, I tried it with (as the pattern suggested) and without the ribbing, and I think I like it better without. I just finished the bottom tonight, but don't have the energy to take more pictures. Tomorrow I will rip out the little bit of ribbing on the left sleeve, cast off and seam it up. Can't believe I'm actually done with this one early!

Next on my list is the elephante pattern (ravelry link - it takes me a while to find the non-ravelry links sometimes. Which is one of the reasons I LOVE Ravelry!! Anytime I need a pattern, I can find it in 10 seconds on ravelry. Anytime I have a questions - bam! find it on Ravelry. Extra yarn - don't know what to do with it - see what everyone else is doing with it on.. ravelry. Going somewhere and want a knitting shop near my destination? - you guessed it, Ravelry. Bored? Radar or forums on ravelry! *sigh* it's a little bit of knitterly heaven.

guess you have to be a knitter/crocheter/fiber person to really understand - sorry about the rant ;)

watching the hurricanes...

2008-09-05T07:28:00.003-05:00

It's my first time as a ~~Charlestonite~~ ~~Charlestonian~~ ~~Charlestinninian~~ .. living in Charleston during hurricane season and it's so hard to know when to take it seriously.

Hurricane Hannah is on her way tonight, and Mike and I are staying, and just sleeping with one eye open. All the 'natives' say it'll be a bad storm and blow over - although, driving into work this morning, I noticed quite a few shops were closed and traffic was waay lighter than usual.

I guess it's Ike we really have to worry about, but since he's a bit away, it's just wait and see time. Word is I may get out of work early today to head home early, and Mike's leaving his car at school because it's a bit more protected. Living on an actually island makes him worry. We're supposed to evacuate with any Level 1 hurricanes, so it'll be interesting to see how the weekend turns out.

On the knitting front, I'm almost done with another baby sweater - it's a special project for a friend who lost her mom while we were working together, and I have some of her mom's yarn that I'm making it out of. I don't think she reads my blog, but I'm going to wait to post pictures I think until I'm closer to done.

I had run out of the yarn for the project, and was finishing it with another similar color, and then realized I had made the Foliage hat from Knitty out of it! It hadn't quite turned out the way I wanted, so I'm frogging an old project to salvage the yarn to finish a new one. It makes sense to me - I think the yarn was destined to be for her baby's sweater, I just never knew it till now.

enjoying the beach

2008-09-03T14:36:00.003-05:00

With the various jobs I've had in the past few years, it's been a really long time since I've had Labor Day as an honest-to-goodness-paid-holiday from work - and it was really really nice.

Friday I got to leave a bit early from work, and over the weekend Mike and I went to the beach. Now, we go almost every weekend we get a chance to at least spend a few hours doing nothing and laying in the sand - did I mention I love living here? Last weekend was no different, but when we got there it was low tide, and I mean Extremely Low Tide. There were a bunch of little sandbars scattered up and down the beach where the tide had gone out, but left small pools here and there.

Further out, there and off to the side there was another sand bar, and the depth of the water in between ran from our shins to up to our shoulders, so we decided to head out that way. As the water got deeper, it was harder and harder to keep our footing and it didn't hit me until I was digging into the sand with my feet and pushing against the water as if it was a strong gale of wind that this is what people mean when they talk about riptides and strong currents!

I had always heard the warnings and gotten a basic idea from my summers in Hilton Head, but this was the first time I really realized just how strong the tides and currents can be - especially so close to the shore and relatively shallow water! We had to swim the last few yards, and it took us quite a while because if you weren't swimming strong enough, you were push backwards and out towards the open water - it was kinda crazy - but fun, and a lot easier returning.

Now that the hurricanes are headed our way, I hear that's the best/most fun time to be at the beach - we'll have to see how close they actually get to see if we'll brave the beaches during a hurricane. I'll let you know if we have to evacuate.

We also went to a party thrown by one of Mike's classmates out at Folly Beach, which ended out in the ocean late-night. It brought back fond memories of the Tamburro vacations and shenanigans. There was even a Kirchdorfer-esq episode of missing shorts to make it even more entertaining. There definitely needs to be another Tamburro-style vacation planned in the near future - who's up for it?

trying to find everyone else

2008-08-26T19:16:00.002-05:00

As some of you may recall, I lost my phone a few weeks ago. I left it in the bathroom stall and when I went back, it was gone :( It wasn't returned despite me turning it off, reporting it as lost/stolen and texting myself to that effect. So I got a friend's old phone and now have a 'new' one to use.

Luckily, so I thought, I had my twice-removed phone, and pulled my much used numbers off of it and went on my merry way. Many of you may not have heard from me and it is because, as I am slowing finding out - most of my old numbers are WRONG!!! I keep calling and hearing that dismal tone followed by a 'this number is no longer in working order'. Or worse yet "Kathy? there's no Kathy here" - what do you mean no Kathy!?! she's had that number for years!! - I guess it was time to change eh?

So I'm sending out a small phone # roll call - I don't even know who really reads my blog - but if you do, and you think this is you (you should know because you haven't heard from me lately - I have been trying to call really!) send me an email with your # - or better yet - CALL ME!

finishing the ravelympics!

2008-08-24T21:14:00.004-05:00

I did it - just by a hair, and it's not blocked yet, but here's a quick shot of the Anouk for Gabriella:

I won't say I 'won a medal' but at least I competed and finished!!

I had a bit of trouble with the shoulders, and had just enough brown yarn for the side tabs, but it all worked out well. I was going to do the pockets, but decided the 'G' would be cuter. I'm thinking a small flower in the green on the upper left side might also be really cute. (If I want to add things afterwards, does that disqualify me in finishing?)
I'm just glad I got it done.

I had done the 'G' in lower case at first:

but decided a capital letter would look better and ripped it out. This one also had the tabs on the wrong side, but we won't dwell on that little detail.

Something I've definitely learned from this ravelympics is I'm not afraid to rip out my knitting. Might as well do it right - which if you know me, I don't think fits with my normal attitude - not that I don't like to do things right, but I'm usually pretty accepting of whatever and go with the flow. I'm not super particular about most things - my philosophy usually is, it'll be o.k., it'll work out - whatever, so it's funny to me that I am so fussy about my knitting.

starting again

2008-08-17T09:13:00.004-05:00

I've decided to rip out the Anouk and start again - it's the only thing for an Olympian to do right? It goes pretty quickly and the recipient's birthday is in a couple of days, so it's not like I'll make that deadline. I just want to get it done and send it out by the Olympics end.

I've also been distracted and playing with my new iTouch, and am addicted to FireDrop - I just want to get to level 15! Of course this does distract me a bit from my knitting, but I can't be knitting all the time. I've also added StitchMinder to my applications, and love it. It's a counter for your stitches, pattern rows and whatnot right on your iTouch - very handy. I haven't played with it enough to see if it will keep track of multiple projects but if so that would make it even better!

with her goggles full of water

2008-08-16T09:44:00.008-05:00

There's been a ... how do you say it - development in my ravelympics knitting and it's not a good one. I seem to have had some vision impairment while knitting, and I'm not doing as well as Michael Phelps did with the issue.

