It's a Monday!

The roof is leaking.

Just Stuff

Don't forget to go to lapdog creations and donate. It's for a very worthy cause.

Oh my gosh, just look at these adorable sheep markers. Anita made these and they're mine. All mine:) The detail is amazing. I love them. She also sent needle protectors as a thank you gift and my Knitting Daughter took off with them. She says they are wonderful. Thanks Anita, I will get them back. Now where did she hide them?






My love of making teddy bears continues. I ordered the stuff to crochet/knit mini bears. I have made jointed 2-3 inch bears in the past when I did teddy bear shows. I think I'm gonna like this little bear venture. It requires yarn, so why wouldn't I like it?




Remember my fall off the wagon last week? You know the post where I admitted that I ordered more sock yarn and I thought I needed t-shirts too?
Well the t-shirts finally arrived. They make me laugh. I like these shirts. Now which one to wear first..........

Check This Out

Do you love dogs? I mean, who doesn't right? Go to lapdog creations and join in the contest. It is to benefit abused and rescued animals. GO GO GO!


On that note I will post this picture of Mr. Bettis.

The Color Hole

Oh Looky Look!

Look what arrived today, Mouse stitch markers. I love them. They make me giggle. Unlike Mr. Smart Mouse (see post below) who caused hysteria.
I went to Anita at YarnDemon with the intent to get her adorable sheep markers. She was out of sheep but there were these 3 mice with their buck teeth and the cheese..........Oh my gosh, these are too funny for words.
After the fiasco with Mr. Smart Mouse, I had to have these.




I flipped them over and rolled on the floor with laughter. They have tails! This just cracks me up.

The detail in these markers is stunning.







She included this cute notepad. I never have enough notepads. You know, for when I realize I am not smarter than the pattern I'm working on.

Thanks Anita. I love it. I must have the sheep markers next.

Frog, Monkey and Bear......oh my

This is a frog. I know it doesn't look like a frog, but it is. I started this as a sweater and decided against it.

Okay, okay.........I'll admit the true problem. I started this a year ago. One of those bouts of "Startitis" on a spring day. I remember it was supposed to be a sweater. (What else could it be with 98 stitches and 1 inch of ribbing completed?) I have no idea what sweater. So it is now a frog.
Hello Frog!




This is a monkey. It doesn't look like a monkey but it is. Monkey socks by Cookie A. I have been wanting to make a pair of these for a long time and after I frogged the unknown sweater, I decided I needed a new project. Yes, another new project. Hey! It's spring! Refer to above bout of "Startitis" last spring. I hereby vow Monkey will not become a Frog.
Hello, Monkey!




This is a bear. Could you tell?



.

Captured!

CAPTURED! Yes, I am shouting with glee!

Mr. Smart Mouse has been captured. I am dancing a little mouse jig here. hee-hee-hee-hee

Thanks to all who gave their tips. From cheese smashed on the trap, q-tips dipped in peanut butter and lodged on the trap to locking the cats in the closet with the mouse, all of the tips were appreciated to capture the little beast. Cheese dipped in peanut butter was the capturing ticket for this unwanted house guest.

I am still trying to figure out why we have cats! Oh that's right, to pet them when they want petted. To feed them when they demand to be fed. (We have a lovely calico who will ever so kindly swat anyone who walks past her if there is no food in the dish.) To admire them in their sleeping state. To call them so they can choose to come or to just ignore the caller.

Our cats have no interest in the little furry creatures called mice but are mesmerized by the computer mouse on the monitor. They will bat at the computer monitor for hours but shrug off a mouse creature.

All in all I have concluded we have these gorgeous creatures called cats to admire. I have also concluded we do not own our cats but rather we are owned by our cats.

Wollmice er Wollmiese

While waiting for Mr. Smart Mouse to be trapped, I have been busy.

These are my Hartshorn socks. Made from Opal handpaint that a friend from overseas sent to me. Cabling without a cable needle is the best thing since sliced bread.

