Changes?

Why is it that Spring always makes me want to change everything? Is it like the reborn newness of the season or some dang thing? It looks like some changes are coming here at work. Another job is taking off like gang busters pretty much and putting pressure on the man. When the man is under pressure then he puts pressure (stress) on me.
It's kind of like a continuous fire. Everything has to be done right now and it is never fast enough either! Not so good with the demanding types ya know?

Well he has been letting me make my own so-called schedule but is now wanting or demanding a more rigid set up. What he is really saying is that he wants me in the shop from 9-5 mon-fri PERIOD. But the more he is like this the more I rebel. Feeling sheepishly like a teenager now!
But hey I want happy days too right? He creates his own pressure and assumes that I will just take what he dishes out.

I am thinking this is the year of either a small comprimise in change or THE BIG CHANGE. The outcome has yet to be seen. I have many hurdles to jump first. I have a list of things. Now to just start checking them all off the that list. One at a time right? Like one day at a time.

So the first was to get the big bird to the vet for beak and nail trim. Check!
Next was to locate a new home, it was done actually but it fell through so that one is a start over. What it means to me is that I have to pick up the phone, call a total stranger that I met almost 3 years ago and see if he and his family would still like to welcome my bird into their family. UGH! The sheer torture of it. But I guess that I get to at least hide behind the phone for the first or initial call right?

Next is find an attorney and get a meeting. This is so much harder than it seems too! I mean, how do you pick a good one that won't fleece ya? But one that can protect you from another that might just be really vindictive and back stabbing? Trial and error I guess. I have to start by trying. Yellow pages here I come.

Next would be to then make the call, or lay down my demands for a change. If he bites it could work out for both of us at least for a time being. Or just drive the wedge farther. Depends on his animosity for me taking control of me.

Well that is my nutshell for now.......after 5pm and I am going to run outta here (if he lets me). See what I mean. Time to go get lost in knitting..........with a tad bit of socializing thrown in for good measure.
Poof!! I'm gone.

I am feeling..............

I am feeling a bit 'lacey'. What does that mean? Well for some darn reason I am looking at a lot of lace patterns for shawls or shawlettes! Oh and do I wear them? Uh NO. But they look so dang pretty and all.

I am currently working on the CITRON shawlett from knitty.com. I am using a skein of malabrigo lace that I got as a gift from my good 'twin'! Not that I am the bad twin either........she is just soooo good to me! I love the simplicity of the pattern and even though it is not a lace pattern purse' it is using a lace weight yarn. So it is a sorta kinda thing. I know photo please.

Ok I have also picked another pattern that seems to be peoples favorite and it is Ishbel by Ysolda Teauge. Very popular pattern. I picked up a funky variegated type yarn at Threadbear Fiber Arts Studio in Lansing along with two others that are plain colors like dark gray and light beige. The light beige has a ton of yardage like 1300 and I thought that if this bug really takes hold........I could always dye it, hand dye it or whatever makes me smile at the time I do something with it! Right?

I also have recently joined a swap on Ravelry in the High Fiber Diet group for swapping seasons and my partner (secret) also likes lace yarns. Yeah might have to go back and get her a prettier color! She like neutrals but likes red, pink, and blue too! hmmmmmmmm Maybe I will get something I can dye. Make it a one of a kind.........yup there we go!!

The sun is shining today, rained yesterday.........glad that's over!

Little Girl's shrugs

Top one is for Madison and the bottom one is for Abygail.

I sure hope they love them as much as I loved making them! This is a really easy pattern, quick and with great results!

Smiles

Funny, I sit here watching a MJ special on the FUSE channel (never heard of it) but the special is just awesome. I mean watching MJ puts a smile on my face. Why? Well that was back in the days when everything was just 'easy' LOL!

Watching Thriller is just awesome! Have always loved that vid. Such a shame and waste that his life was cut short. He had more talent and creativity than he could outwardly express.

Some days I feel like that. I mean I have so many things, ideas etc. and just want to make them all happen! I guess I will be making strides in that direction for this year. Last year was a 'trying' year. Trying to make it work, trying to be in love, trying to be loved. Thinking that I might have wasted another year with the trying.

Well off to cook the dinner that if I was on my own I would only be cooking because I 'wanted' to cook it but not because I feel I 'have' to cook it. Having to have to do things just makes me want to rebel. LOL. Too old to be a teenager........but not to old to finally be ME.

Proof

-- Post From My iPhone

What a day!