By Thursday night I had gotten this far with my Anouk:

and felt I was doing quite well. This is the front half, up to about the armpits, to be mirrored on the other side. Concerned that I would run out of the brown, I cast on for the back piece, to ensure I had enough to do the same amount on both sides. I did, just enough in fact, and last night I added the pink to the back and knit the night away while watching the men's volleyball, MP win his 7th medal by 1/100th and all was good.
Here's what I had accomplished by the end of the night:

This morning I went to show my Mike my progress. It was then that I saw I had been knitting without a clear picture of what I was doing. See anything wrong with these two lying side by side?

The one I worked on all night last night has at least 4 extra rows in the brown! ARRRGGG! I know I counted last night and compared the two but I obviously didn't look close enough. There are matching decreases on each side at the 7th, 13th, 19th, 25th, 33rd rows and so on. On the first piece I changed color one row before the 25th decrease row. So last night I counted to see what row/decrease I was on, and came up with the 25th - or so I thought. I think what I did was started with the 13th and counted up to the 25th row as if the 13th was the 7th, so my '25th' decrease was actually the 30something-eth row. *shakes head in personal disgust*.

I guess my options are thus:
1. Leave the second as is, rip back part of the pink on the first to match the length of the second and continue from there, hoping that, since they're not attached - maybe no one will notice.

2. Rip out what I did last night to the appropriate brown stripe and start again.

I would have ripped the first/shorter one back and added to the brown, but I don't have any of it left so that's not really an option.

I guess it could be worse, but my challenge for this piece will be actually finishing it - a seeming simple thing that only I can mess up royally!

knitting away

2008-08-10T12:05:00.008-05:00

for the 2008 Summer Ravelympics!

So Friday night I cast on and started knitting Anouk, my knitting Olympics pattern - I'm hoping to get it done in time for the Olympics and for my niece's 1st birthday - go Gabriella (I really can't believe it's been a year!!).

I'm using a chocolaty brown and a deep pink instead of the orange and green. Get through most of the brown on Friday, start on the pink on Saturday - everything is going swimmingly!

Watched some fencing (go USA!), swimming and some of the opening ceremonies. Then I glance down at my ball of yarn and realize that I only have a few yards left, but quite a bit for the rest of the front side - how can this be!?

After looking at the 5 or so inches I had knit it becomes clear - this is too big. Yes, I did my "training" and swatched - a rather large swatch for me too . (Hmm - maybe that was part of it) Further contemplation reveals to me that the yardage for my wool yarn is about 10 yards less than the yardage for the cotton yarn called for in the pattern. What was I thinking when I picked up this yarn!? I know I had this pattern specifically in mind, but obviously did not pay attention to the details. *sigh* ah well. so it goes.

I do think it will still work - I just need to rip it completely out and begin again with the smaller size, and I may add some color-design elements to assist the yardage along. And so I begin - again. Team keep cheering me on - I will make it to the finish line... I hope...

playing with her iStuff

2008-08-06T18:45:00.006-05:00

Last weekend being tax-free + Mike being a student + a Mac enthusiast = new toys! This weekend a Mac store opened up here in Charleston, and we splurged a bit and ended up with a new iPhone, (for Mike) iTouch (for me) which actually came with the MacBook to replace my iBook G4 - which I guess in the world of Mac's and computers is a bit of a dinosaur.

Although I love my new computer (although my katerina email will be down for a bit) and think the iTouch is really cool - I don't know if it will be replacing my ipod shuffle. I love that little thing. It's really just perfect for me for how I use it.

I'm a big pod-cast listener - that's what took up most of the space on my old computer - I probably listen to about 5-10 hours, easily, of podcasts each week. I listen on my way to work, on my way home, while grocery shopping, while at the gym - wherever. And when I do want to listen to music, it fits on there as well. I am really never in a place long enough to need more music or podcasts than will fit on the shuffle. Plus you just can't beat the size. It clips on my shirt or pocket, or collar - it fits in my purse, no matter how small. I never worry about putting it in with my knitting, that it'll scratch or break the screen. It's just durable in my mind.

The iTouch will need more TLC and attention I know - so I'm playing with it a little at home, but until I get a chance to get all the protective accessories for it, I don't think I'm taking it anywhere. It will be nice to use as a PDA for all my info - there have been quite a few times when I wish I had information from my computer with me, and my cell phone just doesn't cut it. I can also keep my knitting patterns and information on it! I'm getting more excited about it as I think of all the things it can do.

speaking of knitting, I finished the Baby Tart hat, although I'm hoping it will look much cuter on the baby than it does on my water bottle:

Keisha helped me model it too, and although it doesn't look as "berry-ish" it still looks pretty adorable!

I hope my other baby knitting will be as cute!

waxing nostaligic

2008-08-04T07:12:00.003-05:00

Is that the right phrase? you know what I mean.

Recently I heard that Baer's Fabric Store in Louisville closed and it made me really sad. For those of you not from the area, this was a huge fabric store like no other. It was a 3 story warehouse of a store that had anything you needed, was family-owned and had been around for over 100 years.

The first floor had an entire wall of buttons, an island in the middle with patterns and pattern books, a sewing machine section and another section of fine fabrics for weddings and the like. I remember it fondly from both my childhood and recently.

Baer's was where my MIL bought the fabric for my wedding dress. It was only 5 years ago that I was sorting through the various lace and trimmings and comparing the colors of white and ivory for my dress. It was only last year I was pouring through those pattern books trying to find just the right bunny patter for Gabriella's quilted bunny.

The second floor was wall-to-wall quilting and other fabrics, appliques, trims, sequins -just stacks of whatever you needed. In the back was a bargain area with bins of leftover bolts of fabric to rummage through and a small hallway that lead to the back classrooms. I took 2 or 3 weeks of sewing camp there as a teen. I made Jams and a couple of canvas totes, a skirt, shirt and dress - two small quilts and a handful of hair accessories - remember the big lace 80's bows?

In high school, my friend JulieAnn and I had been taking belly-dancing lessons, and decided to perform at camp and make our costumes from scratch. To do this we had to cut-up and recovered store bought bras. We chose gold and black as our color scheme and hand sewed black interfacing and gold appliques over our white bras, adding elastic straps covered with sequins and I think what was meant to be curtain trim. We made shawls out of interfacing, fabric glue and glitter, and pants and skirt out of gold lame. Working with the lame was tricky, but it taught me a trick to use ribbon to keep things from fraying.

The third floor was upholstery fabrics, thick and rich, on bolts that reminded me of wrapping paper in the big department stores. It is one of the few places that had fabric for upholstering boats. I like to just walk through them looking at the different patterns and ideas. Last time I was in Louisville, a friend and I browsed the isles looking for fabric to make bags out of. I use 3 of her small bags for my knitting projects, and the large ones for my groceries and love them.

