Where have I been?

OHMYGOSH already! Today I decided that I could spend a 20 on a coffee press. I have been wanting to try coffee brewed in one for over a year now. Tried to convince a kid to purchase one as a gift for DH's b-day. She was broke. :(

So while going to the the store for a couple of odds and ends.........there just happened to be one at the Starbucks in Krogers! And ten bucks cheaper than Barnes and Noble and Wholefoods! OHMYGOODNESS finally coffee that tastes as good as it smells! YUMMO!

I also splurged and got a few hairs trimmed. LOL. Oh how I love short hair, well except that you really need to get it cut once a month. But today 'my lady' at the place I have gotten my hair cut for the past oh 6 years or so gave me her number and will cut my hair at her house for 1/2 of what I pay at the shop. YIPPEE!

Oh and I have been spinning...........on a spindle for now..................wait till you see my fourth attempt. You can actually see how I improve my spinning with each bit of fiber! LOOK

This is the first attempt, mystery wool. Spun and then Andean plied.

Above is second round with mystery wool, single spun pretty tiny and even too! I have no clue what I will ever do with it even after plying but hey its cool huh?

Now this one is Corriedale and its got some skinny spots and some spots , I think that it would even out as a heavy fingering. But it's still pretty good, I will use it for sure. It was 2 oz. to start and ended up with 1.8 oz. and 152 yards.

This one is the best so far! Much more even and I love the colors! It's also a mystery wool but is hand painted before spinning. It is one oz. spun about fingering weight and 107 yards.

I would say that I have the spinning bug for sure and this is only spindle! But first I have to finish the customers blue sweater. Called her this week to let her know that we are looking at being finished next week. She is very happy and can't wait to see it.

Ok updated for now and off to shower them itchy hairs from the haircut off! They are driving me nuts!

Sunday, time to blog

Hi all! I finally got a good photo of Barbie in her new cardigan! Just made from a tiny ball of sock yarn I picked up in a grab bag in a discount bin at a LYS. I thought of putting snaps inside and buttons on the outside but these beads looked much better. A perfect match! I think that all she needs now is a peach colored pair of knit leggins! I have the yarn and the pattern I will make it from is out of Nicky Epstein's book Knits for Barbie doll

And here is a photo of DD's Hibiscus Tat she got while in Florida. It is very pretty.

Wow, I guess I don't have much to say.......or do I?

The local Detroit News ran an article and in it was the story of one of my step brothers and the title of the article is: Desperate veterans turn to suicide-VA blamed for failing to help Iraq, Afghan veteran

This photo is pretty old 20 years actually. I think the DD was about 4 years old. Shown here with her best bud Randy who is the veteran in the story above.

My knitting news: still working on the blue sweater project to finish for a customer. I would say that I am 1/3 the way finished with the back panel. Once that is done I will only have to seam up all the parts and put on the neckband! Yippee! I hope that she will be not only happy with the work but happy with the price to do it for her too!

I am still plucking away at the chevron scarf.........I guess that I should start measuring it and posting how many inches today! Lemme go measure......................... ok its 29" long today!

The Christening gown is finished, needs blocking, button and ribbon trim.

WEll that's about it for me. I know boring! Nothing much to say yet still took up a lot of space, LOL!

Back home

Well we are back home. The weather in Florida was awesome!!! But then we came home to COLD AND SNOW! OHMYGOSH! Talk about a real downer. Really didn't want to come home, but just about had enough Florida too! That whole Naples area is just one big ass shopping area! Everyplace you turn there is another strip mall of stores, just incredible! And traffic, so much traffic.............

DD and I had a great time being together. She also had a very good time going out with the cousins! Put all 3 of them together and watch them let their hair down LOL! Kids.

We also had quality time with family. Dinner at one of Gran's favorite Italian restaurants, memorial service at the 'club' with a super lunch! Very emotional. After we got to stop by the house and just absorb some Gran vibes. All is good.

Got home........spent the first whole day home so very depressed that I couldn't even talk out loud. Ever feel that way? Hubby asked if I wanted to talk about why I was in a blah mood and I just said that I couldn't without crying and I didn't want to cry right then! We were on our way to the bookstore for coffee and relaxation. But them tears have their own mind and just flowed..........no words, still didn't talk, they just spilled over.

DD got a new tattoo, a birthday gift to herself. Also a goodbye to Naples, Gran and just a move forward. Its a Hibiscus in orange and yellow and soooo real looking! Very nice. I did want one also but opted for NOT this time. LOL.

I didn't knit much, a tiny bit on my chevron scarf but I did start a Barbie cardigan! Just finished it last night at knitting. I have to sew on some snaps and buttons but she is already wearing it! I had to try out a free pattern I found online. (don't ask.......I thought that I lost it and was going to re-print it........can't find it now!!) But I did find the one I had printed out in the first place and so was able to make it up. Now that I know how easy it is and it doesn't use much sock yarn and size 2 needle, I think that I can make up a couple to save for Christmas presents!

Off to get Jimmy John's subs for lunch!!

All checked in............

Yippee! Tomorrow at this time we will be landing in sunny (I hope) Florida! DD and I are headed outta here to sit back and relax, visit some family, and sit back and relax some more!

What to pack? Oh I know that I need some clothes.........not too many as just sitting in the sun doesn't require much huh? But what knitting to pack? I know that if I don't pack any that I will have anxiety knowing that I have nothing to keep my hands busy................If I pack a few projects I should be safe. I am thinking of the chevron scarf, socks and small bits of sock yarn and a Barbie cardigan pattern. That should do it!

DD and I have our IPODS hers the phone and mine the touch, so we have kindle books, movies, tv shows, podcasts, audible books and yes even some music. I think that the batteries will die before we get too much done with those! I wonder if there is a solar power charger for them yet?

I am still thinking do I need the laptop? I mean really..........it's not a netbook by any means! I bought this thing a few years ago because I didn't want a PC but I wanted a nice computer with bells and whistles...........so you know it's the huge 17" screen Sony vaio. And yes it's darn heavy!

I will keep you posted as the trip progresses....maybe a few sunny Florida photos and hopefully nothing but good times!