last block

complete

color 164E

Now to block and sew... (my least favorite part!)
and search the stash for the edging :)

goodies in the mail

The mail was finally delivered Monday and in it were my two exchange packages. One from Tina the moderator of the Love2Knit Dishcloths yahoo group and this is what she sent:
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And the other from Lorri from ravelry's weekly dishcloth KAL group (not that I knit a cloth a week... far from that! This package was far beyond my expectation. I really was treated like a queen. Thanks Lorri so much!


I'm doing the ravelympics and plan to knit the brown bag from knitty for the felted freestyle and bag&tote backstroke as well as finish my cabled poncho pictured here in it's current half done state:

and hopefully my monkey socks. Both of these will be for the WIPs wrestling. I have a lovely soft yarn for them and the pattern is easy enough. I'd love to start a baby gift or two. I know 5 women who are due at the end of September/beginning October. I should get cracking and knit for them and I think of the five 4 are for sure boys and the remaining they just didn't find out (but I swear it's gonna be a boy!) So I may need to add the gift GIft Knits Pentathalon to my events list. All of this is why I belong to Team Hopelessly Overcommitted. All this has to be done while gritting down for the beginning of the school year, which starts mid-olympics. Am I nuts or what??

I finished knitting another lizard ridge block in color 156B. I cheated a bit because the way the colorway was flowing, I would have had two ridges in the same green. I think the cause of that was a knot in the skein from the company. At any rate, I like the blue next to the green. And I'll have to soon cast on another block. I think I'm going to do 5 columns of 6 in lieu of 4 columns and may substitute the attached i-cord edging for the crochet edge. But there's still time to change my mind LOL.


I thought I'd end with a few more shots of our vacation.
This first is from the Journey behind the falls. It's good they provide you with raincoats because you really get a soaking on the lower level of the walk farthest into the falls. It takes you about a third of the way into the Horseshoe Falls from the Canadian side.




There are lots of Bed and Breakfasts along the drive along the lower Niagara river. Some are huge housesand others small.



A view of the horseshoe falls from atop the Skylon Tower. We ate dinner here for DH's birthday. The 360° view of the area was incredible.








They put on fireworks every Wed, Fri and Sun evening in the park by the falls on the Canadian side at 10 PM. We were back to the hotel and the kids were so tired that they didn't make it to watch, but DH and I watched from our window






Back again on the American side, one of the things we went to see was the little aquarium that is in the state park. We saw the end of a seal show and got to see them feeding some anemone and small flounder in a little wave pool.


There's lots more photos but I'll save them for another time

las medias

here they are, long awaited and returned, together finally.... and some happy feet as well.

Pattern: George's Socks by PiaCusick
Yarn: Schachenmayr nomotta Regia Stretch
Color: 61 Olive Green
Needle: US2 KnitPicks Harmony sock needles




and lizard ridge block 11 that has been done for a long time now

Mom called yesterday to tell me that my cousin Kim succumbed to ovarian cancer... that C word seems rampant lately, or maybe I'm more sensitized to it. A friend just had a lumpectomy to removed a tumor in her breast this past week as well.

I forgot to mention that I cut my hair. I was under the misconception that locks of love didn't accept dyed hair. Otherwise I may have gone a couple more inches to donate it. Well there's always next year. As you can see there isn't much purple left in it now anyway...it's barely noticeable and when you can see it, it's more blue than purple!

finished object friday

I made a bookmark for DS's teacher as part of her end of the year gift.

Pattern: Elegant bookmark by Michele Thompson
Scroll down to 5th row for pattern
Yarn: from mom's stash
Color: light blue
Needle: size 2
Bead: wire wrapped glass bead bead package bought at Walmart

Since the yarn was really stiff I didn't feel the need to starch the bookmark. I did put my lace blocking wires on it and steam it with the iron however. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out.





Also finished is square 11 of the Lizard Ridge in color 134C

and one complete sock for DH for father's day... and on the second, I'm turning the heel.

We went to IKEA on Wednesday to get plain legged desk chairs for the kids rooms and a toy box. DD's chair is light pink and DS is blue. The chairs still awaiting construction. The 'toy box' has 5 shallow white bins and 2 deeper red ones. We agreed that if we got the deepest blue bins, the toys would more than likely be scattered about the room. You can buy lids for the bins and all the Trofast styles would be great for storing yarn as well.

We also bought the cutest teapot in white. With the in-laws visiting, we're drinking loads of tea and I didn't have a proper pot. Now to figure a pattern for a cozy for the interesting shape!

Today is the kids last day of school. They are excited beyond belief. Summer vacation begins for everyone in 2 hours.

We are going to a committment ceremony tomorrow, perhaps I'll kip there ;-) At any rate I got a great blue reversible dress to wear at the VIA boutique near my home... love it and the price even more :-D One side is light blue with navy polka dots and the other side is navy background with light blue paisley. It's polyester but very light and flowing fabric and is cut straight... super comfy. I'm gonna love this dress :-) DH bought a new suit. 'nuff said

happy memorial day.

time to get out the American flag, I suppose... take down the pointsettia... what will Mrs. M say? LOL

We spent Sat evening and all day today with our dear friends in Plainsboro. In the afternoon, we took all the kids to a park nearby and in the park were many trees. On one tree were many flowers (I know this sounds like the rattlin' bog song... I promise it stops soon) which were falling off the tree along with at least a pair of leaves and hitting me in
the head. I brought some home to photograph so I could determine what kind of tree it was. So I've posted a picture of the flower and the leaf as well. If you can help me in my search, thanks!



I finished Lizard Ridge square 8. It's really pretty.

I'm becoming addicted to knitting this thing. As soon as I bind off, I want to cast on a new square. I think it's going to be so incredibly beautiful when it's all finished.

I had to rip back on Rachel's cloth KAL, cuz I goofed up something in the lace. That's what I get for trying to knit lace when talking to family. So I cast on another garter slip stitch cloth for the way home and am about 40% through it. This one will be gifted to another colleague who seemed a bit pouty about my last gifting. Seems more of my friends than I realize like to wash their dishes with homemade cloths. ;-)

Have to post these gorgeous iris pics. We had a stormy week and my garden iris were beat up. So rather than let them die rain trodden on the ground, I cut them off and brought them indoors to decorate a bit. I think this small one is a Japanese iris, it's a volunteer that every year gets more blooms...
Love it! The other 2 are bearded iris that were gifted to me from my next door neighbor (who can also enjoy them while they are in my garden!)

DD had a school project to interview a character from a book she read and make a face of that character. She chose the some Barbie character from Mermaidia (not that book but one in that series) and here she is being that character for her interview:




I leave you with more flower pictures... happy crafting on memorial day. Make something for a vet!