Look at this

For my birthday, Margie made me these watermelons.

They are pieces of a tree she found, cut in wedges. Then she painted them - adorable or what?

I just update the April 18th blog with some photos of my latest projects.

I am in the midst of packing up my house for a showing so I may be a little slow at blogging for a week or so. I need to downsize but I have so much stuff! How did I accumulate this much?

I Knit on my spa sock during Desperate Housewives tonight. This is the craziest sitcom. You never know where it is going - a body in the freezer? I'm getting a little tired of the bed hopping! Can't they be more creative?

Finally got a much needed rain today. I turned the sprinklers on this afternoon cuz I didn't think it would rain and sure enough it went ahead and did it.

Saturday I started spinning up some of Matt's Indigo fiber and it is spinning very nice. I get a little trace of blue on my hands but not bad for Indigo. I'll get a photo up later if the yarn looks good at all.

I have a great idea for a new window display - now just to get it up there! I'm always trying to come up with something fun and it's getting difficult to be creative. I wanted something that would stand out and attract some interest from across the street with the new restaurant going in soon.

Working on the new schedule for summer! I'll keep you posted.

New Projects started

I have started a few projects for the shop - one of which is this cute vest using Plymouth cotton and their vest pattern. I'm knitting in the round and today I got up to the armholes. It should make a very cute summer vest.

I'm finishing up Ellie's socks, remember I made Josh socks awhile back and Ellie a sweater, now I'm making Josh a sweater for his Birthday and Ellie a pair of pink socks. Don't know where the photo went for the pink socks -

I'm working on a felted purse at the shop using Classic Elite's wool/bamboo. It's just knitted in the round for 16" but makes a cute shape when felted. These are the colors I have in stock.

This yarn felts beautifully.

Felted bag - I only knit 8.5 inches - I was too anxious to see how it would felt. It is lovely - feels soft but solid - will make a great purse.

I also started the vest from "Fleece Artist". Their patterns are not for beginners, they don't give alot of detail. I love their yarns, the colors are incredible. I'm working on the colorway on the lower right.

Started this but had to rip it out - will try again.

I'm also working on a lace pattern from Vogue. It's a shawl and I'm using Classic Elite's new Wool/silk. One of my customers started it and said it was easy so I'm up for the challenge.

Today I did some spinning. I dyed up some Corriedale last week and couldn't resist spinning it today. I'm working on the turquoise. I first spun some without carding and then decided to card it and then spin it. It worked well without carding but I just want to see what the difference is going to look like. I blended all these colors, plied them and I'll show you the result. Pretty funky!

Well, this is colorful!

I have project that I need to start next before my Sister starts harrassing me. It's an afghan she bought last year and wants me to knit for her. It's sitting in the bag in my bedroom and it keeps nagging me. She wrote on the bag "Knit me". real cute!

Remember those cute pumpkin hats I knit last fall for the Grandchildren. Well, my daughter and children were at target and their car is full of stuff and she must have knocked one of the hats out of the back of the van because her neighbor was at Target later and found it on the ground. Luckily, she knew who it belonged to and brought it home for her.

It pays to advertise your knitting project.

A little more weight

My friend "B" and I go out for coffee about three times a week. We buy a starbucks coffee with a yogurt parfait. I usually get the vanilla, low fat latte and he gets the gooist of coffees - the carmel machiato or something because he doesn't really like coffee. Well, the consequence of this decadent morning ritual is that we have both gained weight. I won't say how much but most of my pants are "snug".

Therefore, we're cutting back and adding more exercise (at least for me). I also took the dog for a walk tonight (lovely evening) and while I was out I noticed the neighbor behind me had their house on the market. One sold down the block a few weeks ago and it was a much lower price than I'd have thought it would sell for.

I had someone call to see mine last week (a realtor checking for her clients). I said, sure, why not! Well, they liked it but I didn't have a master bathtub. I'm concerned about the prices right now. Not sure I can sell if I have to pay a realtor 25,000.

I would like to sell this summer because Dan will be off to school and it will be just me and the dogs at home. We don't need 3000 square feet to run around in. I want small, efficient and preferably lawn service. Is that asking too much??? Oh, I only want to spend $200,000 on a new house!

