This is What We Got for Christmas

This is how much it has rained so far...........

3 miles NW of Roseburg, Douglas County. Heavy rain 1.84 inches, reported by co-op observer. 24 hour rain fall ending at 1200 PM PST.

And this is what we got for Christmas due to this weather....
Our neighbor knocked on our door at about 3 p.m. to let us know that our/their retaining wall was giving away. Our neighbor did some excavation this past summer to create more parking. As you can see from the pictures below, he removed a ton of earth (3 feet high and from his shed to the cement pad). He then put some railroad ties in as a retaining wall. (don't ask me why he thought a wall of railroad ties would support a cement retaining wall.) Then to make matters worse it rained about 2.20 inches in the past 24 hours. Too much rain and no support created this nightmare. We are just hoping that it doesn't give out totally. Our neighbors are going to get some boulders in the morning to put in underneath the retaining wall to support it until things dry out and it can be fixed properly. They are also going to try to file a liability claim with their insurance company. I am greatful that they realize that this is due to the excavation they did this last summer. Click on the pictures to get a closer look at the damage. Our boat was falling into the fissure and when John pulled it out the tire came off the rim.

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone has a safe and very Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Comment Graphics

I Passed!

I took my state Property, Casualty, Law & Ethics licensing exam on Saturday and I passed! The test was worse than I thought it was going to be. When I started the exam, the first question was one that was worded in such a way that when I read it I thought to myself "I don't remember reading anything about this in my books! Boy am I in trouble! Am I taking the right test?" I answered the question and moved on to the next one and was relieved to see something I knew. I am so glad I passed and never have to take that test again!

I have one more class the beginning of January and then I take the Life & Health licensing exam. I will be so relieved when I am finished!

New Blogger vs. Beta

Well I switched to the new beta version of Blogger and I don't know if I like it. When I go to view my blog I can't see any of my previous posts. Although there is a list of the previous posts, when I click on them they don't appear. This sucks!!!

Ta Dah!

This is the triangle shawl I mentioned before that I was working on. I finished it last night. This pattern was super easy and I probably would have had it finished within a couple of days if I hadn't had so many distractions. Speaking of distractions....here is one of the distractions that kept me from finishing the shawl.


I was shopping with one of my co-workers and we came across these adorable felted purses. Well they were adorable until I saw the price tag. They wanted $80 for one of the purses. I was like "holy cow, I can whip one of these puppies out in no time flat and it will only cost me about $8". My co-worker really liked the purses and she said that her daughter would love one. So I offered to make one for her. Off to my stash I went in search of the perfect yarn. Yarn found and I was off to knit one of these babies. Everything was going great the purse was looking very much like the ones we saw in the store. Now to felt it. I dropped it into the washer and sent it through one cycle and checked it. It hadn't felted enough so I put it through cycle #2. I pulled it out to check it and "Holy crap!" It had shrunk about 3 sizes. I started laughing which caught my husband's attention. He wanted to know what the comotion was about. I showed him the purse and he just cracked up laughing because he saw what it looked like pre-felted. It is so small you might be able to get your wallet into it but that is about all. Now when my hubby sees me knitting something, the big joke is "what are you knitting now....a towel to shrink into a washcloth?" "Very funny Hun," I told him. This is the first time I have had a felted project go haywire.

I am leaving later today and will be gone until next Saturday evening. I am taking the state insurance property, casualty and law licensing classes this week and then a week from Saturday I will take the state licensing exam. So I don't fry my brain, I am taking a crochet project with me to work on in the evenings. I will post my progress when I get back. Hope everyone has a great week!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes, I call turkeys into the yard and feed them. I haven't been able to get them to eat out of my hand yet, but I am working on that. My family is quite amazed that I am able to call them in without a turkey call. I guess I just know how to talk turkey. Have you ever seen a turkey look over the fence? Well now you have!

May your stuffing be tasty,
May your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes 'n gravy have nary a lump,
May your yams be delicious,
May your pies take the prize,
May your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs.

Happy Thanksgiving!

1st SP9 Parcel

I went to my mailbox yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to find a parcel inside. It was sent airmail and the return address is in Scottland. I ran inside and put the bills and junk mail aside and immediately opened the package to see what was inside. It was full of "jewels". I love jewel tone colors and wool yarn. My SP9 pal sent me 7 skeins of wool yarn. There was also a pair of Addi Turbo circulars, which I have on my wish list. She also sent a package of Butter Tablet. I have never heard of or tried butter tablet. I was very curious about it so I opened it right away and tasted it. It kind of reminds me of short bread but much much more sweet. It is very rich and I am thinking it would be great with tea. My family had to try it too. I don't think they liked it as much as I did...must be my Scandinavian heritage. The card she sent with my parcel was very cute too, it has a picture of sheep hanging from a clothesline and it says "Hand wash only".