I made at least one more belly-dancing outfit from Baer's, and I'm sure JA has been back even more often - she kept up with it and now teaches belly dancing herself. My MIL has made 3 wedding gowns, and I know at least one Mother-of-the-groom outfit from there, and has one more daughter to go. And my friend bought a beautiful origami-bag pattern when we were there last. Now I wonder where we will all go the next time we need fabric or inspiration.

knitting the night away

2008-07-30T07:38:00.006-05:00

This past weekend, I went down to Knit where they were having a "knit the night away" party. It was loads of fun! They had snacks and pizza and yummy strawberry shortcake, and everyone brought their knitting and talked about all sorts of random things. There was a movie, but I didn't watch it, I was trying to get the Baby Tart done and I made it pretty far:

As it gets smaller, it gets harder to do the bobbles at the top - I'm trying to keep them loose, but on DPN's it's difficult without leaving gaps. I'd really like to try this in crochet - for me crocheting bobbles is so much easier. Since it's done by picking up stitches off the "crust" I may knit another bottom and crochet the top. Maybe that's what I'll do for the Ravelympics!

What is Ravelympics you ask? The best way to describe it is off the Ravelry knitting site:

The First International Ravelympics Summer 2008 are open to any knitter or crocheter on Ravelry ready to challenge themselves to complete a project (or projects) within 17 days during the Summer Olympics.

Not to be confused with the Knitting Olympics which take place every four years, just like any other Olympic sport and will be orchestrated by the Yarn Harlot.

Concept: You must cast on a project during the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics (Aug. 8)- and finish before the Olympic flame goes out (Aug. 24). That’s 17 days. Would you rather work on your burgeoning WIPs? Then join up for the WIPs Wrestling. All other events are for newly cast on projects!

I have joined team KnitK on Ravelry, and am trying to decide if I am ambitious enough to finish my WIP's (works in progress) or if I should start a completely new project. Of course it would have to be a baby project as there are still 4 people to make knitting baby things for - not including finishing the tart hat: Missy, Alicia, Rachel and Crystal. You know who you are missies!

Oh yeah, Gabriella's birthday is also coming up, so I need to put together a gift for her too! sheesh!

I've got some ideas, I just have to pull all the materials together, and that usually takes me the longest to do. Well. I've got 9 days to get into gear!

making more baby stuff

2008-07-25T11:09:00.002-05:00

Because another friend just had another baby - Keegan Andrew - born 3:23 yesterday to my friend Missy - her second, so she now has one of each boy/girl. (does that really need explaining?? Yet somehow I feel like it does).

I'm still not done with the baby tart hat, so I know I've got to get going on these things. I was getting teased at Knit-night because I've been making so much baby stuff. But I do like knitting smaller projects - I can't imagine how far behind I would be if it was all for adults!

So 2 out - 2 to go, and not one baby item finished here... sheesh! I've got to get working! Pictures to come.

as a new auntie again

2008-07-18T16:52:00.003-05:00

My B&SIL just had their 2nd child - a beautiful baby girl yesterday! Yeah!! I am knitting the Baby Tart pattern from knitty for them and hoping to get it done by early next week to send it out. I just think it's the cutest little hat!

I also saw the new batman movie - The Dark Knight and it rocks! It was really pretty amazing. I went with some people from work, so I'll have to plan a movie night with Mike - I think he'll really like it, and it's the type of movie you could see over and over and over again. I'd recommend that one and Wall-E as well - my top two movies as of late. Hmm... what are yours?

feeling blah.

2008-07-15T16:33:00.003-05:00

Today is just one of those days.

I woke this morning out of a bad-dream. I wouldn't call it a nightmare necessarily, but just disturbing. It was one where I knew I was dreaming, but it was unsettling just the same.

Unfortunately it set the mood for the day, and I've just wanted to crawl back in bed and curl up under the covers all day. Maybe I will. Wish me sweet dreams for tonight - I need them.

reprogramming a phone

2008-07-13T14:02:00.004-05:00

Over the weekend Mike and I stopped by the AT&T store so he could check out the new iPhone. Being a Mac-man through and through, it only made sense that he would want one. The clerk who was 'assisting us', if you could call it that, was less than impressive, and we kind of felt the same way about the plans themselves. Both of our plans are up in Nov. but we've not used AT&T, and especially here in Charleston, so we're a little weary of how the service will be.

Currently we're both with Sprint, and I've had Sprint for a really long time, and have done well with them. I can usually get service even when others can't - and to me, that's really all I need my phone to do. Of course, when I lost my phone a few weeks ago, I did have to revert to a phone that was so archaic (in terms of phones these days anyway), that it didn't even accept text messages. This was slightly annoying enough to get an 'new-to-me' phone from a friend at work, so I guess I do appreciate having the ability to utilized all the fancy gadgets - I just wouldn't say I pick a phone for that reason.

We'll see whether he decides it's worth the hassle and in the meantime, I just spent a few hours re-inserting all the names and numbers I usually have on my phone. Good fun. Did you make the list? Give me a call and find out hee-hee.

enjoying life

2008-07-13T13:28:00.007-05:00

I can't believe things are really settling down and we're finally really settling in. I think it's freaking Mike and I out a little bit by not having anything to worry about! But we're definitely enjoying it.

Last weekend for the 4th, we had a couple of friends over and Mike grilled pork for pulled-pork, I made coleslaw from scratch, my 7-layer dip, and they brought macaroni salad and crab cakes. It was wonderful! It felt like a real 4th of July, and the food was really good (although my coleslaw needed some work I'll admit - I think it needed to be spiced up a bit). We also learned a really neat new game called pass the pigs that I think may be popping up in peoples stockings this year - it was definitely a good time.

This weekend our new TV console was delivered - Yea!

We originally went looking for a coffee table and side tables, and both really liked this piece and knew it was meant to be. There was a slight hiccup when the CD player didn't quite fit in, but it just ended up on top.

As far as my knitting goes, I've decided I need to be more focused. On my needles currently I have 3-4 projects, which is typical, but I don't feel as if I'm getting anywhere with them, and I think it's because I don't have a goal or deadline motivating me. Two of the projects are for me. The Calla tank and the mobius wrap. I also have one bootie waiting to be seamed and half a hat. I just need to acknowledge what is and isn't going to happen.

The other issue is I have quite a few family and friends who are getting ready to pop with new bambino's that I need to start/finish projects for. Today I'm going through my cue and my stash and putting together a list of which items I want to knit for each of the baby-mommas, and seeing what I have time for. Then all others will be put aside while I whip these out. I think it'll do me some good to put the others down for a while. Here's where I am with all my UFO's.

1. The hat -
Not going to be finished anytime soon due to lack of wool. I don't have the another ball of the yarn. I did at one point but it's gone - lost into the abyss of travel and moving. I either need to see if anyone on Ravelry has another ball in the same dye-lot, or as I thought of last night, find a complimentary color and finish it as a two color hat, which just might work - but not right now.

2. The EK booties - It needs to go - and I need to focus on a different pattern and come back to this one. This was supposed to be one of the quick projects for the prego folks and it's not working, and I just don't have the time right now to figure it out. Shame. It's really cute.

3. The Mobius wrap -

I think it's going to be my 'social knitting'. I know the pattern well enough that I can do this while talking or whatever, and not mess up or have to concentrate on the pattern. Plus and it's just a matter of length/width in determining when I'll finish, so it'll continue when I have mind-less or multi-tasking-knitting time, probably until I get through this ball.