Birthdays again

My grandson will be 3 on May 1st. It seems impossible how fast time flies. My son is graduating in June and going to St. Thomas. My friends remind me how shocked they were when I told them I was pregnant at 42 years old (14 years since my last pregancy). They thought I was crazy cuz I was so excited about it. Well, it was great! He's a great kid.



And now I have Joshua who is a typical 3 year old and Ellie who is going to be two and a third on the way. I share stories about them all the time and last week Joshua pulled another little trick on his Mom (payback is really great). He had not been napping and she was very frustrated with him. (she's pg again and needed the rest).

He, of course, knew she wanted him to take this nap more than anything. So, of course, they struggled for a week with this no nap business. Finally, on Easter, I said, "Why don't you just say," Josh you have to have a quiet time in your room for such and such time.?" "You can read and play quietly and when that's over you can come out". So the next Monday, she did just that. She put on music and said when this is over you can come out. Well, he fell asleep in the rocking chair. Precious little boy.


They are also trying to move him into a twin bed, so they now have a mattress on the floor and have moved his crib toward the window.

So, on Wednesday, his mother heard him yelling, "It's getting Cold in here, it's getting cold in here...." "I'm getting wet"! She thought, can I be hearing him right? - she ran outside to check his window and sure enough it was open (with the screen on , thank heaven). She ran upstairs and I guess was quite upset cuz he told me, "I opened the window and Mommy got mad".



A few days later she walked into his room to get him after nap and he had talcum powder on the carpet and he explained he was making "sand castles". Creative, just like his Nanna! He has also figured out how to turn the music off early.

Thank heaven we have nice weather and they can be outside. She now hits every park in a 5 mile radius just to wear them out in the morning and they both are taking 3 hour naps. Hint: if you leave a child in his room for a rest, be sure to child proof it first.

Words of wisdom from someone older.

Mother's Day Ideas

Julie, one of my best customers, finished the spa sock. This was in the last issue of Knitters. Julie used "Blue Sky Alpaca Hand Dyed Cotton". It is so soft and makes a great sock. I'm working on one now for my sister's birthday. Plus, I saw this cute Bath Mitt on plymouth's website (free pattern) and thought it would be so cute to make with the socks and give as a gift. I'll keep this in mind for New Mom gifts also. Just add some homemade soap or lotion.

Denise worked up the "Flower Washcloth" pattern and it has turned out so cute. This was knit out of cotton chenille.

Also, we still have openings in the needle felted bag class in May, which would also make a great Mom's gift.

Oh, yes, I am so looking forward to Shepherd's Harvest at the Lake Elmo Fairgrounds on Mother's Day weekend. Don't miss this if you can possible get away. There will be yarn and fiber for us and for the family - they have animals and food, what more can you ask for!?

Cafe Maude

A temporary sign is up for Cafe Maude-this will be a mediterranean Bistro serving Dunn Bros. coffee, Wine & Entertainment in the evening on the weekend. I think this will be great. I can take special orders of coffee for my customers and just run across the street. Knitters and coffee (that's a no brainer).

Actually the old Connors sign is gone now, too, revealing a lovely brick front. There will be a new face on Cafe Maude soon. Where the yellow dumpster sits there are now two new windows and a door. There will be an outside cafe in the front. It should open in May.

All the old brown awning is gone leaving this beautiful brick.

There was a meeting last week regarding the liquor license and some neighbors were concerned that there would be drunks wondering the neighborhood at night after the "bar" closed. The owners were there and assured everyone that this would not be a "Belly up the Bar" place but an upscale restaurant, similar to the one on Xerxes, which I cannot pronounce or spell the name of right now. They will be responsible neighbors.

I think this will be great - the space has been empty too long.

A Finished Project :

Happy Easter everyone - this is definitely still knitting weather. I finished Ellie's Easter sweater this week. I used a Debbie Bliss pattern, added a picot collar, used Roma from Jaeger. It is so lovely to work with.

My next project is--a sweater for Josh, using Carol Anderson's "Wallaby" pattern. I'm using Karabella yarn in navy blue and creame.

I'm using a stripe pattern which his mother picked out. I'll get a photo up as soon as I get some striping done. I think it will be so cute.
I started with the size 4 but when he was over to die easter eggs yesterday I thought I better go to a Size 6.

Easter Egg dyeing was a hit - such concentration!