The Knitting daughter made the pattern marker bead for me for Easter. I love this row counter. Easy to use and very thoughtful of her to make this for me.



Mr. Smart Mouse better stay away from this skein of Wollmeise. It is not Wollmice!
I have been unsuccessfully trying to get a skein of Wollmeise. My friend, Sara, came through for me and kindly shared an extra skein from her Wollmeise Stash. It is Spice Market and I love it. Thank you, Sara.

I am (in)patiently waiting for Cookie A to put her new sock patterns online for this skein.





I composed a letter to Ms. Cookie A.

Dear Ms. Cookie A,
I am writing in sheer desperation. You posted on your blog that your new sock patterns would be posted online at the end of March.

It is very near the end of March. While you may be frantically trying to get the patterns online, I implore that you deprive yourself of sleep and expedite this process. I have a skein of Wollmeise that a friend willingly shared with me and this yarn is screaming to be cast on.

I need one of your new patterns in order to start the socks from the coveted wollmeise. I realize I have notebooks full of sock patterns from wonderful sock designers but I cannot visualize Wollmeise in one of the old patterns. Yes, I know I have recently downloaded patterns but I cannot possibly use one of those patterns for wollmeise.
I have placed an order for more sock needles. Forget the fact that I own many sets of dpns. They are in use. I cannot possibly work on socks in progress knowing wollmeise is sitting here waiting to be cast on.
Please, I am begging that you put your patterns on immediately. My needles are very greedy………
Yours truly, A Sock Yarn/Knitting Addict

p.s. I am giving Ms. Cookie A until April 1st to put the patterns online then I will have no choice but to send the begging letter :)

Check out chanknits page for a contest to celebrate her blogiversary.

Wanted: Preferably Dead

WANTED: PREFERABLY DEAD!

Suspect: Mus Domesticus alias House Mouse

Height: 3 inches not including tail (this is an estimate as I certainly did get out my trusty tape measure to get an accurate measurement)

Eye: Beady presumably black (hard to tell from the atop the kitchen table)

Feet: Pink and Tiny (remember? he was washing them, so I got a good look)

Hair color: grayish brown

BE ON ALERT! This suspect is quick on his feet. He is also very brazen. There have been traps set. He steals the bait and quickly gets away. Very elusive. House cats are useless in this capture.

If anyone has seen the suspect, please report to this homeowner immediately!

Mickey Does Not Live Here

Mus domesticus or otherwise known as "house mouse". While such creature may be adorable in red pants, white shoes and have the name, "Mickey", Mus Domesticus is forbidden from my domestic residence. Unless, of course it has been purchased as a stuffed fabric creature that brings a smile to a child's face.
However, a Mus Domesticus has decided to take up residence in my residence. And no, I don't mean a mouse named Mickey.

Here's the performance so far this morning:

Cast: Caretaker performed by yours truly
Mr. Bettis performed by himself, the oaf
Gypsy performed by herself
Cats? What cats?
DH performed by husband who swears we do not have any mice and refuses to believe that we do unless they come out and announce their arrival by parade, party etc.
Mus Domesticus perfomed by house mouse

ACT I
Dogs want fed.
Caretaker retrieves food bag from pantry closet (you wouldn't want anyone else to feed the dogs, would you?)
Caretaker pours food into dog dish and what falls out with the food? A Mus Domesticus! Or otherwise known as the ordinary house mouse!
Food bag drops to floor.
Caretaker (who is known to be terrified of a mouse) yells..........okay, more like screeches, screams or more commonly known as, going into hysteria!
Mus Domesticus sits there.
Mr. Bettis went up to it as it perched its' grey, little, disgusting self on the dog food dish and that dog proceeds to sniff it. Sniff it? Don't just sniff it, NAB IT!
Gypsy runs around barking because of all of the commotion.
Caretaker tries coax a cat.
Caretaker grabs cat who then proceeds to scratch Caretaker.
Cat jumps from Caretaker's arms.
Mr. Bettis chases cat.
Cat runs.
Another cat arrives on the scene.
Mr. Bettis chases that cat as well.
Another Cat runs.
Mus domesticus is now in front of the antique cookstove trying to hide in the brick flooring. He is, now get this, washing his front feet! He has beady malicious eyes and I'm here to tell you, if he was armed, he would be dangerous. This particular Mus Domesticus is not your ordinary house mouse.