Thank you SP9 :-)

Supermarket

The new supermarket near our house has an automatic water mister to keep the produce fresh. Just before it goes on, you hear the sound of distant thunder and the smell of fresh rain.

When you approach the milk cases, you hear cows mooing and witness the scent of fresh hay.

When you approach the egg case, you hear hens cluck and cackle and the air is filled with the pleasing aroma of bacon and eggs frying.

The veggie department features the smell of fresh buttered corn.

I don't buy toilet paper there any more.

Just thought you all could use a good laugh!

I'm Back.....

I am such a bad blogger. It seems like I have been constantly on the go for the past couple of weeks. I really don't have any really good excuses for not blogging other than I have been busy with work, running kids to sporting events and getting my husband ready for Elk hunting season. I did my own hunting trip last weekend. Every year when my husband and his boys go hunting, I plan my own hunting trip with my girls. This is becoming an annual event for us. We pick a new place in Oregon to explore and we go bargain hunting. This year we headed up to Woodburn and went to the outlet mall.

I spent this last Tuesday and Wednesday in Florence, which is on the Oregon coast, for a sales training retreat for work.

I have been working on a lacy knitted shawl and I am getting very close to being finished with it. I would post a picture of my progress, but my hubby has our camera. He will back home late tonight, so maybe I will be able to post a picture tomorrow.

Note to SP9: Yes, jewel tones are perfect!

SP9--My List of Favorite Things

Here's my list of Favorites..........

Actor - Tom Cruise
Actress - Sandra Bullock
Animal - Cats
Band - Nickelback
Book - The Chronicles of Narnia
Bubble Bath - Bath & Body Works Raspberry
Candy - Dove milk chocolate
Color - Purple
Drink- Diet Coke
Flower - Yellow Roses
Food - Anything Mexican
Lip Balm - Avon Moisture Therapy
Lotion - Bath & Body Works Plumeria
Movie - Top Gun
Place - The beach
Song - Nickelback-Far Away
TV Show - Gray's Anatomy
Yarn - Cascade Wool--for felting
Vacation Spot - The beach

Funky Scarf is Complete

The Funky Scarf is complete. I found the perfect shell beads for it too. Thanks everyone for your thoughts, advice and compliments! I sure hope my pal likes this scarf. The beads really finished this off.

SP9 Questionnaire

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I like just about any type of yarn, although I detest Red Heart Acrylic. I love using wool for felting. Caron Simply Soft is the only acrylic yarn I will use. Besides that, anything goes!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Here, take a peek…..

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I have been knitting for a couple of years. I would say that I am beginning intermediate. I taught myself to knit using books and watching online knitting videos.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes I have an Amazon wish list.

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) I like vanilla, plumeria, peach. I love Bath and Body Works products.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Yes I have a sweet tooth. I love anything chocolate! I especially like Dove milk chocolate.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I sew and crochet and have done some jewelry making.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Yes my computer plays MP3’s. I like just about any type of music (yes including rap....this is a must when you have 6 teenagers) but not opera.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? My favorite color is purple. I love all jewel tone colors. I wear a lot of red and black and of coarse my favorite color purple. I don’t like yellow or orange.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I work full-time in a State Farm Insurance office. I am married to a wonderful guy. We each have 3 children from previous marriages. I have one cat who thinks she is part human and part dog.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I wear scarves a lot all year round. In the summer I wear long skinny scarves as accessories. I wear hats and mittens in the winter and while downhill skiing. I have never worn a poncho, but I do use shawls.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? My favorite item to knit is a completed project! But I would have to say that I love knitting purses and scarves come second. I also love felting.

13. What are you knitting right now? Right now I am finishing up a scarf for the Funky Scarf Swap. My next project is going to be a purse. I am trying to stick with one project at a time right now.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? I love to receive handmade gifts!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer circulars over straights. As far as bamboo, aluminum or plastic…I would have to say I don’t care for the plastic needles. I really don’t have a preference over bamboo or aluminum needles.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have a yarn winder but I don’t have a swift, although I would love to have a swift.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? I have an afghan I started crocheting a couple of years ago that I need to finish.

18. What is your favorite holiday? My favorite holiday is Christmas. I love decorating. I have started collecting ornaments and other Christmas items that have to do with the Nativity.

