was dying but looks like I may live..

Okay so I have been god awful sick for days on end now and I am probably going to live though. My sister in law came over and gave me this respiratory crud that resulted in me making a trip to cub in my nick and nora airstream and flamingo pj pants and getting many looks of "should I call some one she clearly has escaped some where" and then the hacking would start I am pretty sure everyone was throwing respiratory masks in their cart lol.

anyway I finished my 5th ave infinity scarf and let me tell you if I had to leave my husband for a yarn it would be this malabrigo kaledoes yarn it is beautiful. I love it sooo much. It is blocking right now after a bath in soak so that it will be less rolly.


I also knit my sister a pair of Susie's reading mitts that I adore. I love them so much I made them out of the vintage wool in lilacs. They are great. I am going to knit my self some asap. but first I think I will knit my sister a hat out of the left over malabrigo.

I also knit her a suds o plenty by danido and filled it with a yummy hand made (not by me) vanilla and oatmeal soap

Here are some pics from the trip to see Santa the other day. It is the coolest thing I have seen in a while. Who ever does this and makes their house a wonder for all the boys and girls thanks you soo much. There are tons of stuffed animals on rides and a path all the way around the house in the back there was a fire and a tv with the vikings games on the patio and a toy for tots box. There also was a coloring contest my kids had to enter here is the pics of them hard at work.



This is a random pic of fire monster caught causing trouble. Her tally has gone down allot nothing horribly new to report. Well I have to get dressed as my hubby will be home soon and I am still in my pjs and looking horrible still from being sick. I could at least get dressed though lol. We have some wrapping to do and I have a hat to knit. :) merry Christmas to all my real and imaginary friends.

Well the weekend has treated us well. We spend yesterday at my sisters for family dinner which we do once a week. I come from a large family and we grew up in Washington state. Four of us siblings live here now in MN. So there are 5 cousins ( our little ones)8 adults with our husbands and wife's and there are the adopted ones who we have made members lol Sid (a old vet) and lawna our fake sister. We have a house full. We had fajitas and a good time. The boys watch football and we girls have a glass of wine and play canasta or what ever and cooke our butts off I did two haircuts for the nephews. It is a good time.

It was sorta nice because there has been some strain there between my brother and his new and the rest of the family but she seemed to be making a attempt to fit in better and it was nice not to have such a elephant in the room (lol not that I am calling her a elephant) There is just something great about spending time with my sisters and being in the kitchen cooking and talking and laughing it is soo great and watching our kids play and fight and grow together. It just makes me soooo happy. Our children are all soo close and I enjoy knowing they will grow with this tradition and such a sense of family.

These are the great stocking my sister made for my girls the pink and purple sparkly one in fire monsters and the multicolored snoopy one is monkey butts she made them different on each side her other side has owls and monsters other side has stripes going the opposite direction and more pink they are great. That girl needs a etsy lol :)



Then today we got up and cleaned until lunch then I painted the girls nails. Me and my hubby decided painting my toe nails for me would be a great Christmas gift. He used to do it all the time when I was pregnant with Evea. I am picky having gone to school for cosmetology but he is very good and he does base coat, two coats color, and a top coat. The polish was getting thick time for a new bottle though lol.


The he took the girls out to sled for a bit and I came in early and heated up every ones rice bags and a tea kettle for cocoa and cider. We are all doing our own things now and in a bit we will go out to look at a few lights and see Santa at a very very festively decorated house in out neighborhood. :) It has been a pretty darn nice weekend if I don't say so my self.


This is the girls enjoying my wrap. Oh and I haven't really got anything to add to the tally of what the goat ate this weekend although she did mistake a glue stick for a chap stick yesterday and rubbed it all over her face and hands and there was even a few chunks in her hair. It made for a interesting hair do by the end of the day.



I finished monkey butts mittens I will take some pics tomorrow after they dry from sledding and I have started my 5th ave scarf can't wait for it to be done. I am almost done with all the presents I have two left to buy and I am not sure what to do for my sister I need at least one more gift for one of them. Any great ideas she has no crafting talent but loves to be spoiled and girlie and decadent. My one sis got two hats a rice bag and a full foil and haircut. The other only has a corn bag so far I was going to make a snuggie but she doesn't want one mmmm what to do?

Well off to knit give me some ideas if anyone is reading.

ps very sad news britney murphy died today rip brit

mmmmm new yarn...

