February FOs

My finished knitted projects for the month include a baby blanket, prayer shawl, pair of socks, pair of fingerless mitts I pattern tested and some baby wash cloths:



On the needles for March are a pair of socks for Cari - just CO on for them yesterday!

Monkeys!!!

It all started because "someone" mentioned that Pierce (my nephew) was into monkeys these days. That was before Christmas. Don't ask me where the hair brained idea came from. It's not like I don't already have plenty of hobbies to choose from when I actually have time to devote to one of them. But for some reason the light bulb went on and I just HAD to MAKE him a sock monkey. Now keep in mind that I saw them at Target for $12.99 before Christmas. But that simply wasn't good enough! I wanted to MAKE one for him. Nope, I've never made one before. I guess knowing Sara (his mom) would love it all the more knowing I had made it was a big reason why I wanted to do this. Bob just shakes his head at me. He doesn't get it either - but then there's quite a bit about me he doesn't get.

I set off on my mission to find the famous red heel socks. After looking at several stores I decided to just order them online. There are several companies online that sell them and I was delighted to find they come in blue as well as brown. You know me, it had to be a bit different! So I ordered them, they came and they sat ... through December and then through January. I just ran out of time. Eventually, during one of our "snowed in" weekends, with all my other deadline projects and the time came to pull out the socks. I followed the directions and sewed up the first sock. After I figured out that the red heel on that sock was his butt and not his mouth, it all came together pretty quickly! LOL I was quite confused for a bit though. Sewing all the pieces on was the next challenge. I am not a proficient hand sewer. In fact, my first monkey looks a little pathetic if you look too closely. But he is what he is and he needs a home where he will be loved (i.e. dragged around by the arm - hopefully - through all kinds of muck).

I finished him right before one of our sock classes so he HAD to go with me - seeing as he was made from socks ... right? :D Other than looking angry (I still need to fix his eye brows) I was quite proud of my first sock monkey. Sometime during the class there was a discussion on why he was so pissed. I suggested it was because I didn't make him anatomically correct - c'mon! this is me we're talking about - consider the source! As he was passed around Rachel put his tail between his legs and arranged his arms around it and ... well needless to say hilarity ensued! We were all crying we were laughing so hard. Ya know, when I look at any of these monkeys (yeah, I've made some more since then) that's all I see now. And they all look pornographic! And yeah, I did take a pic of it - just couldn't help myself - but I won't post it. I'll leave that to your imagination.

Of course after completing this little guy (albeit well hung little guy) I wanted to make more. The wheels were just a spinning! Off I went looking for more socks. I found these wonderful Valentine socks and they just screamed to be made into Valentine monkeys!! I decided to take Cari and Jocelyn (roommate) one since we were going up there. I love how they came out and so did the girls. I get a little better at seaming and doing the face on each one. Sorry Pierce, I'll make you another one at some point ... cuz hey, you gotta have more than one monkey, right?

I also decided to make baby monkeys from little girl socks. I needed one for Morgan for V-Day and one for an upcoming baby shower. I think they turned out pretty dang cute!

Oh Puleeese!!!!!!

As I sit in my living room watching so many historic events unfolding at the 2010 Winter Olympics I simply have to vent on the latest in the Tiger Woods saga.  Oh My Freakin' God! I guess because I have a "LIFE" and wasn't home around the TV today I forgot all about this "historic event." This is what "Insider Edition" called it. Check it out for yourself on their website. Seriously? Tiger Woods' public apology is considered an historic event? Are you kidding me? The death of Nodar Kumaritashvili was a tragic historic event. All the medals won (gold, silver & bronze) in these Olympic are historic events. The fall of the World Trade Centers on 9-11 was an historic event. The election of our first black president was an historic event. Need I go on? I don't think so. What the hell is going on with our society when we consider a public apology (whether you believe it was sincere or not) from a nymphomaniac sports figure an historic event? Please, help me understand! I don't get it!

Adding to my confusion and disbelief was the statement that his mistresses are upset because he did not apologize to THEM!!!!! Again, Oh My Freakin' God! OK, let me make sure I understand this. These women have a sexual relationship with this guy they know is married and, in the later years, has children. They knowingly assist him in breaking his marriage vows, but he owes them an apology? Help me out here. It's not like any of them didn't know the situation or what they were getting themselves into. Oh, so Joslyn James gets pregnant not once, but twice by this guy (at least so she says) ... wait there's another rant right there! I understand accidents can happen, but puleeese! If you're committing adultery with a married man and father of children, don't you BOTH know what to do to prevent pregnancy? Again, she knew the situation so why does she expect an apology?

I'm sorry. This, I believe, is one of the true definitions of insanity.