Wow today is just a totally off day! I mean first I couldn't get outta bed. Then tried to schedule a meet with vendor, I coordinated to pick up rental van on the way only to find out he wasn't where he said he was! So I rent van, backtrack and sit in parking lot waiting! He finally showed and points out that the rental has a flat as a pncake tire!!! UGH!! What next?

Waiting for tie change, sorry putting my foot down here I AM NOT I repeat NOT changing this dang tire!

As soon as guy gets here I am going into panera bread get some lunch and relax until I am ready to move. Eh why fight it right?!?!?


-- Post From My iPhone

Monday......

Tomorrow is Monday! Oh and it is the 15th of March also. This will be my day for a procedure called Nova Sure. Outpatient surgery, uterine ablation. Hoping for lighter periods or even better, no period. But for sure it has to end up as a monthly relief. LOL.

In the meantime, I have been knitting. Finished one Little Girl's shrug and working on a second one. Both of the older granddaughters 4 and 6 year olds wear the same size. So it is very easy to double up on items!

The youngest 2 granddaughters are 17 months and the other is 21 months. And yes they too wear the same size LOL!

Am I the only one that hates the time change? Spring forward ugh! Today I didn't get up early and I took my time going into work to do some paperwork, came home and it was only 2:30pm. What the heck? I mean it felt like it should have be 5pm. I took a nap. It's now about 9:30pm and I am ready for bed already.

Another Barbie Cake?

Yep sure is! This one I made for Madison's Birthday party that was last Sunday. Her real birthday is on the 10th she turned 4 years old.

I did this one out of butter cream frosting with a Wilton's dye of purple. Little did I know that I didn't have enough purple to get it really dark. So it came out light 'dusty' purple? My photography isn't the best in the world as I used the iPhone camera at night with next to no lighting. Hey must do what we have to do when we have to do it?! Right?

It is Thursday and the day is darn near over! Yippee!! Going to knitting tonight at Whitmore Lake Yarn shop in guess? Whitmore Lake Michigan. LOL! Just finished up a Sophisticated Hoodie pattern by Sally Melville, finishing for a customer. I tried it on and funny thing is she made it just my size!

I had to sew in the zipper down the front, pick up stitches from the inside near zipper tape, knit several rows and bind off, use that for a 'cover' for the zipper tape on the inside of the sweater! Brilliant design there! It looks wonderful and so polished. Then next was the sleeves, under arm/raglan, and side seams.

The weather here is soooo wonderful, talk about spring fever! Why is it when the weather turns nice that I want to make drastic 'nice' changes in my life too?

Monday surgery, outpatient to have Nova Sure or uterine ablation. Here is hoping for NO MORE periods! I am hoping.

More later.

Not a Monday!

Yes really it is only Tuesday, or is it already Tuesday? The sun is shining and it will reach about 50 degrees! Whoop!

I am sitting in Jackson waiting for my parts to get plated. I would rather be knitting and just might do that also!

I have finished granddaughters 18" doll hat

and now cast on the Knitting pure & simple knit patterns for a Little Girl's shrug #228 in bright yellow-green. Think spring right?

If this pattern goes as fast as it is.......I might just make all the grand girls one for easter! I love knitting!

Shearing day at Shadyside farm

If you would like to take a peek at the farm we went to in Holland Michigan go to this site Shadysidefarm and read all about it.

Socks complete!

IMG_0756
Originally uploaded by lorrieu1

Look! I finished these last night! I cast on Dec. 29 2009 with my first toe up two at a time on two circular needles.
Plain vanilla socks, just wanted to take the yarn as far as I could. I do believe that I only had about 3 yards of yarn left after casting off. I got scared that I would run out mid cast off!

I love them! Still want some that are higher up the calf, but without purchasing an extra ball of yarn, toe up I can get pretty far. Happy me!

When it rains...........

Ha! When it rains it pours right? Ok uploaded a few photos.......now to just update life.

Something new: I signed up for an online course of medical transcription. I have 12 months to finish and or pay for extension. (NOT) This could be a good thing for future employment. I would prefer to be a medical assistant or similar but the market is saturated according to all recent graduates I have spoken with. Yet on the other hand you have to figure in that learning a whole butt load of medical terminology and stuff will only be beneficial if I choose to go into some medical field. Even back into a doctors office.

Next on the list is to start teaching or doing some workshops at the yarn shop.

Still on the list..............should I start my own podcast? Here I sit and would love it but is there enough room in the knitting/spinning/crafting world for yet another podcast? Finding time to record is my only dilemma. That is having time to myself alone. With that said I have to figure out how to edit etc. on my mac with garage band. All the mac stuff is still pretty new to me still after almost a year of having it.

