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!

purple power

The art teacher at my school (who is also a dear friend) had her first grade class draw pictures of what they thought I'd look like with purple hair. She's a speedy hanger and hung these outside my door! Aren't the pictures too cute???

The assembly started at 2:30 and I teased them through.
First talking about the big picture and how the challenge started. With my head covered in purple... a purple pareo I promised purple on my head... and this is a purple head. I really wanted to take the time to drive home that great things and positive changes are possible even by kids... and they should think and see what positive changes they can make in the world (I felt a bit like Barack)

When they didn't buy that the pareo filled my end of the deal. I took it off... saying that I did buy dye but was having second thoughts. Of course, under the pareo was a purple turbo twist still covering the hair. But was wondering if we could compromise, since they hadn't met my original monetary goal, a temporary purple spray in my hair should be fair. The little kids bought it, but my older students wanted no parts of it.




After bantering, I removed the towel to reveal my purple locks. And took the opportunity to reiterate what they have the power to do... all those little pennies that alone are nothing added up to $1329.51 which is a nice donation to Relay for Life. I'm incredibly proud of them and I think the school was really united for the first time in a long time for a cause that really helps make a difference.

On the crafting front, I need to make a 1920's costume for DS1 and a 1900 costume for DD. I've started a newsboy cap and have some thrifting/recycling that I'll share with you later... It all has to be finished by Friday at 5... so I really don't have time to discuss it now.

Happy Crafting!

the color purple

is fortunately one of my favorites. There's nothing wrong with my hand... just the remnants of tie-dying 85 shirts and cleaning up after removing my gloves. That is really the worst of it.


But tomorrow, my hair will be purple. I challenged my kids 10 weeks ago to raise money in a penny war against the other elementary school to be donated to Relay for Life (their colors are purple and white) in the town I teach. They didn't meet the outrageous goal i originally set, but with one day to go and only $60 to break $1000, I told them if they broke the thousand mark, I'd dye at least a portion of my hair purple. Well the teachers in my school were more than willing to kick in their fair share.... $75 to be exact... but I didn't let the kids know... if each kid brought in 10 pennies, we would break the $60 that they thought they needed. That's the announcement I made Thursday just before dismissal. The local grocery store donated $100.... but my students brought in, IN ONE DAY, $214 and change.... and almost all of that was in pennies!!!!

This is to kick off the joint elementary chorus concert that will take place next Tuesday and the them is We Can Make A Difference.
The repertoire:

• Get On Your Feet
  
• With My Own Two Hands - from the Curious George movie
  
• Turn The World Around
  
• Child of the Universe
  
• Under the Same Sun
  
• Bridges
  
• We Are the World
  
• Ripple - my principal's request
  
• One Small Step
  
• Gonna Build High Hopes - my arrangement of High Hopes and Gonna Build a Mountain
  
• Cantare Cantaras
  
• Give A Little Love
  
• I am but a Small Voice
  
• Power of One by Bomshel

Most of these songs are taken directly from the music text we use by Silver Burdett
Making Music series but there are a few we stuck in that aren't that fit the bill as well.

The kids are so psyched. I'm a bit nervous but hope they'll sing well... this is our first joint effort. I have to play guitar on With my own 2 hands and piano on We are the World. I don't mind either... but am taking my own guitar so my fingers aren't bloody stubs when I finish... because the piano at the school we're going will certainly finish them off... the action is unbearably poor, way to stiff for my taste.

OK... off to knit a newsboy hat for DS1's music concert. I have to put their costumes together in 2 days... He's to dress like the 1920s and DD like the 1900s... I'll put pictures up of how I accomplish that... I'm a bit excited. Just wish I had started earlier... but that sums me up!!!!!

happy crafting