ACT II

Dogs pace floor.
Cats have been successfully chased and are now hiding from Mr. Bettis
Caretaker? Well? She is shrieking uncontrollably.
Gaining composure, Caretaker quietly picks up the telephone.
Caretaker proceeds to dial the DH at work.
Caretaker screams into the phone to the DH that it is his responsibility to protect the domestic residence from creatures. Caretaker also informs the DH that said residence is not Noah's New Ark.
DH stupidly laughs.
Caretaker then proceeds to inform DH that if he kept it up he could find himself alone in the house with Mus Domesticus. As Caretaker explains, said residence is not large enough for herself and house mouse.

ACT III
DH assures Caretaker that he will see if he has traps.
Caretaker informs DH that while he may think he is playing Mouse-opoly, he will not assume that he has traps. He will stop on his way home from work and purchase traps. He will get up each and every morning 15 minutes earlier than his normal wake up time and check the traps.
After being threatened with other actions Caretaker could/would take, DH decides that he will follow through with his job of protecting the residence.
DH is still stupidly chuckling.
Caretaker is going through the house with a pan and knitting needles banging on the pan to keep the Mus domesticus at bay.
Mr. Bettis and Gypsy are outside.
And where are the Cats?

Well, this is Phoebe sleeping soundly. She is the only one I could find to get a picture. The other cat could not be found. She's hiding and sleeping. So much for cats in this house.










I will post the conclusion of this performance as it unfolds. The black bear (Ursus Americanus) has been seen hanging around the residence and I can tell you this much, the Caretaker is more afraid of the beady eyed monster known as Mus Domesticus than the Ursus americanus!

Happy Easter

It's Easter and it's snowing. This qualifies as the Robin's Snow. Which means this should be our last little snowfall. Spring is right around the corner and that would be a good thing except that means rain/mud. Translation? Mr. Bettis will have great fun running in the mud and tracking in my house.






These are hats that I knitted for two very special little girls. My friend has two adorable grandchildren and they should have received these yesterday. They are also getting Easter coloring books, crayons and some candy.

I whipped up a butterfly dishcloth with a matching tawashi for a gift. There's just something about a dishcloth and tawashi that make for some quick satisfying knitting.






Last but not least some dyed eggs the daughters dyed this evening. A very nice Easter's eve indeed.



HAPPY EASTER!

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Do you see this "jerry-rigged" fence? Mr. Bettis slammed his 140 lb body against the fence and busted the bottom of it. Little Miss Gypsy who weighs in at 8 lbs, wiggled through the hole in the bottom of the fence and got out to inspect the neighborhood. In the meantime Mr. Bettis was worrying himself to death trying to find a way out for himself. There was no way that 140 lb oaf was going to get through the hole he busted for Gypsy.
I informed Mr. Bettis' owner (aka one hand husband)of the damage his dog has done now and this is how he fixed it. I was told it would be fixed properly in the spring. Hello? Spring is around the corner, buddy! We'll see how long it takes him to fix this fence.
This is what the two culprits were doing inside the house after their activity. Sleeping on the "dog forbidden bed" aka MY bed!
I took advantage of this situation even though they are breaking the rules. I tiptoed to the computer and visited www.theloopyewe.com





I consoled myself by falling in the Loopy Ewe Hole and purchased Dream in Color Lipstick Lava. I joined the TLE KAL on Ravelry and I'm making Mr. Greenjeans for self.
TLE Hole has a cushion landing so feel free to jump in.:)






My calori......what? I finished it! My Calorimetry. I love it. Considering I look absolutely ridiculous in a hat, this is perfect for me. Keeps my ears warm.








