more knitting and some shrinking...oh, and GO VOTE!

I've started a new knitting project! Yes, because I can't have just one or even three projects going on at the same time. I'm working on a chevron scarf from the Last Minute Knitted Gifts book. The author also wrote Last Minuted Quilted and Patchwork Gifts as well. I really like both of these books and have done a few projects from each. I've been seeing the chevron scarf all over Ravelry and have been dying to make one myself.

I also started on a basic knit scarf with some yarn a friend brought back from Argentina for me. (OK that's two knitting projects, give me a break.) Though incredibly beautiful, it's sort of a hard yarn to work with and I can't really think of anything else to make with it. I'm pretty sure it's cotton.

Remember shrinky dinks? Those plastic figures that you color and then put in the oven and they shrink and get super hard? Well, I've been seeing all over Etsy and other crafting sights the use of shrinky dink material for jewelry and other fun stuff. So I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and actually found blank sheets of shrinky dink plastic! I whipped up a few necklace pendants and a zipper pull last night. I think I was more excited as an adult to see my creations wrinkle and shrink in the oven, than I was when I was a kid! It was quite fun. I think these shall be Christmas gifts for my gal friends.

I am so glad daylight saving is over! It will be wonderful to have the sun coming up an hour earlier. Maybe I won't despise my early bird-ness if the sun is up with me now.

Don't forget to vote today! How could you forget really though? If you live under a rock I suppose. I early voted and hopefully by tomorrow, no matter who wins, the bickering and candidate bashing will be over...hopefully...I'm just so sick of it. I'll leave it at that...

(Picts of scarves and shrinky dinks coming soon! I'm waiting for some good morning lighting, but it looks like it's going to be a rainy or even snowy day.)

awake at 5 a.m. ...on a Saturday

OK what is with my internal time clock? Seriously. I guess I have to come to terms with that fact that I am indeed a morning person. I've fought it for years. It's sooo much cooler to be a night owl. Especially when you are at parties or visiting friends. Because when 9 p.m. rolls around and you are fighting off the yawns and sleepy eyes while everyone else is just getting going for the night, it feels quite rude.


Anyway, in the wee hours of morn while waiting for the sun to come up so I can get a good picture of the monkeys, I came across this blog. Which suggests that we all have a Corporate Free Christmas by hand making Christmas gifts this year. I do like this idea. However I do want to state that I do not completely agree with banning Christmas shopping all together. I know that Christmas time for small businesses is a very profitable season. And I want to support the little guy. I say this because though spending beyond our means is ridiculously out of control, a lot of us little guys are supported by the general population's daily wants and needs.


I recently heard a podcast from Bethel Church about how there has been a growing negative attitude toward the upper class and the mega rich and their spending habits. Like spending ridiculous amounts on vacations, extravagant houses, gardening services, cars, dining,...etc., but think about it. They are actually providing an income for others, like servers, mechanics, gardeners, contractors, labors, etc. A good portion of my husband's income is provided by the upper class need for good dog trainers and we are so appreciative there is even a market for this.


So again, while I agree we as low and mid-income Americas must stop spending money we don't have, I don't fully support that we stop shopping altogether. I totally support the idea though that we get back to the basics of gift giving from the heart. Whether it's handmade or supporting the local, small businesses rather than the corporate giant big box stores (don't get me started on that whole issue -- I have a hard time shopping at Walmart anymore after I saw this documentary). I want to stop spending on thoughtless and obligatory gifts.


OK now that that rants is out there here's a picture of the monkeys! Together at last.

Second Sock Success!

Hurray! Monkey #2 is finished! It's blocking right now so as soon as it's dry I will post a picture with the fabulous Lisa shoes.

what do you do with so many plums?

Make jam of course!

I finally went beyond my partially successful pickle status to jam status. These plums are from my grandma's tree in her back yard. She passed away about a year ago but my dad and his brothers still have the house in Idaho. Thus I get plums and jars and all sorts of odds and ends from her house.

Anyway, I'm not too happy about how sweet it is and the un-godly amount of sugar there is in jam! Seriously! 8 cups of sugar and 8 cups of plums in one batch. That's half sugar! Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE sugar. Some would say (uhh hmm...my james) that I am a sugar addict. But this is A LOT of sugar folks! Next time I'll try a low sugar recipe. I don't want to use a sugar substitute so I'll just have to live with it not being as sweet. I will survive...maybe.