OK, QB signing off ... until the next rant.

Happy Extended V-Day!

Went to see Heidi and Morgan yesterday - always a good thing. I couldn't wait to see her reaction to her sock monkey! It was worth the wait - she loves it!! We had such a nice visit - so glad Missy and Tiffany came over too. Nothing like good food, conversation, knitting & crocheting together and baby love all on the same day!! Here's some of the latest photos:



tata for now!
QB

Happy V-DAY!!

Cari had been trying to come home for the weekend for several weekends and it just wasn't working - either because of the weather or school work. So Bob and I decided to go see her instead. We left early Sunday morning and had a beautiful day for travel. The roads were clear and traffic was minimal. We arrived just in time for lunch and ended up at Applebees. I had my much beloved Oriental Chicken Salad - yummm. From there we walked through the mall to see if anything jumped out at us - nothing did except a book Cari had been looking for. Since her fridge was cleaned out and she was low on groceries we did a Walmart run and stocked up. That's always fun, especially with Bob. LOL It's a good thing! Every once in a while he needs to get a wake up call as to how much simple items cost.

After unloading all the goodies we brought and groceries just bought, we headed to the parking lot to "dig out" Cari's car. They'd had so much snow in the last couple of weeks it was ridiculous. Bob had been telling her to "just drive through it" and neither Cari nor I could make him understand it simply wasn't that easy. It didn't take that long after he actually saw her car. The aisles in the lot had been plowed but all that did was push the snow up to the car. We did send her back with a tool that had a snow brush on one end and ice scraper on the other ... had no clue she'd need to keep a snow shovel and broom (or something for pushing the snow off the top of the car) too! Wow! None of us had gloves on - smart, I know. Long story short, it took a while but we managed to get the car started, moved and cleaned off enough for her to drive. While we were working on her car, I saw another student trying to get her Camry out for the first time. If I hadn't been so cold I probably would've wet my pant from laughing so hard because the poor kid was using a traditional 8" long ice scraper to try and move a foot of snow (or more) from behind her wheels and on top of her car. Yeah, we went to help her as unprepared as we were too - but we got her out.

 

It's always hard to tell Cari goodbye but knowing she'll be home in less than three weeks helped. We had such a nice visit. It's always a good thing spending time together.

Cari was thrilled with her V-Day sock monkey and proudly displays her on her desk. :)

Misc

Again, I don't know why this blog has become a place of confessions, but so be it. Last week I stopped by the pet store to pick up some food for Peanut. Since I was running around getting ready for the nasty weather we were supposed to get, yet again, the weekend I was on a mission. I rushed in, grabbed the bag of dog food and up the counter I went. As the clerk was ringing up the sale, I happened to notice the shape of the food on the back of the bag ... wait! It's a different shape than what I had at home.

Rewinding back to the last bag I picked up ... I noticed when I opened it that "they had changed the shape of the food." I just shrugged and thought it was "new and improved" ya know? Didn't give it a second thought. And Peanut really liked the new shape ... he was eating this food better than the "old" stuff. :D

Fast forward to this new bag ... there were two yellow bags of food, different brands. I assumed I hat picked up the different brands last time and asked the clerk to wait a minute. Picked up the other bag and looked on the back ... lo and behold that shape was the same as the other bag. I even OPENED the damn bag to make sure the picture on the back of the bag was the same as what was IN the bag! LOL At this point I must've looked at the clerk with the totally puzzled expression on my face and she said, "Do you think it's possible you picked up cat food by mistake last time?" Oh My Freakin' God! Are you serious? I picked up the bag of cat food to look at the picture on the back and sure enough ... Peanut had been eating cat food for a month! Poor guy. I thought his voice sounded different lately ... hopefully, I caught the mistake before he starts meowing.

Next time I'm going to be more conscious of picking up the right bag when I'm on my "mission."

Winter Storm 2010!

Anticipating "a bit" of snow the last weekend of the month, I ran all my errands and stocked up with groceries ahead of time. We don't get snow around here very often. Lots of us actually get excited about the prospect of snow. For the most part, we get to enjoy it for a few days and then it's gone. The fluffy white stuff began to fall during the night Friday and day broke with a beautiful white covering. Bob and I had a fire going by 9am and we prepared to enjoy the day from inside.

