New goodies

All I can say is "WOW". Yesterday I got my first installment of the Petals Collection from Sundara Yarn. The color is Calla Lily, with a pattern as well. Purples and greens. It came Priority Mail and was wrapped beautifully. The pattern is on cardstock and comes in this gorgeous green envelope. AND there's a postcard size picture of a Calla Lily. AND a little flower shaped sucker. On one hand, I can wait to get started on these socks. On the other hand, the package is just so pretty I just want to keep looking at it. The picture doesn't even come close to doing it justice.

An experience to dye for

A couple of weeks ago, Kim and I got together to try a little dyeing. I hadn't dyed anything before, but I have all this wool sitting here just asking for a little color. Kim had done some dyeing before, and I felt like I needed a little hand holding. So off we went. I had visions in my head of hand painted yarn that was dyed in clumps of color, sort of like Socks That Rock is. You know...an distinct area of blue, another of green, etc? Well, here was our first try at that...I think a little Gaywool blue and Raspberry.

Not so much distinct blocks, but not bad. My next attempt at multicolored yarn produced a uniform shade of brick red. Very pretty, but again, just not what I was expecting.

We finally figured out that dark colors were pretty overpowering. Amazing how quickly we figured that out, eh? So I thought I'd try some lighter colors. This last batch is some yellow, green and blue dye. I tried the hot-pour method. Or at least our version of it. Here's the wool sitting in the dye

and now spun up.

I surprised myself with this one. I don't usually like green, especially something of this shade, but the more I look at it the more it's growing on me. I had been calling it "Split Pea", but I'm not a big fan of split pea soup, so the name has quite the negative connotation, at least for me. Maybe "Shrek" is a better name?

Happy Birthday Catie!

Well, this is only 2 days late, but as of Wednesday, June 21, at 10:51 PM, Catie Grace turned 1 year old. I had this freakish desire to make her cake from scratch. Like somehow if I bought a cake, I was a bad mom. So I baked the cake (no Duncan Hines here, folks), made the frosting, and decorated it myself. Whew. Now I can rest easy that I'm not a bad mom. Never mind the fact I'm never home, but hey...something the little things are all we have. So here we have the cake:

Hmm...what have we got here?

And now...mmm...I like chocolate.

What a great year it's been. Though it's certainly gone by fast. It's been amazing to watch how she changes from day to day. I can't even really remember what life was like before her. Happy Birthday, Miss C!

A real cop-out

Well, it's midnight on Tuesday. I've delivered 6 babies in 7 days (a lot for me). I've had 4 call nights in the same time frame. I need to be at the office at 7am, and I'm staying up late to finish frosting Catie's birthday cake. And I haven't posted in a couple of days. SO...courtesy of Kat with a K...

You scored as Elinor Dashwood. As Marianne's older sister, Elinor lives at the other end of the emotional spectrum. She rarely reveals her intense feelings and is more concerned with being honest and loyal than having what she deserves. Even though her intentions are pure, she sets herself up for loss by constantly placing other people before her own needs. Overall, Elinor is gentle and rational but is just as capable of radical emotions (despite her withholding them) as her sister. > Which Jane Austen Character are You? (For Females) Long Quiz!!! created with QuizFarm.com

Enough bitching and moaning from me. Pictures of the one year b-day party coming soon to a computer near you.

Book Reviews

2 books down. Many more to go. I've been reading a couple of chapters each night. It actually feels good to be back reading a lot again. I haven't done nearly as much lately as I used to do.


My first book that I've finished is The Red Tent, by Anita Diamant. 321 pages of goodness. What a great book. I'm certainly not the most religious person, so was not intimately familiar with the story of Jacob and his family. But this perspective is something I can get into. What an amazing story and women and their role in the world. I was fascinated by all the midwife stuff.






Book #2 is The Overspent American, by Juliet Schor. I actually read the hardcover version--253 pages, though the last 75 are bibliography, references, etc. This one's from the library. I'm rather disillusioned with my life and finances right now, and so am reading quite a bit about downshifting. Too much junk and too many bills. I can't say I really learned much from this book, but it's a good overview of our consumerist culture, of which I somewhat unhappily am a participant. It does have some recommendations at the end, but most of them are pretty common sense. I guess it can't hurt to get a little refresher course though.


Next up...a book about signing to young children and I need to finish Eragon. Plus there's been a "development" with my Birch shawl. I'm going to have to rip back a few rows. Dang.

Why Mary is the BEST!