Well I got to go on a nice little outing to my favorite lys today knitters palette and got some yummy new yarns I am super excited about and also got to sit around and knit for a few minutes with a few lovely ladies. I always love going there sooo much and love when I get to curl up in pams cozy shop and knit a few minutes it is soooo homey. :) The staff is great to. Love them to pieces.

Well here is the yummy new stuff I got


This is going to be MY 5th ave infinity scarf I can hardly wait. It is malabrigo worsted mmm




This is going to be mittens for me I am not positive what pattern yet I will keep you posted it is berroco vintage wool a fav.



After such a cozy time I came home and decided to embrace my minnesotaness and whipped up some tater tot hot dish lol. I can't even recall the last time I made it but I don't stick to the hot dish rules some do I did hamburger a can of corn and one for green beans (because that is what i had in the cupboard) and a bit of rice ( because i like it that way) of coarse cream of mushroom soup and some cheese then tater tots. The goat ate sooo much. I was whipping up the table after dinner and had to literally fight her over a few kernels of corn that were on the table lol.



I was really wishing I had the movie new in town to watch after that but alas it was 20/20 and finishing up the fist of the set of monkey butts mittens. I was up re charting late into the night last night and got it all worked out hey are on size 6 needles since I knit fairisle soooo tight and are much better still a bit pouchy since i am still learning but better. I am half way through mitten two now.




Oh as for the kitten situation our land lord is out of the office until Monday so keep your fingers crossed I think the girls would love that sooooo much. hmm what else the goats eating tally as of today I can only think of a hair rubber band so we are looking pretty darn good. Monkey butt is off spending the night with her cousins and auntie and will no doubt come home spoiled rotten and in rare form tomorrow. Well i can hear the hubby's snoring beckoning me to come to bed off I go good night people

mittens mittens every where...

Okay so last week my husband was complaining to me that fire monster/goats mittens were falling off when they were playing in the snow and since apparently we live in the Arctic abyss we all need to have every inch of our body covered at all times to stave off frost bite that just won't do. So I got to work devising mittens that will hold tight to those naughty little hands. They have a button at the cuff to help hook them tight. I used the rest of the skein of softy for this one and still have some left over that is four toddler mittens now. So without further adu here is the pattern tentatively titled

The fire monster mittens.

size 4 needles
regia softy
Co 32 stitches
do not join in round yet
r1-4 k
r5 k2, (using one row button hole method create the button hole binding off two stitches adding 3 then knit til end if you are unfamiliar with this method to get the full effect I recommend watching it once on knitting help)
r6-10 k
join in round
r11-14 k
r15 k16.bl,k2, bl,k14
r16 and every other k
r17k16.bl,k4,bl,k14
r19 k16.bl,k6,bl,k14
r21 k16.bl,k8,bl,k14
r23 k16.bl,k10,bl,k14
r25 k16,place 12 on waist yarn for thumb and continue knitting in round
r26-36k
r37 ssk,k11,k2tog,ssk,k11,k2tog
r38every other knit
r39 ssk,k9,k2tog,ssk,k9,k2tog
r41 ssk,k7,k2tog,ssk,k7,k2tog
r43 ssk,k5,k2tog,ssk,k5,k2tog
r45 ssk,k3,k2tog,ssk,k3,k2tog
r46k
cut yarn and kitchner stitch last stitches

thumb
pick up the 12 stitches from waist yarn plus pick up two where join is then knit the stitches knitting the two picked up stitches together with the ones beside them bringing you back to 12 stitches this will help prevent holes
r2-6 k
r7 k2tog around cut yarn draw through and pull

for the opposite hand work the button hole on row 6 instead of 5 that will help the buttons be on the correct sides.

sew on buttons where they will make them fit the child snug enough to stay on and you are good to go

I hope you like them

On to the next thing I attempted to make monkey butt a mitten pattern today too but they wound up to small I am going back to the drawing board with my graph paper out and will add stitches and go up a few needle sizes to boot. Here is the work so far. These ones are by a papermate pen to give you a size idea they fit firemonster now so more of a two t. Oh well.






Other then that I got to watch inglorious bastards with my hubby and got one more dish cloth out of the way for my sister. But probably the most exciting news of the day is we may be getting a kitten for the girls for Christmas we have one all lined up I have to call our land lord in the morning and see if we can have another but I am very very excited about this whole thing. I am trying not to be in case it doesn't work out but I know both the girls and naughty will be sooo excited he gets bored I think he was always better off with other animals I think. So we will see tomorrow they have no clue just in case we are keeping it a surprise. So there keep you fingers crossed for a kitty.

here we go...