19. Is there anything that you collect? I love cats including Garfield, tropical items (bamboo, palm trees, sea turtles). My kitchen is decorated in a coffee theme (blacks, browns, and reds).

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I would love to try Addi Turbos. I would also love to have a copy of the Teach Yourself VISUALLY Knitting book. I don’t subscribe to any magazines but I often purchase the Interweave Crochet, Interweave Knitting, Creative Knitting and Crochet magazines. I would love to have a subscription to any of those magazines.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I view myself as a beginner when it comes to knitting, so I am learning lots of new techniques. I would love to learn to do cables.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I have tried several times to knit socks but have not succeeded yet. My foot is 10” long.

23. When is your birthday? April 18^th. (I will be turning 40 this next year)

The Last Knit

When knitting becomes an obsession.......

You gotta go watch this video, I think most of us can relate.

Click Here

Just one more row, just one more row, just one more row............

Surprise From KKex SP

I got home from work on Friday and there was a package waiting for me to open. It was from my KKEXnMore Secret Pal. This was the revealing package from my SP Lisa. Look at all the goodies she sent me.

I love the knitting bag. I needed a new one and had planned to buy one this weekend, but Lisa beat me to it. And of coarse his Majesty is really cute too. (if you haven't figured it out, I love Garfield)
Thanks Lisa for everything! You Rock!!

Funky Scarf Update

I posted earlier in the week that I would post some pictures of the progress of the funky scarf I am working on. So here they are! I am using Patons' Nuance in Cedar Rose. I haven't decided if I am going to use fringe or string some beads on the ends. I think the person I am making this for will really like it or at least I hope she does. I created it based on her questionnaire.

Tuesday's Question #4

Well this may be the last Tuesday question since I haven't really had much response to my previous questions. So here's this weeks question:

Should I continue posting a question each Tuesday for my blog readers to answer?

No answer from me this time....I will give you my answer after the results are in.

Information Overload

Today was day 3 at my new job. So far I am really enjoying it. Right now though I am dealing with information overload. I am learning soooooo much! I am taking online classes while I am working and learning the functions of my position. I will be heading to Portland the last week of November to take a week long class and then I take the state exam to become licensed in Property and Casualty and this is just the beginning of the licensing process. Right now I am working on getting licensed in Bank Securities. I should be fully licensed by the end of January.

The thing that has been the hardest for me with this new job is having to get up so early in the morning to get ready for work. I am NOT a morning person! I am a night owl and I am having to force myself to go to bed at a decent time which really isn't that bad because I am actually pretty tired by the time 10:00 p.m. rolls around. The problem is that my body/internal clock is so used to staying up late that once I go to bed I lay there and toss and turn for a couple of hours. Last night I decided to take a sleeping aid (tylenol pm) which did help me sleep but it took too long to kick in and then this morning I felt drugged. So tonight I am just going to go find something really boring on TV and see what happens.....LOL

Funky Scarf Swap Update.....

I have been working on the scarf for this exchange. I found the perfect yarn, but deciding on a pattern was a different story. I have started and frogged the scarf about 10 times because I just haven't liked the patterns. I finally found a pattern and modified it a little. I will be posting a picture of my progress later this week.

Tuesday's Question #3

What is your single worst fear?


My single worst fear is of spiders.

Success Is The Best Revenge!

Today I completed step 4 of the hiring process for the insurance sales position. No that is not a mistake....I had a 3rd interview this morning. When I got home from work this afternoon I had a message from the insurance office. I immediately got on the phone and called them back and I was offered the position. I go in on Wednesday to finalize everything such as hours, salary, benefits, etc. I am totally ecstatic right now!

This employment search has been a complete emotional roller coaster.

I lost my job at the doctors' office back in January due to the fact that one of the doctors that I was working for was diagnosed with cancer and they made some major changes and down scaled their office and my position was eliminated. The job market where I live is very competitive and there really are not a lot of job openings. I spent the first four months collecting unemployment and searching for work. I was getting to the point of desperation so I took the position at our local pizza restaurant back in May just so I could get out of the house and make more than I was getting on unemployment. Well this job was working out just fine for a while, but it really wasn't what I wanted to be doing for a career plus it was running havoc on my feet. So at the beginning of August I put my career search in overdrive. I can't tell you the number of positions I applied for. I was called to a couple of interviews but for the most part never heard anything back from any of the employers. I take that back, I did receive one letter from one employer saying thanks for your resume but we have decided to hire someone else. Then I heard from a friend that works for a mortgage company that she knew of a position that the insurance office was interviewing for. I called their office to get more information and they asked me to drop off my resume and scheduled an interview.