4. The Calla - I was eliminating and moving some of the eyelets on this tank because I felt it was a little too showy for my figure, and I decided to knit it in the round. That means I had to do a little pattern adaptation, which on my first attempt wasn't working very well. It only took about 6" into the tank to realize this. I tried to fix it by dropping down the section of cabling that wasn't working, but that was taking too long to fix so I just casted on again and started from scratch. I know that seems a bit ridiculous, but it's really faster this way. Just rip it out and start over.

Now that I've taken a bunch of pictures, I'll be updating my Ravelry page too, and maybe even changing the project bars on the side to included pictures too - but it depends on how adventures I feel today.

working out

2008-06-25T21:06:00.003-05:00

Yup. After a nudge from work with a health incentive and another from trying on too many bathing suits and finding nada - I finally did it. I joined a gym here in Charleston.

I went to my first class on Tues. I did alright keeping up, but I'm not sure that particular class is going to work - I had to think too much, and didn't feel that challenged aerobically - but it's a new instructor I think, so I may give it another try down the road. They have a good variety, and I went to anther on Friday that I am still feeling the effects of today. It reminded me how out of shape I am - which is good and motivating. They also have a bunch of yoga classes that I'm excited to try as well. Then maybe I can find a bathing suit that I like... at least here in SC they still have them in the stores for a while.

Mike and I have also purchased a new TV entertainment center/console. We were actually looking for coffee tables and end tables as our anniversary gift, and ended up finding it instead. Of course it was in the last store, on the 4th floor of a furniture mall we had been looking at all day. But when we saw the piece we both said "I really like that! And it looks like us!" (in the - it looks like something we would buy/have - not it looks like a picture of the two of us heeh!)
As we look for furniture, we're finding those aren't words that come our of both of our mouths very often - so we decided it was meant to be and bought it. I guess the coffee tables will have to wait for the next spark of 'meant-to-be'.

Knitting wise I've been working (not very hard) on a tank top called Calla. I love the design, although I'm working on mine in the round, and removing a few eyelets that may let people 'see' too much, so I'm tweaking the pattern just a bit to accommodate.

A few weeks ago, I finished a mobius scarf/wrap as a store sample for Knit, and am knitting it again in a sparkly maroon and black. I need to take pictures, but right now they wouldn't do it much justice because the knitting is all bunched together because it's knit in the round, and circles in on itself, so you can' t see the pattern. I'm also having a small problem that the needles have come apart in the middle of knitting it, and it's fiddly to get it back on with the stitches correctly. Once I get it all finished, I'll post pictures.

I've also been working on some baby booties, but I'm not getting very far. Either my gage ends up being waay off, or I get stuck on the finishing part. I've been working on a pair from my favorite Erika Knights book (sometimes called this) and I just love the look of them, but when I go to seam them up - it just doesn' t seem like it'll work right - so I haven't done it yet. Not sure what I'm waiting for, perhaps I should knit up the second one and seam them at both at the same time. But I've got plenty of people popping little ones out, so I've got to find a pattern I like and get to it!

celebrating again!

2008-06-22T19:25:00.006-05:00

I haven't been blogging lately, and a few people have been harassing me about not posting *ahemeishaahem* so I thought I'd pick up the pace - this past week has been pretty eventful, so I've actually got a lot to talk about!

First off - the most exciting news - We SOLD the house FOR REAL!!! Papers have been signed, keys turned over - it's done - and such a relief. Now I feel like we can really focus on our lives here now. I'm a South Carolinian now YEAH YEAH YEAH!!! The day we sold it, on the way home I saw another rainbow as I crossed the bridge. Just as beautiful as the one I saw a few months ago. Maybe a reminder that it is all ok :)

Last Saturday Mike and I went to a Riverdogs baseball game for World Wide Knit in Public Day. Yes - for you non-fiber people out there, this is a real day - you can read about it here if you'd like. I did manage to tangle up my knitting, take a few pictures and ended up ripping out 1/2 of what i did at the game, but it was a good time. Here are a few pictures of my fellow knitters
Vera, our resident star at Knit set it up, and it was really fun.

Lynn let me knit on her project a bit to see what the yarn was like - it was smooshy and fun - I tried not to tangle it up too badly as I had to move seats in the middle of a row.

Unfortunately, I cut off Gay and Lynn's head - sorry guys! I think I was trying to get the knitting in this one.

Beth and Connie knit away diligently!

Laura and her husband Steve:

Vera and Nancy:

There were more people there - and I wish I had taken more pictures - but I did pull out my camera soon enough.

Then on Tuesday we went to a concert at the Music Farm to see Jakob Dylan - it was an awesome awesome show! I was expecting it to be packed so the small numbers were a surprise. It was really great - we were spitting distance from the stage, and it was a great show. It was our first time to the Music Farm, and the venue was simple but fun - I think it's a place we'll definitely go again.

So on Thursday when the news cam through that the house was really sold - it just topped off the week. Mike and I were finally able to pop open the champagne we've been holding onto for this occasion.

My week was dampened just a bit this weekend - we headed up to Spartenburg for my brother-in-law's 40th birthday, and on the way my phone was taken. I left it at the restaurant, and when I called back a little while later it was gone. The part that really sucks - other than the price of a new phone is ridiculous - is that I had my phone stolen only about 6 months ago so I don't qualify for a trade-in, and I have to switch back to the phone I had 2 phones ago - which is pretty old and crappy. I'm still hoping someone might return it since I switched off service and hopefully I'll get my phone numbers back too. In the meantime - If I don't call you - it's because I don't have your number any more so - call me!!!

dragging her feet

2008-06-01T15:00:00.011-05:00

I'm not sure what on, but I've just had a few weeks of the blahs. Not really wanting to do much of anything. I have managed to accomplish a few things in that time though. Sorry I haven't been blogging about it.

Mike and I have almost unpacked all our boxes. We at least went through the ones containing all our pictures and decided which ones go where. Not that they've been hung yet, but at least we've decided and they're sitting in the appropriate room or hallway. And in all honesty, Mike is hanging some of them as I type.
There were a few left over that didn't make it or wouldn't fit in here, so I took a few to work. Most of you that know me might recognize the subject of this one - and those of you who know me even better might possibly recognize the lamp on the desk as well. Yes, that is my arm in the picture, but I cut myself out - it wasn't pretty. The picture is from my officemates i-phone - it worked pretty well - I was impressed.

At home, I was trying to do a bit for a contest, (didn't end up getting my submission in in time - my iMovie couldn't find the movie - after 5 hours of work - grrr) and was trying out a few things I had seen on the show. One of which was a book side/end table for your bedroom - which I though was really cute -

but Mike kinda uses those books, so he wasn't as receptive to it. That's alright, we've got a table to use, I just like this idea. Speaking of, I was calling him 'The Plasterer' but he said it reminded him too much of "The Maestro" on Sienfeld, so we're back to Mike

Too sooth a few requests, here's an actual picture of us on our anniversary, instead of just the food - I believe this was one of the self portraits that we do, and should explain a bit of the absurd looks between us. I was focused on taking the picture, and Mike was focused.. well if you can call it that - on me.

All I can say is that we are dorks - truly.