I have been waiting all day for this people :) After a long day of sitting around with the kids and husband and having basically no interaction I find that it is great to pretend that someone actually cares what I have to say so I store it all in my head hop on the computer at the end of the day and pretend that anyone is actually listening to all my ranting and weirdness. So needless to say I have lots of things to talk to my self about tonight lol.

First off I have a new arch enemy my living room blinds which hate me I know it. No matter how much i fuss with them and baby them they never line up right and they always have gaps and then fire monster/goat walks through them and the work is all for not. sigh. Not to mention the stress of being behind on my orders for work which is killlllling me I hate that sooo much. My phone is ringing off the hook with women desperate for lubricants and bedroom accessories.

I can not for the life of me find a book that I can get into. I have been reading lots lately flew through all the Charlaine Harris sookie stackhouse novels and one Harper connely (not as good) read dear john my next movie book club book with my sister in law, I read all the immortal instruments series. I have nothing left I can get into I have tried the uglies and the first 50 pages have drug sooo bad. I have numerous others I just can't get hooked any ideas??


This is the 5th ave infinity scarf i finished for my sis in law that is being blocked into submission right now

I have also decided to add a new regular thing to my blog the list of things the firemonster/goat ate/tried to eat for the day. Today so far the list looks a little something like this:1 hand strengthen putty 2 chap stick 3 the cats toy ball. I need a ticker like the have at work places only it will count down the days with out calls to poison control she just won't learn and no where is safe from the climbing tricky little spider monkey!!!



so there are my rants for the day on to the good stuff. The girls have a new love... the gummy bears a childhood favorite of mine and it has stood up to the test of time pretty darn well better the care bears I will tell you that. It has been fun we get the discs from netflicks and they are really long and last us days. :)



I love that I put my first pattern up on my blog and i linked it to ravelry as a free pattern for anyone who will suffer through my blog (ha ha ha). I am very proud of it and as you can imagine my family was sooo thrilled and happy for me (not really they have no clue what I am talking about at all and changed the subject) I have made up patterns always but this is the first time that I have shared one in anyway.

I also spent allot of time cleaning and getting my house work done today and did the dusting that my husband neglected to get done yesterday. I have been working on the mitten pattern for evea that my husband requested to hook her mittens on so they don't fall off all the time (not that the other ones do) I will probably be done tomorrow. But thanks to one of my favorite things ever knitting help I learned to do a one row button hole which is magical and I love so we can all look forward to that little treasure in the next pattern. :)


This is the owl hat (who) I made for my sisters friend jackie

So let me share one more little story with you guys last Monday monkey butt woke up on the wrong side of the bed. She usually is a pretty easy going kid not prone to many fits but when she throws one she holds back no punches it is a nasty knock down drag out fit that involves kicking screaming at the top of her lungs and what not. She does know how to throw them. and last Monday morning was one of THE FITS. She was in a time out sitting at the end of out kitchen hall and I was probably screaming and threatening with torturous death having had my buttons pushed in 800 different ways the last of which was throwing a crayon at me.

The neighbor came and knocked on the door to check and "make sure everything was okay" me now mortified because clearly the neighbor who is 50 has one dog and no husband or children doesn't understand that my child is screaming out of anger not because she is being stabbed with hot needles is the eye like it clearly sounds like. So after reassuring the neighbor that everything is fine my daughter learned a valuable lesson that day. after the time out I took down two Christmas presents made her unwrap them so she could see what she would have received and then we went and donated them to toys for tots to a child who no doubt needs them more then my ungratefully fit throwing child who btw hasn't given me so much as a peep of trouble since. and I also made her go apologise to the neighbor for "scaring her dog" so much she had to come check on her and reassure her that she will be quiet in her time outs from now on.

btw the neighbor I am pretty sure probably still thinks we are monsters who torture our children and keep them in cages when we aren't beating them but that is her problem lolI am just happy to have my girl back to her normal self. I swear it must have been a full moon or something.