The title of my last post was "A Little Housekeeping". You know how you're supposed to do a little housekeeping every day so that, come the weekend, you're not overwhelmed? I'm not very good at that. When it comes to the house OR blogging. I always have so many things to write about, but don't get here every day for various reasons. So...every few days I feel like I have to catch you all up on things that have been going on (though in general my life is pretty lame). I'm going to try and restrain myself today, because my last post was a bit too much, I think.

So...today is going to focus on my last Secret Pal gift. Tuesday night I'm getting ready for bed, too late as usual, and George brings in a big manila envelope for me. It had come in the mail that day, and he set it up on top of the fridge to keep it away from the dogs (eye level for him, 2 feet above my head). He finally remembered it was there before he came to bed. Well, it was my final SP package, and what a good one. This was the "reveal" package. Mary in NYC, you are such a great secret pal. You always seem to know what will be perfect for me. Further proof--4 skeins of KPPM, Knitted sheep and doll patterns, the Kids Kids Kids book of patterns, Zephyr in blue (my fave), a book that I can't wait to read--Sylvia's Farm, about a woman who raises sheep. Especially pertinent considering our newest additions of Lacey and Aran, who by the way are getting tamer and more friendly every day. For your drooling pleasure:

Not much else going on tonight. The REAL housekeeping still awaits. Next up this week--some reading updates, my first adventure in dyeing, and more.

A little housekeeping

I have so many things to post about, I don't even know where to start. I keep meaning to write about all this stuff, but I get sidetracked. So here we go.

First off...the box from the

arrived at my house last week. What a bunch of goodies. It took me a few days, but I finally decided on

in exchange for these:

More sock yarn...just what I need. I've been wanting to learn to dye, so this KnitPicks color your own comes at a very appropriate time. Perhaps this weekend...? (Hey Kim--busy? What to do some dyeing?) I mailed the box off to the next person this afternoon. Enjoy.

What else? Birch is progressing along, though slowly. I've done one more repeat. Pretty sad...one whole repeat in a week. And in terms of my diet, I really sucked today. Krispy Kremes at the office with no breakfast before is a BAD combination. Damn those glazed gobs of sugar.

I've joined the Mason Dixon Knitalong as well. I made this over the weekend.


What a fun pattern, and quick to make. I'm going to try and make a few more over the coming weeks. I think they'll make good additions to bridal shower/wedding gifts, and good lord, I have several of those this summer.

And I joined this as well:



My first book is The Red Tent. I bought this book 2 years ago when we were on our honeymoon in Victoria and read the first couple of chapters and then set it aside. It's high time I actually picked it up and finished it.

I think that's all...at least for now. Yikes.

Amazing Lace Entry #1

Take 1

(Cheesy announcer voice)

This summer, while children play in city pools and parks, while adults flip burgers on the BBQ and drink beer, join us on a quest. A personal journey, of sorts. Watch these two individuals work to transform themselves into something bigger (or smaller) and better than ever before. Ladies and gentlemen, WELCOME TO THE AMAZING LACE.

(Cheesy action music)

First we have our project, Birch. Ahhh, Birch. Birch, whose parents are Rowan and Kid Silk Haze. Birch, the ugly duckling who hopes to someday turn into the beautiful swan. She spends her days languishing on the dining room table, a pile of silk, mohair, and Inox needles, only to hope that she will be remembered at night. Wishing and praying that her knitter will stay focused, keep her eye on the prize, and actually finish her. Right now she looks like this: but someday, hopes and dreams of looking like this.

And now...the knitter...Jocele...

(more cheesy music)

Jocele works all day and sometimes all night (trying ever so hard to pay off those damn med school loans). She tries to squeeze in knitting when she can. But will she get sidetracked? There's those socks, those Mason-Dixon dishrags and log cabin blankets, that baby sweater. The spinning wheel. Not to mention spending time with her handsome husband and adorable daughter. But Jocele has more than knitting and family on the brain this summer. She is packing a few (oh, okay, more than a few) extra pounds post-baby. Especially concerning because the said baby is 2 weeks away from turning a year old. So in addition to the shawl knitting, yarn spinning, perfect gardening and housekeeping, as well as being the ideal wife and mother, she's going to try to find the time to eat better and excercise more. She's hoping by the end of the summer, there'll be a bit less of her to see. Here is a picture of our knitter a few months ago. What will she look like come September? Only time will tell.

How will these two do on their challenge? Stay tuned...

(Music fades out)