Christmas Knitting and New Years

For Christmas I finished knitting my mother and Argosy scarf in Noro and it only took me three days, I'm so proud. Please excuse the cell phone pics, I can't currently find the cord to link my camera to my computer















































I gave my G-Ma a burgundy 3 cabled scarf in Lions Heart and my aunt a quick stockinette scarf in some white sparkley yarn I don't know the name of right now. I'm still in the middle of the scarf that I was suppose to give my G-Pa.

So this is the list of projects that I currently have on my needles and need to finish before I start another project:
1. G-Pa's Scarf
2. Hedera Socks for me
3. Trinity Beret for me
4. Baby Placket Seater
5. Cabled Socks for my hunny (not started but i already have the yarn and the pattern)

I had a wonderful Christmas..I got a sewing machine and I am soooo excited about it. I also went to Williams and Sonoma and bought two beautiful cake pans as a gift from me to me.

2008 is the year of the Domestic Goddess!
While there are many things I flourish at......domesticity has never been one of them. I can cook, but why do it when my better half does it so much better. I do do laundry and I will do dishes if I have to.....but in 2008 I plan on bringing my domestic side up to par with my professional career minded side. I also want to get organized...really organized.(we'll see how it goes)

I will be spending the New Year celebrating at some friends house, kickin' back and relaxing.

Happy New Year To All!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow Let it Snow!

So, we finally got our first real heavy snow, we here in Detroit got 8-16 inches of snow in the Metropolitan area, depending on where you live, over Saturday night through Sunday. I'm glad for the Snow, although technically it's not winter yet, it's still 'fall'. It looks so pretty, the only thing I have yet to figure out is why the snow storm always seems to come on the weekend, so i still had to come to work today. The snow storm never seems to come on a weekday..never, not that my place of employment would ever shut down, they would just say ' well if you don't think you can make it, you can take an annual leave day'....like I really want to take an annual leave day for a natural disaster that i didn't plan.

I spent last night digging out my car from the snow, it was kinda fun....kinda. I made my way to the video store and rented 3 movies to cozy up to. The only thing that would have made it better would have been if I was able to make it to Starbucks for an Eggnog Chai..Yummy! It's not on my current list of things I can drink thanks to my sinus issues, i try to stay away from dairt products when I'm mucusy..they just make it worse, but as soon as I can completely breathe normal..I'm headed to get me one.

Anyway, i've finally gotten together my resolve to finish some Christmas presents, I started a scarf today that I think will go pretty fast, I have two more to knit up before Christmas, wish me luck.

Being Sick Sucks!

I have had a head cold since friday and I'm sick of it. My sinuses/allergies are all in a tizzy and today is the first day I've been able to breath through my noise in days. I am not good at 'being sick', I instantly revert to a 5 year old version of myself that requires Campbell chicken noodle soup (the original condensed version) and lots of attention and sleep. I had to take 2 days off of work because of it which I didn't plan on doing and I've been taking medication every 4-6 hours since friday. I've been drinking tea and water and taking vitamin C pills. If anyone out there has any home remedies for nasal congestion please let me know.

I did get a chance to knit a few more rounds on my Hedera sock which made me happy as I sat at home watching t.v. and fading in and out of sleep. I wish i could find a way to make my job to sit at home and knit. Apparently I haven't figured it out yet, or else it's what I would be doing...but trust me, I'll figure out a way. Somethings gotta change....but I gotta be willing to work hard for that change!