So that is how I got to this point.

I plan to become very successful in this new career and I hope my name becomes well known. And then I will sit back and smile and think about my favorite motto...

"Success Is The Best Revenge!"

Sometimes You Just Gotta De-stress

When life gets overwhelming sometimes you just gotta de-stress. John and I took a trip up the North Umpqua today to do some sightseeing. We visited Fall Creek Falls. (click on the name of the falls for more information) It's about a one mile easy to moderately difficult hike to the bottom of the falls from the parking area. John and I hiked to the top of the falls. One of the neat features of the trail to the falls is where the trail narrows between two very large rocks. There is a picture of John and I between these rocks in the slide show. We plan to do more hiking to various falls along the North Umpqua River this fall. We would have visited Susan Creek Falls today, but John was feeling a little under the weather. Enjoy the slide show!

The Need for Speed

I'm a Lotus Elise!

You believe in maximum performance and minimum baggage. You like to travel light and fast, hit the corners hard, and dance like there's no tomorrow.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

I can't believe how accurate this quiz was....this car is totally ME!

FO's

I actually have been working on projects and managed to get some finished. The scarf on the left was knitted with a nobo novelty yarn, the one in the midde was crocheted with one of Red Hearts new self striping yarn and the one on the right was loom knitted with Red Heart Kooky. My favorite is the one on the right. I love the texture of the yarn and the pattern the yarn made.


On another subject, I got a call yesterday from the insurance office and they asked me to come back on Monday for a 3rd interview. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but this is looking very promissing.

Life's To Do List

The items in purple are things I have done and all the other ones, well we will just have to see what happens next!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said 'I love you' and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen an eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 10 provinces or all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your cds
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Dead River
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in aisles at Rocky Horror.
96. Raised children.
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Created and named your own constellation of stars
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an illness that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistols
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read their books.
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

And you?

Tuesday's Question

What is your favorite breakfast cereal?

Mine is Cap'n Crunch Berries

Step Three

I got good news today. I passed step two in the hiring process for the insurance sales position. I was told that I did very well on the exam and they asked me back for a second interview. I will have this interview late Thursday afternoon. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Step Two

The interview for the insurance sales position went very well. So well infact that they have selected me to complete step two of the hiring process. They would like for me to take there prospective personnel exam on Friday (tomorrow). This exam, I was told, takes approximately one and a half hours to complete. Part of the exam involves taking the Wonderlic exam. It is a 12 minute timed exam with 50 questions that is kind of like an IQ test. If I do well on the exam, they will call me back for a second interview which will involve meeting all of the other sales team members. I am excited and nervous at the same time. As soon as I complete the exam, the results are faxed to the insurance office for review at which time they will decide whether or not to call me back for the second interview.

I felt so good about yesterday's interview, that afterwards I went out and purchased a whole new work wardrobe and all the pieces mix and match.

Maybe this is what I needed to get me out of my funk.

Inquiring Minds Want To Know.....

And I want to know too!

I am going to spice up my blog with a weekly question. I will post a question each Tuesday. To answer the question just post a comment with your answer to the question. I too will be answering the questions.

So here it goes.....The first question is:

If you were the eighth dwarf, what would your name be and why?

And my answer is: Witty, because I have a quick sense of humor and I love to joke around.

Now its your turn to answer!

In A Funk

I have been in a bit of a funk for the past few days. Okay, Okay, so I've been in a funk for about 3 weeks. I think it must be the end of summer blahs. Spring and Summer are my favorite seasons and it really disturbs me to know that summer is coming to an end in a few very short weeks. I feel like Summer has come and somehow I missed it. We didn't even do much camping this year. While in this funk I haven't been inspired to really work on my knitting or crocheting. I have been feverishly trying to get out of this funk by looking at all my pattern books and scouring the internet for inspiration. I even ordered two more books to add to my library. I ordered Felted Crochet and Scarf Style. If anyone out there has these books, let me know what you think of them and what projects you have enjoyed the most.

On another note, I have been having a lot of pain in my feet. So I went to the doctor and explained to her that I work 4 to 5 hours a day standing on concrete floors working at our local pizza restaurant. So she prescribed some foot orthotics and instructed me to find other employment. I am still trying to decide what is worse, the padded inserts for my shoes or standing on the concrete or both. I have several job prospects right now and I am just waiting to hear back from them. They range from school district secretary, legal assistant, medical office receptionist, medical billing clerk and insurance sales receptionist. I actually have an interview for the insurance office position tomorrow and out of all the positions that I have applied for, it has the best pay and benefits and room for growth. So wish me luck cause my feet need it!

