I'm Biased...

I may be biased, but I think that this is one of the cutest ornaments I've stitched - maybe ever. Either that or I'm just crazy with otter euphoria.
I stitched him up very quick, I couldn't wait to finish him once I started. His name is Snowdon and he's by Jemini Designs in the 2008 JCS Christmas Ornament Issue. He is one of the kits I received in this year's ornament exchange.

He makes me want to go to the Ga Aquarium and see Oz and Gracie again...

So far I'm doing really good on my goals for August - I finished two ornaments (cuz I was woefully late on my surprise) and one medallion. I think that I'm going to stitch The Sunflower Seed ornament for Sept.

Recent Fluff?

Through T's blog, I found this Booking Through Thursday blog. I love books and reading and really wish that I had more time for it - if you check out my good reads list you will see that I'm quite optimistic in my book reading ability.

What’s the lightest, most “fluff” kind of book you’ve read recently?


What is the definition of fluff? The strict definition (to me) means anything superficial, unneccessary, lacking substance. I generally don't read books that wouldn't have some kind of purpose to me. So for this question I'll consider any light, feel good, and more-humor-than-serious books.

After reviewing my recent reads, I realize that I haven't read much fluff this summer. Another indication that I need time at the beach.

I have to pick Hard Eight by Janet Evanovich. I really love these Stephanie Plum books, there is enough action to keep you interested and a whole lot of funny to make you feel good. I don't know a single person who read one of these and didn't like it.


So what's the lightest most "fluff" kind of book that you've read recently?

Finally!

I'd like to spin tales of exotic adventures and romance, but unfortunately I have not had any of that...I've just been stucking working and working. I'm happy to report that my project went to production last week and I'm in the process of rejoining the living.

I haven't been totally hobby free during my blogging sabbatical. I've knit on many Mmmal-abrigo Traveling Scarves. Most were late, but at least I did them. My own scarf is still out traveling the country. There's plenty of time before it is cold enough for scarf wearing - and you know that I'm not wishing that to come any faster.

I've also done a little stitching. I finished 1 ornament before our weekend gathering in July. I didn't get a chance to scan it before leaving it with Vicky to ornamentify so I'll post that later. Just recently, however, I finished my "surprise" ornament. He's so cute, I'm very happy with him.


DF's Heather, Andy and I are starting a new Stitch Along. It is Just Nan's Floral Fifteen biscornu. I started Medallion A1 in July at stitch weekend and just finished this week - it only took me 3 sittings to complete (everything but beads, saving those until I have 4 or so to do).

Only 14 more to do!

I'm in the process of determining my goals for the rest of 2009. I'd like to stitch an ornament a month and a medallion a month. Realistically I need to figure out what else I can fit in.

Roar!

Yes, she is in like a lion. There are many things that I need to catch everyone up on - but first...here's what it looks like outside this afternoon.
At this moment it's turned back to rain, but we are expecting a couple more inches throughout the rest of the day.

I'm happy to be inside catching up - or attempting to catch up - on some knitting and tv!

So Close

I had great intentions of finishing Danielle's Block Blanket this weekend. I knit feverishly late Saturday night - only to get to the end of my last skein with 3 more rows remaining! Gah. I hadn't checked gauge because it's a blanket, I had no idea that I was that I would come that close and actually run out of yarn.

So here it is...waiting for another skein so that it's last 2 borders rows and cast off can be done.

So we'll all have to wait for a picture of it keeping Danielle warm.

Back In The Driver's Seat

I don't know about the rest of you out there in the big world, but I feel like I totally lost control of things in December. And it's almost the end of January and I'm just getting things back in order. I can definitely live with a certain amount of chaos (and do on a regular basis), but it really bordered on the make-me-curl-up-into-a-ball-in-the-corner-of-the-room kind. So I'm very happy that it's behind me. And I won't list my 89 reasons for not blogging as the Yarn Harlot did, suffice it to say that I don't want to relive any of the chaos by listing it here. Now, please don't get me wrong. There were many fun avoidance techniques that I was able to invoke and I greatly enjoyed myself during those. But I'm not going to list those now either. It's onward and upward.

First to knitting...

I'm 3/4 finished with the Block Baby Blanket for Danielle. I hope to be finished by the weekend when I will see her again.


And I'm participating in the Malabrigo Swap "Sisterhood of the Traveling Scarf". The idea here is that I start a scarf in Malabrigo worsted and a pattern of my choosing, knit 5-6" and then send it off to the next person in my group. She will knit another 5-6" in color and pattern of her choosing, and so on and so on until it has traveled through 12 hands and returns to me. It is up to each knitter how free or restricted to allow the scarf creation - mine is very open, inspiring me to call it "The Traveling Scarf of Chaos".

Here's my start which I completed last night.

The colorway is Bobbi Blue and the stitch is the Farrow Rib (k2, p1*). I knit a 3 row garter edge to prevent curling. The color is beautiful! And the pattern is very nice.

A journal (which I still have to write in) will accompany my scarf so that I can read about its journey.

Next, is stitching...

I have done a little stitching on Donner (way less than I wanted). I started him after Christmas but didn't get very far before going back to knitting. I want to get re-inspired on the YSP Stitch Along as I haven't completed our December goal - or maybe it was even November! I also have been working on a belated birthday gift, I'll have pictures as soon as it's done and in the recipient's hands.

What's next? Scrapbooking...

I went to a crop at our local Archiver's this past weekend from 2:30pm to 11:00pm. I couldn't see by the last hour, but I had a very good time and managed to get a good amount of scrapbooking done. Pictures coming soon on that...

That pretty much brings us up to date. I hope that I will have substantial progress to show on something soon!

Welcome Danielle Jeanne Entinger!

My niece, Danielle Jeanne, was born on Sunday December 7 at 9:23am. She was 6 lbs 1 oz and 19 inches long. She's a little bitty thing but sweet and adorable.