Detroit #40

Well well well, so the New York Time named Detroit as one of 'The 53 Places to Go in 2008".
For all of the obvious reasons we who live in and near Detroit already know. I find it exciting and terribly sad at the same time. I'm excited the Detroit is finally receiving the good press it deserves and sad that some people will only come because the New York Time said so, and for those who still won't give Detroit a chance. Even sadder for the people who live in the burbs of Detroit and won't come down to see what the city is really about and for the people who only come down for a Tigers or Lions game or maybe even a concert at the Fox and then head straight back out of the city without spending any time at the local night spots or eateries or cultural attractions. Detroit is a wonderful city that has soooo many good things to see and do and so much to offer to the people who are willing to give it a chance! (For all of the good and exciting things about and in Detroit, we always seem to get the worse press possible and this is why I'm probably so disillusioned with the media and what they think about anything, but this time they seem to have gotten it right about Detroit...for once. )

On the Knitting front I've finished the heel on my Hedera sock and started the gusset(I have pics but I'm posting from work and of course the pics are on my home computer). I think I'm going to run out of yarn for the toe and so i might end up doing it in a contrasting color...we'll see. I haven't I haven't done much knitting on anything else. I've seen some things I want to knit, but with the holiday's approaching I'm on a strict yarn fast...no more new yarn until after Christmas.

Knitting Makes Everything Better

I just started back knitting again today and I remember all the glorious things knitting does for me..... like calm my frantic nerves when it feels like everything is spinning out of control!!! which seems like my life these days. Calling on Jesus, reading fiction and knitting are all I can do to make that pounding in my chest quiet down and make my head feel like it's not about to pop. I had to rip back a couple (like 20) rows of my Hedera heel flap because I read the directions wrong...that always sucks. I knew something wasn't quiet right, but with knitterly denial I knitted onward! But I'm glad i did so now it looks like its suppose to look.

My fascinating Tuesday night will consist of doing my budget, doing Bible study, watching tv and knitting and maybe a little reading before I go to sleep. Pretty routine, I need to go buy the next two Harry Potter books: Year 4 and 5, so to distract me I've picked up "The Devil Wears Prada" by Lauren Weisberger. I've only read the first chapter but so far so good. I originally bought the book last year in October, I thought i would have a chance to read it when I got all four of my wisdom teeth pulled...but i didn't want to read, i just wanted to watch tv, sleep and moop.

I've decided that I'm starting 2008 now, meaning that I'm changing the way I do things now, instead of waiting until the first of the year to make some bullsheesh resolution that I won't follow through on. So, I've started my financial reform, I'm giving myself 3 years to get the majority of my debt paid off. I'm also gonna keep to my savings plan if it kills me and start investing this year.

The Color Of My Brain

Your Brain is Orange

Of all the brain types, yours is the quickest. You are usually thinking a mile a minute, and you could be thinking about anything at all. Your thoughts are often scattered and random - but they're also a lot of fun! You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about esoteric subjects, the meaning of life, and pop culture.

What Color Is Your Brain?

Harry Potter and Charlie Brown

So, I stated a few posts back that I thought I was going to start reading the Harry Potter books, and I have and I'm so glad that I did. I'm reading book 3 now, The Prisoner of Azkaban. It has really taken my mind of off some of the things that were stressing me out. That and the occasional screwdriver :-)!

I am so happy the holiday season is here, I do love this time of year. I love the decorations, the food, the shopping and just about everything about it. My favorite Holiday CD is the Vince Guaraldi, 'A Charlie Brown Christmas". I absolutely adore it and probably play it way too much this time of year, but whatever...it's great!

I'll post another post on the true meaning of Christmas later, I don't have the energy to criticize the way some people treat Christmas right now..besides I'm happy and anticipating my Egg Nog Latte From Starbucks tomorrow that really sets off the holiday right. I've been watching ' A Charlie Brown Christmas' online on youtube and it set the day off right!
for the original here are the links, it might make your day brighter.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Happy Holidays!

To Everything There Is A Season

I have a little progress on my sock to show:





















and that is it, I never made it to Michael's when I said I was going so hopefully I can make it today. I went to my second funeral in 2 weeks today, first was my G-Ma's last monday on the 12th and today was my cousin's. He was only 41 and was a great husband, father and all around good guy. He will be truely missed. He had a massive heatattack on Wednesday the 14th and it took everyone by surprise, including me. He and his wife and and of their sons were just at my G-ma's funeral that Monday and all week long before that his wife had been over the house helping with the preparations. So this one was blowing my a bit, but then I read


Ecclesiates 3:1-8
"To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecc 3:2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up [that which is] planted; Ecc 3:3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; Ecc 3:4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; Ecc 3:5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; Ecc 3:6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; Ecc 3:7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; Ecc 3:8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."