Between watching shows we recorded on the DVR, surfing the net, knitting (that would be me) and just lounging around the day disappeared quickly. I did get my fat butt in the kitchen sometime during the afternoon to make chocolate chip cookies (that's a must do when it snows!) and a chicken broccoli casserole for dinner. Boy you should've been around to enjoy that combination of aromas in the kitchen. Chicken simmering, onions sauteing and cookies baking! Whew! I shouldn't tell you I actually had to crack open the window, should I? Honestly, those wonderful little personal summers had a small bit to do with the window thing too. :) I was just glad Bob didn't pop into the kitchen to see a window open in 20 some odd degree weather. I think he'd have had a stroke! Anyhoo, here's some shots of our snow storm:


Poor Peanut ... all day he'd ask to go out only to stand at the door and look out when it was opened. A couple of times he'd actually walk out for a foot or two and turn around to come back in. It was if he was saying, "Aw hell, I don't have to go that bad! I'll just wait a while." Needless to say, eventually he had to brave the elements. He didn't like it either. He'd stand there and look at the steps, tentatively put a foot out and turn around to try another avenue when it sunk instead of finding firm ground. We started opening the garage door for him and that worked better. Sunday morning when he and Bob went out to get the paper Peanut found a lone pine needle sticking straight up in the snow to cock his leg on. Crazy dog. He's not looking forward to the next snow, that's for sure.

January "Morgan" photos

Another confession: (Note: didn't intend this blog becoming my place for confessions but it seems to be happening on its own - interesting.) Well crap, now I've forgotten what the damn confession was! UGH! Ya gotta love these freakin' menopausal hormones - or lack thereof. So, where was I? I don't remember so I guess I'll just talk about something else until I remember - or wait, maybe another cup of coffee will help the "rewinding" process ... hang on. OK, second cup of java in hand ... well sitting beside me. Sip - still rewinding ...

Anyway, spent some wonderful time with "Poot" as she is so fondly called by most of her loved ones. I've slipped a time or two but still have issues calling her "Poot." (Her loving daddy started calling her that early on because ... well I think you can guess. For some odd reason it stuck.) I, on the other hand, prefer to call her my little pumpkin pie. I know I've said it before, but she has the most beautiful smile on the face of the earth. It just lights up my heart! How could it not? Look!!

Here she is eating her first "cookie." She liked it but didn't quite know what to make of it. I love how she takes it out of her mouth and looks at it ...


Look at that face! :)


I know I've also said she is the most loving baby in the world ... but she IS! LOL I was so excited to actually capture how she "attacks" you when giving love. Needless to say, she loves her mama!

See? Isn't it one of the sweetest things you've EVER seen? What a little love bug.

BATH TIME!

Morgan LOVES her bath! And part of her bath time routine is her beloved duckies. She has three and love to corral them all. If one is missing she frantically looks around until it's found.


... and I LOVE this one of her sticking out her tongue to catch the water running off of her head. Too cute!!

Alas, after a very long day of fun she was all tuckered out. I got a little cuddling time in before I had to head home:


until next time ...

(and no, I never did remember my confession ... sigh)

OMG! SOCKS!!!!!

I have wanted to make socks for forEVER!!! I did make a practice pair last winter. The ended up as decent slipper socks and that was ok, but I really wanted to make "real" socks! Don't ask me why. I don't know! But as Regina and I were leaving KnitWits early in January (yeah, don't ask me what I was doing in there either - certainly didn't "need" any yarn) Kelly happened to mention a sock class was starting in a week or two. And yes, Regina and I signed right up!! On the way out I thought, "uh oh, better call Fran and see if she wants us to sign her up before we leave." (They only take 6 in a class and the classes fill up quickly.) Yes, Fran wanted to take the class too. Started to leave again and thought, "Hmmm, wonder if Liz would be interested." Honestly, I really didn't think she would but figured I'd let her make that choice. Driving into the parking lot for the first class, she was still saying we "talked her into taking it."

Are you getting a picture? FOUR of us from S&B made up the class. We actually felt sorry for the other two ... until we met them. Rachel and Katrina fit right in with out obnoxiousness and silliness. And just let me start by saying that Kelly (our teacher) is a freakin' saint - in more ways than one! Who knew learning to knit socks could be that much fun? Who knew? LOL No really, we did a LOT of LOLing! Our class was on Tuesday nights and so it KnitWits sit and knit night. When we first arrived and saw they had put our table at the back of the store we figured they knew us better than we thought! :D We got a bit of flack upon leaving from a few of the knitters telling us we were having way too much fun "back there" to actually learn anything! But after three classes (and one extra trip up there in between classes) most of us had one completed sock!!! How cool is that?


Here is Kelly ... our teacher, saint, savior, etc. I'm telling you this woman has more patience than Job!


The bug has bitten. Regina and Liz have already started their second pair. I'm dying to cast on my next pair but have some deadline projects to complete first. Confession: I did order some more sock yarn yesterday though. :) I forgot to mention ... before we could get outta there from the last class, Fran had us signed up for another one! I'll be surprised if they don't lock the doors when they see us coming next time! :) Here's my completed pair!