Happy Mailday...I mean Monday

I received a package in the mail on Saturday from my KKEXnMORE Secret Pal! Look at everything she sent me. I love the dishcloth in the tropical colors with the peace sign. How did you know that I need some peace in my life? And the keychain calendar is really cute too. Thanks Secret Pal!

Then today I received another package and it was from Jami, also from the KKEXnMORE group. She angeled me for the Christmas in July exhange. She sent me one of the dishcloth rakes from Markman Farms. The package also contained some cotton yarn and a pouch with a loom tool, yarn guides and a cool pair of scissors with my name on them.

Check out the close up of the scissors.
By the way, Jami just finished a really cool purse and you can see a picture of it on her blog, Jami's Loom and Boards.
Thanks again Jami for everything, you're an angel!

Australia or Bust!

Okay, well I am not headed to Australia, but this scarf is.

I did another trade with my friend Tammie.
She wanted one of my scarfs and I wanted this neckace.

I still can't get over what a great job she does on these necklaces. Thanks again Tammie for doing the trade!

Funky Scarf Swap Questionnaire Answers

Are you allergic to any fibers? Not that I am aware of although some wool is just too scratchy.

Do you prefer any fibers over others? I prefer very soft fibers, so as long as its soft it's all good.

Thinking back to Scout’s post about what funky means to you, post an image of something that you think is funky! Okay its not an image but its a link to an image of a sweater that I think is funky...click here

Would you prefer funky yarn or a funky pattern? Hey, why not both?!!

What are your favorite colors? My favorite colors are purple, blue and black (sounds like a bruise...LOL)

What is your favorite piece of art? Van Gogh's Starry Night

What colors would you never have up close to your pretty face? I would never wear green, yellow or orange up close to my face.

Would you prefer an actual scarf or a cowl? I prefer scarves over cowls

When you wear a scarf do you prefer a wider/shorter scarf or a thin/long scarf? Depends on the purpose of the scarf.....if its for dressing up then I prefer long/thin scarves....and if its for function such as being out in the cold then I prefer a wide but not too short of a scarf.

What is the climate like where you live? The climate is fairly mild, but we do get a couple of months of very cold weather in the winter, usually December and January

Would you prefer a functional scarf (to keep you warm) or one just to funk-up your wardrobe? I am great with either, but looking at my scarf wardrobe.....it is lacking in the area of functionality.

What else would you like your partner to know about you? I love to downhill ski and I love bright colors. You can also find out more about me by reading the post "Four Things" on July 30th

Yarn Miser The Edited Version

Sometimes I just hate Blogger! It has been brought to my attention that this previous post was, well to put it bluntly, screwed up. The font was not viewing correctly for everyone, I had several people ask me what was up with the ambulances (this was thanks to the font Webdings). So I am posting it again so everyone can have the pleasure of reading what I wrote. Oh, and if you are using Internet Explorer I am sorry you have to view my blog in such a screwed up format. Apparently Blogger is not IE friendly.

I have decided that I am a yarn miser. I was recently going through my stash looking for yarn to part with for a yarn swap and I came across this skein of yarn......now wait a second am I sure this is a skein of yarn or is it tinsel garland for my Christmas tree? Yes it is a skein of No Boundries yarn from Walmart and the name of it is Cher! I don't know what possessed me to buy this yarn but something in me just won't let it go. Why is that? Anyway, I continued looking through my stash looking for yarn to swap and I am having a heck of a time trying to part with any of my yarn. Its not that my stash is so small that if I trade some of it it will really make a difference.(yes I said trade.....so I will end up with the same amount of yarn I started with). And its not like I can't afford to go out and replace what I give away.

So what is the big deal. You would think I was being asked to give away my first born child. I mean come on, what in the heck am I ever going to use this skein of yarn for? If I try to make a scarf out of it everyone will think I have lost my mind. Picture me in a green sweater wearing the scarf around my neck and a pair of those jingle bell earrings and christmas bulb necklace on. The kids in the neighborhood will be whispering to their moms...."Mom, why is that lady decorating herself like a Christmas tree?"

So that is why I have decided that I am a yarn miser. Please tell me that I am not alone. I really am beginning to think I have a sickness.