And realized that there is a season for eveything, and sooner or later we all must pass that way.

The point in life is to spread the Word of God and live a life worth of the Salvation you've been given if you are a true Christian and to live each day to the fullest. Tell the people that you love, that you love them and be thankful and greatful for all that you've been given and for all the people who you've been allowed to share your life with and who have allowed you to share in theirs.



As for me I will be spending my turkey day morning watching the turkey day parade from my bed all wrapped up in my covers with some hot cocoa and my turkey day dinner at my cousin's house. The last time I went to the actual parade I was a kid and it was freakin' cold outside, so I told my mother that we didn't have to ever do that again and so the watching it from bed tradition began. I would always spend my thanksgiving dinner at my G-Ma Hale's (the one who passed away) and my Christmas morning at my G-Ma Rowe's, this was the arragement that was worked out between my parents a long long, long long time ago, and it's always stuck. Till this day I spend my Thanksgiving with my dad's side of the family and my Christmas morning with my mom's side of the family. So I will be spending my Thanksgiving at my cousin's house since she took over Thanksgiving dinner last year....and luckily she can acctually cook, not quite G-Ma's, but close.

Wishing Everyone A Happy Turkey Day and a Wonderful Holiday Weekend!

Broken Rules and Giving Thanks

So, last week I broke one of my rules I set up for this blog, I am suppose to post at least once a week, but last week was my G-Ma's funeral service and a cousin of mine also past away...so I didn't post because I wasn't in the mood.

I don't have any pics this week because I haven't had much time to knit (which has been a tragedy to me). I decided that I'm going to make the Brea bag for my mom for Christmas and I think I will make the Danica scarf for friend's mom. I need to go buy the yarn for both these projects so I will be headed to Michael's tonight.

Thanksgiving is this Thursday and the year has flown by. Here's a list of things I'm grateful for:
1. Being Saved!
2. Every second that the Lord allows me to have on this side of the dirt.
3. 3 day work week
4. My family and friends
5. Left over turkey samiches (yes i spelled it that way on purpose)
6. Knowing that everything will be alright

Life is a wonderful opportunity.....live everyday to the fullest because tomorrow is not guaranteed for anyone.

Hedera,The Socerer's Stone, and American Gangster

I've made a little progress on my sock, but not as much as i would like because I'm real busy at work. I do love this yarn though, its just springy enough and it doesn't split on me which is great. I'm loving the pattern because it's simple and since it isn't plain stockinette it has just enough variation to keep me interested. I even love the color combination in the yarn, I wanted to do a sock pattern with a little lace just to keep me interested in knitting it and I think the selection of yarn and the pattern turned out pretty well, although to see the lace work better I'll knit it in a solid color next time. Please excuse the fuzziness of the pics, I took them with my cameraphone.
































I have started reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and am pleasantly surprised. I actually like and enjoy reading it.I haven't read a book that wasn't school related in soooooo very long. I feel like a kid again, I use to read all the time and while this isn't the hardest reading on the planet, it's fun and exactly what I need right now.

I also saw the movie American Gangster...a classic, and I bought Jay-Z's American gangster CD. Both are Hotness! Go see the Movie and go get the CD! PRONTO!

My family is making arragements for my G-Ma's funeral and I've had a headache for the past two days but when I woke up this morning it was gone, finally. Nothing much else is going on.

Shopping Therapy

So, I participated in some shopping therapy yesterday. I didn't lose my mind, I just bought some new sock yarn and some new Addi US# 1 circular needles 40" and started a Hedera for myself and the first Harry Potter book (The Sorcerer's Stone) and the November issue of Elle. While nothing changes the grieving process, a little distraction is always helpful.

I have never knit an adult sock before so this is my first attempt, I knit some baby booties ( that turned out too small) for a friends baby boy, so I know the general technic, but we will see how this goes for me. I love knitting and wish I had time to do it all the time. I don't know how I did without it before.