Doesn't look like this sweet girl could cause all that trouble does it.



did I tell you the cat right at home already lol

butter mittens

Well I didn't make it to my Christmas party last night which really sucks but nothing I can change so moving on. I did get to watch public enemy's during which I got knitting one of the dish cloths knit for my sister (she requested some for Christmas don't ask)


I watched Julie and Julia which I absolutely loved it was cute. I just love Amy Adams. She is great. I got up in the middle of the night for toast while watching it because it made me want butter soo bad lol. It was very good and I am not a Julia child's fan I always thought she was sorta creepy lol.

This morning I got up got my coffee (and more toast) and even though the husband was cranky and whining and taking for ever to do everything and the kids were under foot and driving me crazy I got my day going the right way by washing and folding numerous loads of laundry stripping sheets getting clean sheets on all three beds and getting the old ones washed and I managed to bake some wonderful pumpkin cinnamon chip cookies (which might I add I got from Leslie friends blog a friend to knit with who i totally heart btw and the cookies are sooo delish) durning the process of doing laundry and sheets and also made lunch went over 9 spelling words with monkey butt ,made flash cards, and had a few books read to me. (might I add that while I did all of this plus cook and cleaned up breakfast my husband only managed to get in his fantasy football picks and go through a tiny stack of papers and two small not very messy desk drawers!!!!but was busy the whole two hours) Does this only happen at my home where it takes my husband ten times the amount of time to accomplish anything? It is ridiculous some days.




Anyway I was very relieved when the cranky husband and monkey butt were off to do there share for the day I finished up cleaning up after lunch and sat down to watch some more true blood and knit up these lovely little buggers..





I call them the butter mittens they are toddler size made out of us 4 needles and regia softy yarn. It took just under half a skein to knit them up. I co 32 stitches joined in the round
10 rows of ktbl,k
rows 1-4 k
left mitten row 5 k16 ,pm, bl k2 bl,pm, k14 right mitten k14, pm bl, k2, bl, pm, k16
row 6 k
and increase two stitches after markers every other row until you have 12 stitches between markers then knit one more row
next row knit to marker place those 12 stitches between on waist yarn and knit right past them.
knit 12 rows of st. st.
left mitten
k1, ssk, k9, k2tog, k2, ssk, k9, k2tog, k1
k1 row
k1,ssk, k7, k2tog, k2, ssk, k7, k2tog, k1
k1row
k1,ssk, k5, k2tog, k2, ssk, k5, k2tog, k1
k1 row
k1,ssk, k3, k2tog, k2, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1
k1 row
sew the rest together kitchner stitch
right mitten knit four stitches move to other needle then
k1, ssk, k9, k2tog, k2, ssk, k9, k2tog, k1 (make sure to shift stitches so they are even on needles as you go)
k1 row
k1,ssk, k7, k2tog, k2, ssk, k7, k2tog, k1
k1row
k1,ssk, k5, k2tog, k2, ssk, k5, k2tog, k1
k1 row
k1,ssk, k3, k2tog, k2, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1
k1 row
then kitchner stitch closed

They make the most lovely mittens ever any little kid would love :)

pick up 12 thumb stitches plus two through the joining place and knit them together with the other stitches so you still have 12 stitches.

knit 7 rounds st st
k2tog all around then break yarn thread through and pull closed :)

here are my messy abbreviations (st st= stockenet stitch pm=place marker k=knit bl= add stitch by backward loop k2tog=knit two togather ssk=slip slip knit)

If any one actually knits these please let me know and let me know how you like them :)

I think my next feat is to knit a pair of mittens that stay on I have some ideas I will keep you posted :) as for me I am off to watch some tv and maybe have cocoa and one of my wonderful cookies. I can't wait. Now lets all hope that my lovely hubby comes back the great guy that I love and things will be better ;)

favorite time of day.

This is one of my favorite times of day. Monkey butt has gone off to kindergarten and Ben is off to work. Even my little fire monster enjoys this time of day. She likes to curl up on her sisters bed and pick a movie and sit there relaxing with no one to boss her around. She can not even be talked into snuggling in the living room and watching a movie.




I finish my chores up get things in order and relax some where cozy to read or watch tv and knit. Today it is my bed and season one of true blood calling my name. :) I use my every way wrap to snuggle up which I absolutely love love love. I made it from vintage wool one of my new favs. I am working on my sis in laws foliage and am worried there isn't going to be enough yarn!!!




Here are some pics of the lovely every way wrap from interweave. Love it soooooo much. I wear it as a vest allot or just curl up on the couch to keep my shoulders warm. :)


This is what you get with a cell phone and a 6 year old photographer lol but you get the picture sorta.