My First Felt

Look what I did this weekend. I made this purse following the pattern in the One Skein book. It was super easy. It was so easy that I finished it in one day and that included felting it. I was a little nervous after I finished knitting it about how the whole felting process would go.


This picture was taken when I was about halfway finished knitting it.
And this next one was after the seams were sewn and just before I dropped it into the washer.
Look at how pretty it turned out. I found this cool appliqué at Walmart and it really finished it off. I just love it and plan to make many more.

Daydreams

I have been spending a lot of time daydreaming lately about being on the slopes. I guess it must be because our weather has been sooooooo hot! It was 108 degrees this last week.

My husband and I took up downhill skiing 3 years ago and our goal is to ski just about every ski resort we possibly can. We have spent a lot of time at Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Oregon and have made a couple of trips to Mt. Shasta in California. That is were these pick were taken. I would consider myself to be and intermediate moving up to advanced in my skiing abilities. This run happens to be a black diamond which for those of you who are not skiers is a very difficult ski run.



Here we are at Heavenly in Lake Tahoe. We took these pictures while riding the lift to this slope. We spent my 38th birthday here and skied for 4 days. The views were absolutely breathtaking. On the last day of skiing after finishing one of our runs and getting ready to hop on the lift again we happened to spot a bear and her cubs sitting under a tree just a few yards away from the lift. This was a reminder to us that we are really in the wild when we are on the mountain.

This next year will be a landmark year for me. I am going to be 40. This is hard for me to believe because I certainly don't feel my age. So as I sit here in the heat I daydream about which mountain I will conquer when I am 40. Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort in Whistler BC, Canada is looking like my next challenge.

Four Things

Okay here are my answers for the Four Things About Me meme. I was tagged by Rebecca at Socks-For-Mum.

4 Jobs I Have Had

1. Model
2. Photographer
3. Legal Assistant
4. Medical Assistant

4 Movies I would watch over & over

1. Top Gun
2. Pretty Woman
3. How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days
4. Hope Floats

4 Places I have lived

1. Brussels, Belgium
2. Virginia
3. Oregon
4. Yet to be known

4 TV shows I watch

1. Knitty Gritty
2. All My Children
3. Desperate Housewives
4. Gray's Anatomy

4 books I love

1. Chronicles of Narnia
2. Left Behind Series
3. The Bible
4. All of Frank Peretti's books

4 places I have been on vacation

1. Paris, France
2. Houston, Texas
3. Las Vegas, Nevada
4. Lake Tahoe (Heavenly Ski Resort)

4 of my favorite foods

1. Anything Mexican
2. Mongolian Beef
3. Fried Chicken
4. Chicken Fettucini Alfredo

4 places I would like to be at right now

1. The Cook Islands
2. The Spa
3. Hawaii
4. Disneyland

Okay, if you just read this then consider yourself tagged. Tell us about your 4 things!

A New Friend

I would like to introduce you to Tammie, one of my newest friends. Tammie and I met on the Yahoo KKEXnMORE group. Tammie lives in Australia and does some amazing work. We recently did a trade for one of her handmade items for some worsted weight yarn. Here is what she made for me.
Tammie crochets these necklaces. Yes I said crochet....isn't it amazing! She is a very talented lady. You can see more of her work on her blog, What My Looms Have Bloomed. She also loom knits.

Yarn Miser

I have decided that I am a yarn miser. I was recently going through my stash looking for yarn to part with for a yarn swap and I came across this skein of yarn......now wait a second am I sure this is a skein of yarn or is it tinsel garland for my Christmas tree? Yes it is a skein of No Boundries yarn from Walmart and the name of it is Cher! I don't know what possessed me to buy this yarn but something in me just won't let it go. Why is that? Anyway, I continued looking through my stash looking for yarn to swap and I am having a heck of a time trying to part with any of my yarn. Its not that my stash is so small that if I trade some of it it will really make a difference.(yes I said trade.....so I will end up with the same amount of yarn I started with). And its not like I can't afford to go out and replace what I give away.

So what is the big deal. You would think I was being asked to give away my first born child. I mean come on, what in the heck am I ever going to use this skein of yarn for? If I try to make a scarf out of it everyone will think I have lost my mind. Picture me in a green sweater wearing the scarf around my neck and a pair of those jingle bell earrings and christmas bulb necklace on. The kids in the neighborhood will be whispering to their moms...."Mom, why is that lady decorating herself like a Christmas tree?"

So that is why I have decided that I am a yarn miser. Please tell me that I am not alone. I really am beginning to think I have a sickness.