I'll probably be doing some baking therapy later on this week, brownies and cupcakes always make things better.

My pretty Zitron sock yarn, the pics don't do it justice, its so pretty (at least to me it is).
















And soon I will have pretty socks ...

Beauty for Ashes

Isaiah 61:3

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

This morning, I am sad to say, My g-ma passed away, but God is still good and his will is perfect. If you don't know Jesus, I suggest you get to know him, it will be the best possible thing you will ever do and He will sustain you when times are hard. I love my g-ma and I'll miss her dearly, but I'm glad she doesn't have to suffer anymore, i'm glad she's at peace.

Love you G-ma!!

Another Monday

I'm grateful for each and everyday that the Lord allows me to see, but I'm feeling sluggish today. I didn't get any work done on my paper over the weekend, I have tons of work at work to do and my Father just called me and told me that my g-ma is not doing well and she's back in the hospital.

My g-ma has been battling cancer in her bladder all year, she was diagnosed in February and has since been through chemotherapy and radiation at the age of 86. She's a trooper but it hasn't been easy and she was never a sick person so it's been really hard on her and the family. My father called me to tell me she's back in the hospital and that he's not sure what's gonna happen. She's been in a rehab facility for about a month now and she never liked it there, she just wanted to go home. She didn't eat much before she got sick because she was always 'watching her weight' so now getting her to eat to get her strength back had been a trying ordeal. I've always been the only person I knew whose g-ma is taller than me (I stand 5'5 and she is 5'9 at 86! and she's got jokes about me being short too). I don't want her to be in pain and I want her to be happy so I understand if she's tired of fighting....so I'll be at the hospital tonight praying and hoping for the best and knitting for comfort.

On the Needles:
So I started the Child's Placket-Neck Pullover, for a friends baby boy. I wasn't paying attention and I cast on for the 1-2year old size, so now i have to decrease down to the 6-12 month size because the boy is only 3 months old now. I plan on it being a Christmas gift..we will see how things go. Here are some pics of the start of it:

Lots of stockinette here. I've never done any color work before, but U of M beating Michigan State on Saturday(I'm a wolverine, GO BLUE!!!!!!!) put me in the mood for some, I want to make myself a Maize and Blue scarf with the University of Michigan M on it, but this project might have to wait until Christmas knitting is over, so very sad for me :-( put very good for the projects I need to finish for Christmas

Since I quite my part time job, my goal is to be a domestic diva, but in order to start my diva-ness off correctly I have to clean my apartment...cleaning SUCKS! I have not ever been a super organized person and so for me cleaning and organizing is a massive task. Don't get me wrong, I do know where everything is, it just takes a while to find it exactly. I call it organized chaos. While I stick to my statement that cleaning SUCKS! I do love the end result, so this week it is on, I have to clean, organize, throw out something every day. I know people usually clean in the spring, but I call this fall/ holiday cleaning. My aunt always had said that a cluttered space is the result of a cluttered mind, so I'm clearing out my space and hopefully my mind will be focused in the process.

Cakes and Bags

So, that cake I was suppose to make, turned into a lemon crunch cake that I bought. I just couldn't fit it in last night. Today is my managers retirement party and tomorrow is his last day (his birthday) and I'm a little sad. I like my manager and it's hard to find people who you like to work for. Also he wrote all of the staff personal thank you notes for the work we have done and the full time staff also got gift certificates. I got a $10 one to starbucks :-) His wife even baked us coffee cake for our staff meeting this morning. I don't want my manager to go. While the new manager is cool (he currently works in our department) I still want my current manager to stay. Oh well.

On the Knitting Front, Hopefully I'll get to finish my other fetching tonight. I've also decided that I'm going to make my mother a purse for Christmas, but I'm not completely sure which one I should make. Either the Brea Bag











or this one















the only issue is that the second bags directions are in finnish. but i do love it. It's sophisticated and simple. the first one is pretty also, so someone is gonna get it for Christmas.