A BFL worsted scarf for me. All mine. I dyed this in the Elves n Gnomes colorway. The pattern is the One Row Scarf by the famous Ms. Yarn Harlot. I like this pattern because I zone out and knit. I don't have to think and occasionally after dealing with Mr. Bettis, I need to zone out. :)







I know it has been awhile since I have posted. I have been a busy knitter.

Stash Update!

It is snowing hard today and school's out for election in our state. This arrived after I posted the previous post.
Rain, sleet or snow, the mail must go. Look what arrived. STR in Blarney Stone and Cockamanie.




Dream in Color also arrived. The Lipstick Lava is worsted weight. In the Mystic is sock weight, of course.

I'm off to knit and enjoy the snow.

This Is The Stash.........

"This is yarn stash that I have built."
I bit the needles and decided to re-organize and count my sock yarn stash. This in no way reflects all of the yarn that I have acquired over the years.
The DH just looked at me when I decided to partake in this task. This is a picture of the sock yarn that I could find. I have since located yarn in the spare room dresser and the underbed container. There is enough yarn here for 216 pairs of socks. Not counting what's on the needles as UFOs.

"This is the yarn that I've added to the yarn stash that I have built."

This is a close-up of STR and DIC. There's enough there for 41 pairs. This total is included in the 216 pairs.


"And this is the yarn shopping bag that I made so I can add to the yarn stash that I've built."

I have been doing some sewing. Yeah, I know knitting should be my priority when one looks at the sock stash but I needed a tote so I could do my part and eliminate using plastic bags.
I made this yarn tote for my yarn shopping sprees. Okay, okay, I hear you. I don't need a bag this large to yarn shop when I have vast amounts of yarn untouched. But yarn must sit and look pretty for awhile. It is put into a basket for a few months. Then it is transported to the spare room for an undetermined amount of time. If it has not be cast on then it retires to the yarn room downstairs for an undetermined amount of time.


"And these are the bags to carry my SIP from the yarn stash that I've built."







p.s. DH tried to count my sock stash in $ but I quickly put it away. There are some things he doesn't need to know.

Chirp, chirp, chirp

Chirp, chirp, chirp. Do you hear them? I was hearing little peeps chirping.
My little fingers clicked to the http://www.loopyewe.com/ and there they were. Soft, buttery yellow, little peeps. Chirping for me to hold them and pet them. Right then and there I was twitter-pated. I scooped them up in my little cart. They arrived carefully wrapped by Sheri and the elves.


Shaking, I unwrapped each skein. Yeah I know, I ordered more than the peeps but I just had to have a few extra skeins. Stash build up, you know.

L to R is Butter peeps in fingering, Cool Fire in worsted, Butter peeps in worsted and Cloud Jungle in lace weight.




I grabbed the swift and winder and butter peeps was wound. I cast on for the socks and I am in knitting heaven here. I love it!
And they're mine, all mine. After all, I am the one who saved these little peeps from another knitter's needles.







The above package came in the knick of time. Mr. Bettis is in T-R-O-U-B-L-E...........again. We shut our bedroom doors when we leave the house. Mr. Bettis is forbidden to jump, leap or otherwise frolic er destroy beds. ALL beds.
However, I went into my room after an outing and it looked as if it had snowed in there. Mr. Bettis shredded my comforter. We went to Walmart to purchase a cheap quilt. After all, buying a cheap quilt vs. expensive quilt saves money for chirping peeps.

This is where I found Mr. Bettis the other day. Notice I was smart enough to put plastic on the bed. Not that, that will deter him from the bed. I couldn't figure out how he was getting in the bedrooms knowing we shut the doors. So I shut the door and lurked around the corner. AH-HA! I caught him "red-pawed" hitting the door latch! We have latches not knobs on the doors and that oaf figured out how to unlatch the door. The one-armed DH is now at the hardware store trying to find something to fix this problem. Trust me, I won't allow the DH to use the table saw to fix any problem at this time. :)

p.s. The butter peeps saved Mr. Bettis from finding a picture of himself on the web looking woeful hoping someone would put him in their "cart" to bring home.