I have been doing a bit of knitting, and the sale at Knit has inspired me to make my own tank. I usually stick to smaller projects - ones that can be finished quickly, carried around easily and if I mess up, aren't too much to frog. The christening gown was one of my biggest projects, in size and complexity combined. But it also inspired me to do more. I found some beautiful blue linen/cotton yarn that I want to make a tank top called Calla out of.

I also bought some Bellagio yarn that I am making into a mobius drop-lacy shrug. I already made one that I forgot to take pictures of, so I'll make sure to do so for this one. The yarn I do have pictures of, but they're not as clear because of the shine.

pretty huh? I think it'll make a really nice evening shawl/wrap thingy. I'm just hoping it's not too scratchy when I get finished.

I've just started making dishcloths too - I've finished one and have started on the second. Part of it is stashbusting, another part is to try some new things, and they're a great way to do so - plus they fit into my MO (see above). Here's what I've got to start:

Once I have a few of my favorites, I have a recipient in mind that I think will really use and appreciate them.

celebrating

2008-05-11T13:03:00.010-05:00

This was the dessert that came with dinner last night as The Plasterer and I celebrated our 5 yr anniversary. We had a great day - we slept in, went to the beach, did some furniture shopping and then had a fabulous dinner to end the night.

All throughout the day, we kept popping up with little presents we had gotten for each other - which made the day even more fun - you never knew when the other was going to walk in the room with a gift in their arms or behind their back.

The traditional anniversary gift for five years of marriage is wood, and I did manage to incorporate that into one of my small/silly gifts by getting The Plasterer a wooden 'catch-all' for the top of his dresser. We've also decided to get one large gift for the both of us in the wood theme - new living room furniture. The coffee and side tables we currently have are hand-me-downs that The Plasterer 'inherited' before we were married. We've talked about replacing them for a few years now, but it never seemed to be the right time or the right thing to spend money on. So this we agreed, fits in perfectly with the theme and will be our gift to each other.

What made this weekend even nicer is The Plasterer is done with his spring semester. He's been holed up in his 'office' studying and working on school, so I haven't seen much of him for the past 3-4 weeks, but now he's done! If you'd like to see what he's be so busy with, you can check out his newly updated website and portfolio for school which he adds to at the end of each semester. I love that he can use his design experience to find creative ways to show off his plastering.

Another exciting part of the weekend is I think he's found an internship for the summer here in Charleston! This means we won't have to spend the summer apart, which really makes me happy. This is the perfect start to our next year of marriage - together in one place. We'll have some solid, uninterrupted time to explore our new city and just be with each other. I'm really looking forward to that. Things are falling into place, and it is really nice to have them settling one by one.

I just keep saying to myself: I'm married. 5 years. married. to The Plasterer. 5 years - man! time flies. married ... 5 years. huh. life is good. yeah - life is good.

at the sheep and wool days

2008-05-03T21:09:00.008-05:00

Last weekend I went to the sheep and wool days at Middleton Place - it was pretty cute. I went on Sunday and it was much quieter than I expected - I was expecting a bigger crowd I guess. I did get to meet some great people from the Charleston Spinning guild:

and they kindly let me take their picture.

There were some women shearing sheep by hand:

And I met some others who I didn't catch on film, but were great to talk to. It makes me want to learn how to spin, but I must resist. I know it can only handle one hobby at a time.

There were also some cute cashmere goats:

Alpaca recently sheared - they really didn't want their picture taken, and kept shying away, but I finally got a shot:

And some very proud peacocks:

Middleton Place reminded me a lot of my outdoor drama days at Blue Jacket, and my theatre days were definitely calling to me. Perhaps I should look into what options are here in Charleston in the theatre world.

Overall it was interesting, but I think next time I'd really like to go and take the tour and see the rest of the grounds with The Plasterer. I think he'd really enjoy it. He was finishing up papers and studying for his finals which are this week. Just a little bit longer and he'll have some time to do some exploring and playing. Our 5 year anniversary is coming up, and it'll fit in perfectly for when this school year ends but before his summer internship begins.

in DC, VA, at the smithsonian and the zoo

2008-04-26T13:35:00.007-05:00

Here are some more pictures from my weekend. First my brother and his little girl - I love the socks! Wish I could say I knit them, but I'm not that talented.... yet!

The Christening:

The Godparents:

All together:

From the Smithsonian, we have the family shot of my cousins - monkey included, as my uncle would say:

Then the went to the National Zoo - for the sole purpose of seeing the pandas. It was raining out so they were inside and we got to see all 3. In the pictures they look fake, but the way they were going at their food - they were real and really hungry!

I almost took a picture of all the teenagers taking pictures of the pandas with their cell phones. I'm not sure why, but it really made me laugh to see all the kids with their phones high up in the air and the parents crouched down low with their cameras. I was entertained.

The girls of course were looking fashionable and cool as they posed for me in front of the lion in a rare moment of no rain:

I really can't believe how big and grown up they've gotten. Last time I saw them was 3 yrs ago at my brothers wedding. We've decided we've got to get together more often. But I did show Katari how to crochet while I was there! Now we just have to get her some of her own supplies - I will be the enabler.

Here we have the girls with dad:

The girls with mom:

And the shot her mother never thought she'd see.....
Sabrina with the baby!

Beautiful. They're all just beautiful. It was a really nice weekend.

with a finished gown

2008-04-23T22:24:00.014-05:00

I did it! I finished the gown in time for the christening, and it looked and fit beautifully! I added a few stitches in the back to make it a bit looser, and didn't put the collar on it, but I'm really proud of how it turned out.

The dress:

Here's one of my favorite pictures:

Gabriella wearing it:

After I added the ribbon:

It was a really nice weekend - and not only did I get to see my beautiful niece, I also got to hang out with my aunt, uncle and cousins that I don't see very often. Since I stayed till Monday, we took a whirlwind tour of the Smithsonian museums and ended at the zoo. Pictures of that to come.

I also .... drumroll..... got hired full-time at my job!! YEAH!!! It was a great feeling to have that settled. I like the people I work with, I believe in the product, I feel competent at my position and there is room for growth - I can't ask for much more. :) I'm definitely counting my blessings.
This weekend I'm planning on going to the Sheep and Wool Days at Middleton Place. It'll be my first fiber festival! The Plasterer can't go, he's got to work an open house at school and finish his projects and papers for the end of the semester, but I know there is a group going from Knit and from Ravelry. I think I'm going to try to pull together a ~~net-meet~~ meet-up for the online folks so we can all see what we look like - but with it being tomorrow, we'll see how quick I can get that done.

knitting!

2008-04-13T11:01:00.010-05:00

Look at the great surprise I got in the mail yesterday:

It's from the SWTC traveling sock project! I signed up on Ravelry a few weeks ago - you join a team of people to collaborate on a sock.

Each member knits an inch or two and then passes the sock onto another knitter who takes up the next bit. The same yarn and needles are sent with the project so you can have some options of yarn to work with, but everyone is using the same tools. You can use any pattern you like, but you have to document it so the next person can see what you did.