Delinquency Continues

So, I haven't written much on my paper...maybe another paragraph, which is so so sad. On top of that I haven't knitted much either...so I'm doubly sad. I have been at work, so that makes up for some of it.

I am so overrun with ideas on what I want to make different family members for Christmas. This year I'm convinced that I'm making Christmas gifts, these gifts will consist of knitted goodness, homemade soap and home made lip balms. I'm already finished one knitted item for one g-ma and this upcoming weekend I'm gonna buy the yarn to make the purse I'm going to make my Momma for Christmas. I sent my mother a picture of a fair isle sweater that someone had done on ravelry and she said she wanted that...but she's gonna have to wait for that. I'm not sure I'd have the time to complete it plus the other gifts I need to get done.

For Christmas I'm hoping to receive a sewing machine and a new digital camera...but we'll see. I'd be cool with either. My current camera is not the hotness and I want something that will do a better job. I want a sewing machine because both my g-ma and her sister are seamstresses and I grew up watching my g-ma make the prettiest dresses, tops and skirts. She used to let me make her little purses to match her outfits when I was a kid. I want to be able to sew like her, which i know is gonna take some practice, but under my g-ma's watchful eye, I should do fine. I also saw a quilting book yesterday at the bookstore and I got all excited. I've never tried quilting, but what the heck, I'm becoming a sucker for all things crafty.

On the book reading front it has been so long since I've read any book purely for the fun of it and I'm getting an itching to start reading the Harry Potter books. I know I know I know...before you even say anything I already know. I like the movies and I figure the books are always better than the movies..so what the heck. So I'm putting them on my reading list. The only book that I read that isn't school or work related is The Bible and that is essential for life and salvation!!!

Tonight I have to go home and bake a cake for my manager's retirement party which is tomorrow. I haven't baked anything since Mother's day (wow that was a long long time ago). I made homemade muffins for my momma, aunt, and both g-ma's and they loved them. I use to bake all the time, then I moved and lost the time to bake. I'm slowly getting back into it. I love baked goodness..it makes my tummy happy. Hopefully I'll post some pics of the cake once its done.

FO and Procrastination

Soooo. I may be the biggest or at least on of the biggest procrastinators of all time. I've been working on my master's degree in urban planning for 4 years now...and all I have to do to finish is to finish my Master's Essay. How long have I been working on it you ask? good question. for the better part of 2 years. Should I have finished it by now? another good question HECKS YEAH!!!!! So what's the problem you ask? lack of motivation. When you get a job before you graduate that doesn't require you to finish your degree as a requirement for employment your motivations totally gone. But I've been renewed and so I must finish my paper before the end of the year. I need to stop being a procrastinator and a delinquent about something that will help further my career.....IT"S ON NOW!!!!!!!

Knitting Update: so here are the pics of my irish hiking scarf. such simple pattern yeilds great results. I adore it and have been getting great reviews from my friends and fam that have seen it.
































So on to the next project. I've started the fetching fingerless gloves from Knitty. I've already finished the left one ( except weaving in the ends) and have just started the right one today.

Irish Hiking Scarf

I started the Irish Hiking scarf for the Red Scarf Project, but I soon realized that I wasn't going to have enough time to finish in time for it to be sent...so now this scarf will be my G-Pa's Christmas gift. The beauty of knitting is that even when you miss your target deadline...things always work out. The good thing about giving gifts to my G-pa is that he is excited with whatever I buy or make him. Here are some progress pictures of the scarf.......they are taken with my camera phone, so excuse them for not being crisp.

hello out there

I've started to this time keep a blog up. I've started one in past years, and lost the passion for them, but this one i vow will be different!!! These are my self imposed rules (that I will keep on various sticky notes at work and at home to remind me)
1. I will post at least once a week
2. The post will involve
a. knitting
b. cooking
c. fashion commentary
d. urban design, planning commentary
e. anything that interests me that week...cause hey, it's my blog!
I figure I need to brush up on my writing skills, because with my current job i don't do any writing, short e-mails at best....so here we go...let the fun begin!