Froggy Shower

A dear friend is adopting a child. We (the knitting group) had a "baby adoption shower." It's a girl. She is roughly 14 yrs old (forgive me S, I forget how old she is). She is a beautiful "baby" and she has a delightful smile.



The shower was a surprise to the parents-to-be and soon-to-be-daughter. There was cake (of course) and gifts galore. DD and I had a lot of fun shopping for "baby girl." She is a fan of frogs (her new mom knits so this is appropriate). We bought this frog to "entertain baby girl". He is a puppet and he "talks". She also received a light for the back seat of the car, face wipes, a lollipop pacifier, hand knitted face cloths, a water "bottle" and many other wonderful, useful items including a stress ball for the parents :) Congratulations Mom, Dad and "Baby Girl!"




I made a pair of pink "booties" for baby girl. They will keep her "little" feet warm. I found the pattern while surfing the net. Quick, easy and cute.





This is in keeping with the frog post title and the fact I still suffer
startitis. The knitting group was knitting these socks. I flatly refused. By mid week, I lost the battle with startitis once again. I cast on for the fan socks by Heartland Knits. Check it out here: http://www.theloopyewe.com/browse/byvendor/heartland-knits/ Self convinced me that I did not need to keep track of the pattern. After all, (as self explained) I have been knitting for many years. But with the one armed husband and the chattering 16 yr old I lost count of the pattern rows. I am also not smarter than the pattern. It was necessary to frog this sock countless times. Until.......the lightbulb flickered and I announced to self that she was wrong. W-R-O-N-G! I did need to count and keep track of the rows. So while self convinced me to start the socks, I am in control of some things.........aren't I?



This is another thing that I apparently do not have control of, Mr. Bettis. He is not supposed to be on the furniture but this is what I came home to after "baby girl's" shower. Mr. Bettis lounging on the love seat. GET DOWN, BETTIS! Do you see the affect that order had on him?

It's a no win situation around here.

Startitis

From my "knitting research" Startitis is a dangerous knitting disease. A knitter starts many projects only to find them at a later date hidden from view as UFO's. I understand (ahem.....I can only go by my research :)that this disease of newly started projects results in:

1. Needles that said afflicted knitter thought were lost and henceforth said afflicted knitter purchases more needles.

2. Knitter has no idea as to what was started as there are only a few rows on the needles and said afflicted knitter did not put the pattern with project (one of those things where said afflicted knitter thought she was smart enough to remember what was started in the first place). Like that is going to happen, given that said afflicted knitter has been known to start many projects at a time and has no idea what was cast on in the first place.

3. This disease results in frogging hibernating projects aka UFO's only to once again....(and this is where I truly believe that once a knitter has had startitis, it is incurable) start new projects. After all, said afflicted knitter now has an abundance of needles and yarn from the first bout of startitis.

Startitis is attributed to many factors.

Stress, can come from a one-armed husband (read previous posts if you haven't caught up on the news around here) who is feeling better by the way and is in physical therapy. He is casted until Feb. When one armed husband finds it necessary to inform afflicted knitter of missed dust bunnies, one armed husband receives the job of sweeping. Thus giving the afflicted knitter time to start a new project and help the one armed husband with physical therapy :)

Boredom is just that, boredom. Whether said afflicted knitter is bored with a current project (and there could be many depending on materials and time for afflicted knitter) or just bored in general, said afflicted knitter starts a new project.

Ravelry and surfing the net also attributes to startitis. I would like to think that fellow afflicted knitters have no idea that they too, enable other knitters. (okay Sara, now you know)

Yarn manufacturers are the biggest enablers. I mean really, how dare they continue to produce soft wool/alpaca/angora/ cashmere in beautiful colors to tempt knitters. They truly are enablers of startitis.

All that said and done, I admit I suffer from startitis. Although every once in a while I finish something like my froggin' green gloves. And not a moment too soon. We received 5 inches of snow and ice yesterday.