Design. Yes I want to design a few patterns that have been on my mind. I know how time consuming that process is too. To sketch the designs up is one thing. To start the knitting process and document all the steps is another!

I also have a few sewing project I would like to get to................why does this sound like a laundry list? All the things that I want to do, am doing or wish I was doing?

Currently working on a couple items for a new baby coming into the family later in April. My cousin and his wife are expecting a baby girl and you all know how much I love to knit for babies especially girls! I have 4 granddaughters and let me tell ya there is never enough time to knit all the things I want to for them!!

Tomorrow is a new day. Gym on the schedule in the morning then sounds like I have to come in to the shop to take up air space. But with air space comes time to be online with my MT course right? I have to prioritize. Wow! Can't believe that I spelled that correctly. Sometimes I amaze myself. LOL.

nutting but photos

Well waddayaknow?!

Hey look! It's me. Back again. I know it has been a while. Actually can't even remember the last time I blogged.
What has been new here? Sheep shearing with daughter and granddaughter last weekend. Also had a great time hanging out with CoggieTM from the High Fiber diet podcast.
The weekend before was the oldest granddaughters birthday party for family at my house. I made a Barbie cake and she was so happy to get a real authentic American Girl doll, Julie. I outfitted both Abby and Julie with one of a kind almost matching sweaters. It was a big hit!
This coming weekend I will be making another Barbie cake for the next granddaughter in line Madison who will be 4.
I will upload photos of all this goodness in just a bit.

Knitting? Ravelry has all my projects if you want to see them.

But yes still knitting my heart out!!
Sun is shining and spring might just be around the corner?

Sitting here........listening

I am at work on new computer successfully setup and ready to do all things work and 'play' too!

I am listening to KIPing It Real podcast.........playing catch up.

Today was the first day of the gym sign up with DD. First class was at 8am and was called boot camp. Yes like it says, basically a circuit training program. A lot of hard work lets just say!!

New on the needles is a knit along with the High Fiber Diet podcast group on Ravelry. Not a member yet? Are you a knitter or crocheter? Sign up! Spinners and weavers too! Back to the knit along. It's the incredible custom fit raglan sweater pattern. Making a crazy ball version for oldest granddaughter Abygail. Dug out all the different and funky yarns, grouped by color and just started winding balls up by tying them all together. I have a feeling it will be too big. But there will be plenty of room to grow right? I will also be using the pattern to make one for her 18" doll. They will be closely matched.

Still working on my first pair of toe up socks on two circular needles and two at a time! Fun! I can't wait until they are finished, I am going for knee socks, use up as much yarn as I can and warmth.

another day home!

Which one do you like better?

Another day I get to stay home! Ask me......what have you done today sofar? LOL! Well I did finish this logo for a contest and got it uploaded to the site on ravelry. It is for the High Fiber Podcast. It is hand drawn and then some editing and text via random paint programs. I am working very hard to learn new programs on this mac!

Chit chatted on skype with friend, surfed the net together (too much fun!) And am now trying to get off this hard as nails chair! to get something done LOL!

Todays list of things to do, I did clear out some stuff from my closet for donation. Really nice evening dresses worn to weddings etc. They will get a good home.

Next is to wash up a load or so out of a "was supposed to be garage sale" bag of clothes from the basement and donate them too! Continue over a period of time to donate and trash the clutter in the dungeon (basement).

I guess that next time I sit down here at the computer I will have to upload a few photos too keep interest.

Have ya ever?

Have you ever had one of those days? LOL. Well let me elaborate!

Spent a few hours, yes hours LOL on skype with Coggietm of the High Fiber Diet Podcast (downloadable from itunes). She is so much darn fun! Why oh why can't we live closer than 3 hours? Well since we don't, it's good that we can talk all day for free huh? Just connect on the laptop and even go from room to room and if you want to show something turn on the vidcam! YIKES did I forget to brush my hair?

Ok so for one of those days darnit! I have run or should I say NOT run across a second item I can't find since Christmas! The first was nice purse purchased at costco and now the second is a flip camcorder! Where did it go? I know that I didn't or wasn't going to use it this Christmas as it was just too chaotic, but I will be darned if I can find it now! Wish me luck in the future on this stuff!

This is part of 2009

This is Lorna's laces combed top. I had two different colors devon and mountain creek that were similar and thought that they would ply up together beautifully...........see for yourself!

This plus this made this!

Without getting up off the couch and checking the label I believe that I have 702 yards to make something with! It is a light worsted and superwash merino. So I do think that it will make a good childs sweater if there is enough yardage.