I'm the last leg of the journey (which would be a great pun, except I've actually go the toe). They're currently being worked 2 socks on two circulars, which should be lots of fun, and a good challenge. Here's a better look at the socks themselves:

Now I just have to decide what toe I want to put on them and how colorful I want them to be. It was so neat to get this - like a little present in the mail, plus I get to see how all the different yarns knit up. I love how beautiful the sock are so far - each person chose their own pattern to knit into them.Here are all my fun choices:

My other project is coming along. After all the trouble I had with the pattern portion the first time I didn't want to get through the front and then have the same issue once I got to the back. So once I got to the stockinette portion of the front and the end of a ball, I used my next skein to start the back and work through the pattern now that it was fresh in my mind. It went really well. I didn't have hardly any of the problems the first time, and instead of a week, it took closer to 2 nights to get through the majority of it:

The only issue is that the 'front' or first section I knit, (on the bottom) is a bit looser than the 'back' - which is funny to me because I'm usually a pretty loose knitter, and most of the time as you work a pattern you get looser as you get more comfortable. I kinda did the opposite. As I figured out the pattern I was tighter and neater. I even did the second side on larger needles which I find slightly humorous.

I'm hoping it won't be a problem and it'll block out, but I may continue on with the 'back' as if it was the front just because it seems neater to me. That way the most presentable side will face forward. I don't think anyone but a knitter will notice - but depending on how long the new 'front' takes me to finish, I'll see what I need to do about the other side.

Mike is working on where to go for his internship for school. He has to find a master plasterer who is willing to take him on as an apprentice/intern for the summer. I know he's really nervous about it. I'm just beginning to realize that that means we'll be away for 3 months again. I know it logically, but it hasn't really sunk in emotionally. I want him to go where he's going to get the most out of his experience, but it'd also be nice if it was close enough to visit as well.
The house is back on the market and empty. I'm not as worried about it because I feel like it's beautiful enough to show well even without furniture. But as we look into all our options, I'm debating renting. I just don't know how much of a hassle that will be with us not being in the same city. Anyone have any experience with this?

Things are going well at work, and tax day is supposed to be big for me, but I'm almost afraid to say too much because I'll jinx myself - just know that one thing may be off our plates by then - and it's not our taxes, they're already done - yeah!

counting her blessings

2008-04-05T18:30:00.004-05:00

I'm not complaining any more.

Today a short storm blew in really fast, and I heard a tremendously loud CRACK! after a shot of lightning. A few minutes later, Mike smelled smoke and stepped outside to find a home 4 houses down going up in flames. 8 firetrucks later and here's the damage - it went through the entire house from the back.

This could have been any of our homes. I'm definitely counting my blessings today.

looking for more rainbows

2008-04-05T10:32:00.004-05:00

The rainbow has faded and left in it's wake an empty house still left to sell. The deal on our house fell through. As I told the guys at work the next day "What am I going to do - cry about it?" Which I did. But now we're moving on. It is what it is, and we still have some options and so we're moving forward - looking for more rainbows. Know anybody who wants to live on the south side of Chicago?

We have gotten quite a bit of our boxes unpacked. There are only a handful left. That makes me happy because when I have a specific place to put things, I am much more likely to put them away. It's when I don't know where things are supposed to go that they end up sitting out for weeks and weeks.

I'm furiously working on a semi-secret knitting project that I'm hoping to get done in the next 3 weeks - at the moment it's not looking good. I'm having some trouble with a 5-row lace repeat. I think I just need to work on it when no one is around to distract me. I ripped it out 3-4 times and finally pulled out some other yarn and did a test swatch (which I only had to re-do twice) and figured out how it's supposed to work. Now I'm ready to tackle it for real. I think the stress of the last two weeks may have had something to do with it as well. Little peak:

My other projects need to go into the mail, and I just haven't found time to get that done - which is a shame because it's warming up enough that they really aren't going to be needed much any more. It's beautiful here in SC, and I hear it's warming up in Chicago too. One thing at a time though.

keeping her fingers crossed

2008-04-01T20:40:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was a hard day.
Everything was supposed to be settled and done as of yesterday.

On the way home from work yesterday, I saw the most beautiful rainbow. It went all the way across the sky and over the bridge. I’ve never seen one so complete and beautiful with the colors so defined. I could see the red and orange, the blue and purple and green - like different crayon colors drawn in the sky. Only the very tip was hidden in the clouds. I was really hoping it was a sign that everything was going to be okay.

I don't know if it is or not, but things are not settled. Perhaps the rainbow was God's April's fools joke. Or maybe it was just a way of reminding me to be patient and keep my hopes and spirits high. That's what I'm trying to do.

Keep us in your prayers and your fingers crossed, and I'm going to keep focused on that rainbow.

unpacking still

2008-03-24T18:23:00.016-05:00

I do sometimes feel it will never end. Every time I unpack a box, I know there are two more filled with similar items, and I don't know where they are going to go. Some things are just going to have to stay packed I think.

I finally found my camera! Yeah! It was in the pocket of the jacket I was wearing when we unloaded the truck. I did manage to get a few shots of the truck before we unpacked it all. This time it was Mike that was the true master packer.

This doesn't look too packed, until you realize that this is a 22 foot truck, so it goes waaay back there. I meant to get other shots as we were unloading, but I was too busy hauling things. When I took this, we had already removed a dining room table, queen mattress & box spring, luggage and a few tubs! Behind this first layer there is a couch, 10' long bookcase, a few dressers, tables, file cabinets and all of the boxes. At this point we hadn't unloaded any of those yet. You can't see them, but they're packed all the way to the top in the back.
One of the casualties was the light brown desk there in the middle. It had too much weight put on the top, and it's front feet couldn't take it, so the snapped off. That's why it's leaning forward.
I was going to take pictures when we stopped in KY, but the blizzards kept me from getting any good shots of the truck. I did get some pretty shots of outside:

This was when we first woke up:

Then, not even a half house later:

A shot from the front yard too:

It made driving rather difficult, but it was nice to see snow we didn't have to shovel!

Last weekend (the one before Easter), Mike's school had a festival, and it was really neat to see all the different trades doing their thing - or showing off what they had completed:

Mike & his classmate pre-made a mold of a car, and then ran it like you would with crown molding for a ceiling. (That's actually his teacher doing the run in this picture).

Then he cut the mould like a loaf of bread to create the little cars:

See how they fit together!

I am so amazed that you can make plaster look like anything, including marble or granite:

The black smithe's were working on some hooks and rods - everyone was pretty fascinated with them:

The stonecarvers were showing how to make a curve:

And I got a shot of one of the master carpenters working on her piece as well:

I'm so impress by all the the different trades. Sometimes it makes me wish I could go to school too, but I know it would be a waste of money, I don't have the talent. I'll stick to the fiber arts for a while - easier to frog.

unpacking!

2008-03-14T16:59:00.004-05:00

Ok, I was going to put more pictures in here, but I can't find my camera amid the mess (that I took pictures of!!) so you'll have to do with out-of-date shots or this post will never go up. I will put up a shot of the finished needle case I made before I left. I was thinking of putting up a tutorial on how I made it, but am not sure if anyone would be interested - let me know.