Anyway off to snuggle in and watch my true blood and finish up some Christmas present. I have to head out this evening to a pure romance team meeting and Christmas party which I am sure will be a absolute blast and will lift my spirits. :) I have been a bit stressed which is normal for this time of year Christmas below zero weather and the adjustment of my husband being laid off and trading to his winter job. I forgot how that is in the beginning we haven't dealt with it in a few years :) anyway. I can use a great Christmas party with tons of fun girls and laughs to drag me out of my crazy laundry and knitting shut in world where it is just me the two year old and cat. This should be just that :)

Well off to get some work done before I get gussied up for the party. :)

Well hello there long time no see...

I am back at long last. I have been very busy. So much has changed in the YEAR since I posted. I have been a busy girl. I no longer am working for a certain cell phone carrier. I stay home with my two girls and am in the direct sales industry selling pure romance products. I am home all but a few hours a month. Much better whew. We just moved into a bigger place a town home which is still a suburb or the twin cities. My monkey butt has a new school which she is in kindergarten at and doing absolutely great at she is doing wonderful. :) As for the fire monster just as fiery as ever. She just turned two and makes me crazy I am90% sure she snuck onto the fridge this morning and got down the advent calenders and ate more of her sisters days!!! She is way tooo good at climbing and my sister nick names her the goat. Over the weekend she ate a eraser a eggshell many other more edible things and I thought she ate one of my skull candy ear bud things because I found one in her mouth and one was still missing but I found the other was a close call though!!!

We also had my nephew cal over the weekend who I love to pieces over the last year he has been diagnosed with autism and he has grown leaps and bounds. So was a busy weekend... but lets get down to the business. I have been knitting til my hands go nub lol.


Okay so these are the presents I have been working on for the at present. These are the finished ones I still have possession of I have three hats that are gone already :)

This is a fifth avenue infinity scarf made out of loiusa harding kashmir. I love the yarn, love the scarf it is great pattern was a bit hard to handle at first but I can see another in my future :) but this one is my sister in law.

This is not knitting but a craft non the less and way more of a challenge for me this is a rice bag I added some sleepy time herbal tea to make it smell nice and make it better for the sinus's and I sewed the rice in little compartments to keep it from spreading too much. This is for my niece Megan who is 12. There were more made but none turned out nice enough to show to the public. damn it Jim I am a knitter not a sewer!!!


These are lovely. They are the pattern toast which love love love and read her blog every day. there are two pairs out of vintage wool and one out of misty hand painted alpaca. I love them and i made little thumb holes in case they would like to stick their thumbs through. :) I made little changes to each one and sewed a made with love charm to each one :) They will find homes with Ben's lovely aunties who I love yes that is right now all of my hubby's family is the crazy drunkin circus. And this is the latest work of arm nestled between my wine/cranberry juice and pomatomus's It is a foliage hat made from glazed carrot malabrigo for my sister in law to replace the one I made her last year and she loved but lost. and yes the same sister in law who gets the 5th ave scarf. and that fire place should be going but unfortunately due to insurance reason cannot use it way way disappointing because Minnesota is coooold. anyway. Those are the current projects. I have been a busy bee and will continue to be. :) My hubby is great too btw. He is enjoying peice and quiet and watching football. YES it is that time of year when i am neglected alll day every Sunday part of Monday and some times and Thursday night lol. Any way back to my wine and knitting and try to convince him that 10:30 is enough time for football and we need to watch a movie and snuggle since he doesn't work tomorrow. :)

PS the cat is good too he has adjusted well.

naughty

IMG00174.JPG
Originally uploaded by sweet_aimee81

and since i mentioned him i need to include the bad boy who bit my nefew (very much so in self defense my nefew was crushing and choking him and he has no claws) but this is him making the trip to my sis's house to house sit. He goes with us every year and she has 2 dogs and two cats and he just blends in and its like he was always there :) sorry that every thing got posted individualy i am getting used to his stupid flickr blogger thing will be better i promise

here is my latest

I am working on a aran lap top cover for my sis ang for her birthday it is looking awsome I love it very much she is lucky i don't have a lap top or it might get claimed

yay summer

well I am back on line things are going well. I am no longer working. Monkey butt starts kindergarten soon and firemonster is still trouble trouble trouble. She is just a wild one. Here is a fairly new pic with my nefew thown in the mis showing off his war wounds from a fight after choking my kitty.