By the way, these are reversible right and left gloves. I took the pictures outside and it was cold so I just threw them down in the snow/ice and clicked the camera.

A Knitter's Gift!

Ravelry knitters are the greatest. Bloggers are wonderful. Look what arrived today!
A red and white Loopy Ewe sock bag and a beautiful skein of yarn. When this arrived I thought it was sent to the wrong person. I am on a yarn diet until Ed returns to work. So I knew I had not ordered anything. I opened it to look for an invoice. No invoice. I opened the bag and there was a note from the Loopy Elves saying "This is from Sara." I took a deep breath and carefully peeled back the tissue paper and there was a beautiful cashmere/merino blend of yarn in my favorite colors. Pink and yellow. I was smitten. I held back the tears and shrieked with joy. I have wound the skein and I am starting a pair of socks. (imagine that) The red and white bag is perfect to tote (no pun intended) to the DD's school functions. School colors are red and white. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Sara, for the gift.

I handed the "one armed husband" a puzzle. He needs something to do at this point in recovery. He can prop the "hand" and work on this. Unfortunately it only took him a few hours to work this puzzle. He is very good at putting them together. Since this one was only 950 pieces and it took him a total of 2 1/2 hours to work it, I have found a 1500 piece puzzle. That should keep him out of my hair for awhile.
I find it interesting that he is growling over the dogs aka Mr. Bettis wanting in, out, in, out, in........welcome to my world, buddy!


I started the "my so called scarf". I'm liking this pattern. It is out of the Manos del Uruaguay worsted hand dyed yarn. It is a dense pattern and it will keep me warm if I ever get it finished.







These are "Self's Froggin' Gloves." Out of Frog Tree Alpaca sportweight and the pattern is from Interweave's Handy Book Of Patterns. I love that book. Size 3 needles. They are soft and warm. Self will need them next week. I'd better get moving on these.


P.S. Remember the resolution that I would get 2008's Christmas gifts finished early? "Self" became demanding and I am already behind schedule on the gifts. But Self must keep sanity while "man/toddler sitting."

The Second Curse

I am so ready to "chuck" 2008! I was downstairs dyeing yarn in my "new" dyeing area when I heard "drip, drip, drip." I went around the corner in the laundry area and looked. My feet squished on the piece of carpeting in front of the washer. I looked again, thinking the 2 yr old washer was leaking. Just my luck. But it wasn't the washer.



I turned and looked at the wall..............water was running down the wall! I yelled for the "one armed husband." Not sure why, instinct I guess. I mean really, what was he going to do with one arm? He came as fast as he could. I noticed a bubble in the dry wall above my dyeing area. (alright, this is where I did something stupid........again) I pushed ever so lightly on the bubble. It burst and water went everywhere bringing the ceiling with it. I screamed and Ed just stood there. Seems a pipe from the second bathroom sink was leaking. The "one armed husband" grabbed my dye pots to catch some of the water. I grabbed a tarp to throw over everything and we just stood there staring at the mess. We tried to fix the pipe but have you ever tried to fix something with the DH standing over you totally helpless trying to tell you how to fix "the" something? This scenerio doesn't work well when he's not helpless, let alone when he is.

So I called my dad. He has picked up the necessary part and tomorrow it will be fixed. The pipe will be fixed. I won't hold my breath on the ceiling. I know how this goes. Hey Diane, did you send this my way? Considering the "table saw massacre" and my DH's procrastination on repairing construction in our house, I figure the ceiling will be finished in 2 yrs......maybe. Keep in mind he was in construction for 20 yrs and everyone else's house was beautifully finished. Mine on the other hand? Well, I won't go there out of respect for his accident.

Alright enough is enough, this is the second thing to happen. Since everything comes in 3's I am steadying myself for what will come next. In the meantime, I knit.



We did get the Christmas tree down finally. But before we did there was this fluff ball sleeping soundly. I really think she was pretending she was outside under a nice evergreen far, far away from Mr. Bettis.




P.S. New song? I have now added "Bridge Over Troubled Water".