My life is mimicking my house at the moment - in a bit of disarray, but I think I know where everything is... it's just a matter of it falling into place or my finding a place for it to be.

Mike and I flew to Chicago, packed up and drove back to Charleston. When we got to Chicago, we brought the warm weather with us and all the snow melted, which made packing the truck much easier. We had everything in the truck by Friday around 3pm. My MIL kept calling to check on us, and I couldn't really figure out why. She was concerned about the weather, but Chicago had blue skies and mild weather and we were headed south, so we weren't concerned. Plus, we really couldn't leave until the house was empty and the truck packed. Small unimportant detail.

We realized her concerns when we reached the north side or Indy and the snow started. By half way through the city, we were following the tracks of the car/truck in front of us, as the large snowflakes had rendered the windshield wipers pretty useless. There were blizzard warnings for those headed east of Indy, and we saw 3 snowplows in the 6+ hr drive from Chicago to Louisville. By the time we reached the 'ville around midnight, we were pretty exhausted, and fell into bed without even unpacking our bags due to the heavily falling snow.
We awoke early the next morning to a white wonderland - of which I'll show pic's when I find my camera...and we watched the snow fall for a few hours until the snow plows came through the neighborhood. The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful, and I managed to almost finish a Calorimetry in the meantime. ~~Here's a picture of the finished product:~~

I'm also working on another pair of fetchings out of some cherry tree possum paints and am almost done with the Quant headband I was working on before I left. Ok, I'm actually almost done with the icord that finishes it, but you get the point....

I was very happy to have Mike's parents to help us unload, they were a great help and we ended up only having a few causalities from the move. We had a small desk loose some front feet because of too much weight on top, and my old Victrola lost a leg. We did figure out that the leg had been repaired once before and just couldn't take it's own weight, but I'm not sure if it'll be worth it to fix it. It's a pretty common model, and the cost of repairs might be more than the price of the piece itself. Right now it's not a priority to fix, but something to keep in mind.

Now it's a matter of unpacking and deciding where everything needs to go. If I can find a good solid place for things, I will be more likely to put them back in their place. It's when I don't know exactly where something fits that it ends up on a counter or tabletop or sitting out instead of being put away - because I can't figure out where it goes, it goes nowhere. So my goal is to get it all put away - properly - by the end of March, and hopefully everything will pull together for April.

Because there are still a few things that need to be settled this month. The house didn't close like it was supposed to the Friday we left. The buyer's buyer was out of town and didn't have their side settled, so we moved up a week. The week has passed and now it's been pushed to the end of the month. We have faith that it will go through, it's just when.

I'm also hoping for my job to pull through by then as well. All signs point to yes, but it's like the house - I'll believe it when the papers are signed and the deal is done. So the goal is, by April 1st to have everything settled - the house, the job and our place - taken care of and 'in it's place'.
So keep your fingers crossed and we'll see where you find me next.

packing up and moving out

2008-03-03T15:53:00.002-06:00

I had written a big long diatribe of how much I was dreading the moving, and the sorting and the packing, and at this point, it's a bit late for that. I'm here and it's happening. It's happening! It's really happening! YEAH! We're really moving. I'm soo excited about it.

I've got to keep this short, because I really do need to get the packing done, as we have a limited amount of time. I got in Friday, and had a small panic attack when I realized I didn't have any keys to the house, and my previous house-mates were no where to be found. But found they were, and I was able to sleep in my old bed again which was heavenly!

Mike joined me on Saturday, and we ran around getting supplies. Since then it's been packing packing and more packing! We are having people over tomorrow to say a last farewell, then we pick up the truck on Wednesday and drive off on Friday morning.

We were supposed to sign on Thursday, but the buyers had some issues, so we signed today to get things all out of the way so we can still return in time to start work/school next Monday. I'm also hoping to make it one last time to my old S&B up in the city, but it'll all depending on timing.

It's not been as emotional as I thought it was going to be so far, but I think it's because I keep looking to the future. I'm even ready to give up my old bedroom furniture that I was hanging onto. It's just furniture right? We'll see how long I can keep this positive attitude though.

To prep for the trip down, I did make a great little DPN case for all my needles (that's double pointed needles for all you non-knitters) I"ll put some pictures up when I return. I'm really proud of it. It's nothing fancy, but I really like the way it came out.

So, I'll have pictures, and I'm sure some stories when I return, but hopefully all will go smoothly.

playing with Carlo and html

2008-02-17T16:43:00.008-06:00

Over the weekend my brother came into town for a wedding, and stayed with us for the few days he was in town. On valentines day I helped out the daughter of the groom by babysitting while they were at the reception. The little girl was a cutie, although she was sick and kept waking herself up because she had a cold. I managed to get a bit of my newest project done:

It's the beginning of the Quant headband - a lot of people say it's a bit fiddly, but I think once I really get going on it, it'll go pretty quickly. It was nice to have the mostly quite time watching the baby to focus and work on it.

I did not get the ugg booties done in time. I tried to get them the right size but they were just too big. Here's one next to a pen to give it perspective:

Too big for a 6mo. old. I may end up frogging them - we'll see. But I did finish my cabled baby hat - it turned out pretty cute! I wasn't sure what size it would be, but I'm thinking it'll go into the mail for Gabriella in place of the booties. I'm thinking I can also enlarge it, and maybe make soem hats fro my other nieces and nephews since they're still getting some major snow.

I also managed to figure out how to put progress bars from the things I'm working on on Ravelry up on my blog. Next time I have some time to play with it, I'm hoping to figure out how to get the pictures to show as well. But that will have to wait until later. I get sucked in to fiddling with everything and it ends up taking waay longer than I plan. So it goes. :)

doing a little jig because....

2008-02-06T21:02:00.000-06:00

WE SOLD THE HOUSE!!!!

YEAH! This is the first step to really feeling like I am moving here. We have the date planned for the closing, I'm booking my flight tonight, Mike's getting the truck... all that'll be left is - the packing and the driving back - OK those are the things I'm really not looking forward to. I HATE packing. The only small consolation I have is knowing most of the house was packed up when we left the first time. Although, as I say that, the mental list in my head of things that aren't packed keep getting longer and longer. I'll have to see when I get there what matches my imagination, and what matches reality. I'm going to go down for a full week, and Mike's going to join me mid-way to finish up, sign all the papers and drive back - lucky fellow has mid-terms, so he can't go for as long. Every now and again, I do a little dance and spontaneously yell " we sold our house!!" to Mike. Luckily he's used to my craziness. (I know those of you who know me can soo see me doing this - no laughing allowed!)

In other news, the job seems to be going well - or at least I think so. I feel like I'm getting better each week, but I'm not quite sure how to gage things. I guess a good gage is they haven't gotten rid of me yet. The company is moving office space, and I get my own office - so that's a step up in the world of business right? I only wish it had a window to the outside, but I'm not complaining.

Since today is Ash Wednesday I've been reflecting on what to give up for Lent, and I think I've got it. I'm going to keep it personal, but it's something I keep meaning to do and I think this is the thing to kick me into gear about it. I'm really satisfied with my choice.