In other news my James and I just celebrated our 2nd anniversary!! I honestly feel like we've been married forever. In a good way, forever. Saturday night we went to the Desert Star Playhouse and saw Scary Poppins. It was pretty funny. Especially the girl who played Scary. I'm laughing to myself right now just thinking of her. Then Sunday morning we sluffed church and went to brunch at MacCool's -- one of our favorite restaurants. Who can beat live Irish music and great food?

Oh we will not mention the second monkey. I have plum distraction now. I know, excuses, excuses...

the cure for second sock syndrome

I have had second sock syndrome--for two long weeks, at least. My monkeys are not yet monkey"s". And I hate having WIPs looming over my head. "Beeeecaaaa...you said you would finish me. You spent money on this yarn. You spent hours and hours on Monkey number one. I'll just sit here and wait for you to pick me up again...sniff, sniff...I guess you don't really love Monkeys as much as you said you did. Might as well frog Monkey number one..." See??? Monkey number two is looming!

However, Lisa came over on Saturday with a bag full of goodies. SHOES! Oh for the love of shoes! See we wear about the same size shoe and she loves shoes, but has a tiny closet so when she gets new shoes she gives me her old shoes. Which are practically new shoes by my standards. This has been happening for years. In fact, I don't think I've bought a pair in years. Probably 75% of my shoes are from the lovely land of Lisa. When someone comments on my cute shoes I reply, "Thanks they're Lisa's." As if they are a brand name like Valentino or Louboutin.

Anyway, I pulled out the first pair and look what I saw...

Beautiful! And the best part is they are great for wearing with my new Monkeys. The longing for the Mary Janes in my last post is gone--thanks to the Lisa shoe love. I am so blessed!

By the way, the looming Monkey is not looming anymore. That's him in the picture. About 25% done. I should be wearing my monkeys by the weekend.

monkeyin' around

I have finally done it folks. Crossed the line into knitted items that seem silly because they are so tedious and take so much time and you have to hand wash them and you wear them on one of the most abused areas of your body -- your feet and you have to buy special shoes to actually show off all your hard work...I have finished my first adult sized sock. Meet monkey #1:
Quite a beauty I must say myself. Except I have lost the ball band and can't remember what kind of yarn it is. And I love it. And I want more. Blast!

Here's the yarn up close though:

What a gorgeous colorway huh?! Perfect for Fall. The pattern for the sock is here from Knitty. It's called Monkey.

Now I just need to buy these cute Mary Jane shoes to show them off. Oh what we knitters do for our craft.

for the love of buttons

Yesterday, on a whim, my james and I walked over to our local antique store. I was in there last year about this time. Which at that time, there were a few more items for sale, but not much. The store is mostly filled with religious books and dishes. The smell is that familiar odor of my grandparents' basement-- old, dusty memories. The store is for sale right now and has been for about a year. Business can't be that great considering our little town is the dead end of the west side of the valley--literally.

The elderly man who runs the shop reminds me of my grandpa, who is gone now, but fondly remembered. Last time I was in the store (about a year ago) the old man was at the counter doing the same thing - "putterin' around" as grandpa would say when we asked him, "Whatcha doin' out here in the garage?"

Antique stores sometime make me a bit sad and conflicted. One side of me thinks of all the treasures abandoned. The history and personal memories of most items are forever lost. But the other side of me is overwhelmed by all the stuff. So much stuff. Thousands even millions of things that can't be taken with us when we die and sometime become burdens on those we leave behind. I left thinking, "Oh I love that fabulous water pitcher. It would look great in my dining room." The other side of me wants leave the store immediately to go home and clear out all my clutter and things I don't need or use so my loved ones don't have to deal it when I'm gone.

Anyway, on this occasion my love for colors and practical items won out (it usually does dang it!) and to add to my collection of stuff, I found this little jar treasures.


Oh how I love buttons! When I see buttons in a collection like this, it reminds me of my mom's button tin. Opening it was always a feat because the lid didn't sit right. But when you did manage to pry it open, gasp, oh the eye candy!

Opening my jar I think who's buttons were these? Did they all belong to one person? Where they on doll clothes? On a man's suit? Never even used and just tossed in the button tin for those just in case moments? I will never know but they are mine now.

He had about 2 or 3 more jars just like this one and I'm tempted to go back and purchase all of them. Justification: To support the little old man that reminds me of my dear grandpa and to let him know that yes, some people still care for old treasures - even buttons - and even when they feel conflicted about all the stuff already in the world.