Do you ever make a choice, and then just know it was the right one to make? I can get really wish-washy about making a decision, and spend a lot of time looking at both sides of a situation that isn't really that important. Don't even get me started with ones that are. I worry about making the wrong choice, and not being able to go back, or fix it. Then I have what someone on Ravelry called the FOMO disorder - that's Fear Of Missing Out disorder where I worry about making one decision will cause me to miss out on another opportunity. It's a wonder I ever get anything done! Or then I go to the other extreme where I say to myself, "it'll all work out, so just choose something!" and end up making a rash decision by just striking out and grabbing whatever. I definitely need to find some middle ground.

But this time isn't those. This time, there is no doubt or double guessing. I feel really...solid about my resolution/decision. This is what I'm going to do and I'm proud of it. It just feels right. I guess what I'm trying to say is that feeling doesn't come along very often, and it's really nice when it does.

On the knitting front, I'm working on getting some progress bars from ravelry on the side, but I need to do some more reading on how to first. Perhaps tonight I'll get that done - I've been meaning to do it since the beginning of Jan. but keep your eyes peeled!

Currently, I've got three things on the needles; one is a secret gift that I'm hoping to get done in the next week. The recipient doesn't read my blog - but other family members might... so I want to make sure I can finish it in time before I spill the beans.

It's a fairly easy project, I'm just having some gage issues - I've knit it 3 times, and I still think it's going to be too big. Better too big than too small right? I've heard the patter knits up a bit big, but I'm also thinking it might be my choice of yarn. I'm debating buying exactly what the pattern calls for, but I was really trying to work with what I had in my stash. Hmm. does this seem similar to anyone? Gift knitting, deadline, trying to work with what I have... Maybe I'm not learning from my mistakes.

The other project is Quant from knitty, which I'm working up in a beautiful skein of Noro. If this one goes well, I may try in again some Patons SWS. I'm not very far because the pattern is done in entrelac, which I've never done before and I need to concentrate on the pattern until I get a couple of rows under my belt, and then I think I'll be able to multi-task with it. I've already figured out how to knit backwards, which makes things go quicker, but the pattern isn't written that way, so I have to get familiar with it first, and then I think I'll be able to utilize the backwards knitting.

The last project I cast on because I wanted some non-thinking knitting that I could do while I watched the Superbowl, which went pretty well until I got off by one stitch on my 1x1 ribbing for a row or two. Not a big deal though, it's a cabled baby hat pattern from my pattern-a-day calendar that will probably turn out a bigger than the preemie/newborn size intended - but I'm ok with that. If for no one else - I need a hat! I'm enjoying the calendar - it's got some cute patterns in it, but I think the 3 I'm working on are quite enough. I've got a pretty long que in Ravelry as it is, and now I've got a stack of patterns - mostly hats and socks from the calendar too. I just need to learn to knit faster. I think that's the other reason I like instant gratification knitting, it allows me to start something else. I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow to go with the projects.

...finishing The Bunny

2008-01-28T22:16:00.000-06:00

After about a week of fiddling with my folders and pictures, and all of that, plus some help from my hubby, I was able to reinstall iPhoto, and everything seems to be back to normal. I think I understand a bit more what I did, and how not to do it again - or at least how to fix it if it does happen again!

I have also finished all but one of my knitting UFO's! I sent off the ruffles scarf to Donna today, - I did forget to take a finished picture of it - I'm getting worse at that, so a partial will have to do.

I also finished the sweater for my niece, and it is on it's way! Hopefully it will fit - at least for a little while. It looked so small as I packed it up. I rearranged the buttons, so the small green one is on the inside of the right collar. That way you can leave both sides down and see the cute button, and I don't think it'll ever be buttoned all the way up.

I've found another great pattern I want to knit for her - some cute Ugg-style boots, and I'm going to try to get them done before my brother comes into town for a wedding in Feb.

The new job seems to be going well. I like the people I'm working with, it's a pretty relaxed atmosphere, and although it's not what I thought I'd be doing, it has potential. So, for now, I'm learning as much as I can and I'll see where it takes me. Sometimes I think you just have to take what you're handed and make the best of it. Plus it's going to leave me some time to do other things that I've been thinking a lot about. I've been wanting to 'give back' and 'share my talents' and was trying to figure out the best way. I think I've found an organization that I'd like to connect with to hopefully volunteer to teach knitting or crocheting lessons, or something of the like. I don't have all the details yet, but first comes the idea, then it's just a matter of putting it into motion eh?

Last week, I got to talk to my friends in Chicago via skype. It's so cool. It's a live video chat over the computer. I used it before to talk to Mike when he was here and I was in Charleston, and to my friends in NZ. My Chicago pals didn't have a camera, but since I did, they put me up on a chair and all gathered around for a picture - it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I was able to show them what I was working on and we visited some great sites and talked - it was almost like being there!

And now, back to the saga of The Bunny...

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

When I finished writing about my dilemma, I started packing up all the pieces of fabric that I had pieced together so far, and all the other things I might need if I was going to attempt to do anything with this mess that I had. As I did, I tried to sort out what exactly I had, and what more I would need to do.

I had one 12" X 12" square that was big enough for a small baby quilt.

I had a handful of strips that fit about 1/2 of the pattern pieces for the bunny, if put together ...just so.

I had two templates, one bunny and one bear pre-cut and marked.

I came up with a third option. If I took the body parts of the bear, and re-scaled the bunny, I would only need 2 more 'strips' of fabric (about 2 x 8 squares long) to have enough to make the animal! I went to be completely exhausted, but feeling much better about the project.

In Louisville, my MIL was sick so she was only able to offer her wise advice (make the quilt instead) and the use of her sewing machine. I took only half of what she offered, and set up camp in her sewing room. I even used the floor to feel more at home.

I found that it really helps to have the right tools. Once I sat down at her machine - everything went so much quicker! With a push of a button, the machine backstitched on itself! I could zig-zag any edge that was coming unraveled, and the material just flowed through almost by itself. I almost cried with relief.

I used my dad's old shirt for the inside of the ears, even managing to catch the logo on the tip:

For the pads of the feet and hands, I used an old cloth napkin that was just the right color.

Here are all the pieces before they were stuffed. In these shots, it really looks more like a bear than a bunny. I ended up having to do some modifications by hand on the body to make it look right, and Mike helped me scale down the head.

I embroidered the nose, and added some whiskers and safety eyes. Here's the head all put together. I love the way the ears tilt out just a bit.

I finished all the machine sewing the day before I left for San Francisco, stuffed as much as I could and packed a needle and some thread.

When I got to San Fran, I had a couple of days before Carlo and his family showed up, and I sewed my little fingers to the bone sewing up the openings for stuffing. It wasn't the best hand-sewing job ever, but I got better every limb.

Once I had all the pieces sewn up, I realized that the bear body had a weird shape for the little bunny head. It looked a little, well, how to say this... hunchbacked - and hunched-fronted. So I ended up having to do some 're-constructive surgery' on the body and sew it up again. All was well, and it was finished and packed for Christmas morning:

That's me, Gabriella's dad (aka my brother Carlo) and The Bunny.

Now, only 2 more to go for Alex and Stefan ... hmm.. maybe I should just knit them something instead eh?

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~