Knitting

The blog has been rather skimping on the knitting, and since knitting is mentioned as part of the blog description, I should actually write about my knitting every now and then. Plus, Italian doesn't read the blog much and my main project is a present for him.

The Anniversary Gift

The traditional gift for our upcoming anniversary is wool. This is my favorite gift so far! We usually exchange a gift from both the traditional and contempary anniversary gift list, and I would recommend this to all married couples. It helps take some of the creative pressures off of the individuals and if the gift bombs, one can blame it on the theme of the year.

The very small length of knitting above is the beginnings of the River Forrest Gansey. The color is a navy blue, and the yarn is Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk. The yarn is amazing! It's soft and luscious. It glides throught the needles. The color is vibrant and perfect. It was a splurge, but hey, it is our anniversary. Sometimes, I take the yarn and squeeze it, kinda like the old charmin commercials. I'm secretly hoping he won't like the sweater; then I can have it. The pattern has not been too difficult so far, and the designer has been very good about responding to emails and answering questions.

Okay, I do want him to like it. Maybe he'll let me borrow it.

He shoots...

and Little Clover gets the ball! He dribbles down the court, crosses the half court mark and is challenged by the defensive team. He dribbles to his right...no! He has faked them out with a stunning turn to his left! The path is clear. He's rushing in for the shot, he shoots...he scores! What a great shot! This has been a fantastic game for Little Clover!

I have to agree, Bob. Just look at his athleticism. His fake out move is beautiful! He had three of the opposing team's defensive men fall for it, completely clearing the way for that incredible shot! And with his scoring record, bringing in 5 of the team's 9 points, you can definitely bet that he's got a great future ahead of him.

Other Talents

Today is devoted to Italian Clover and his talents. He is a woodworker and rather talented. Our agreement is that he gets the garage as his workshop and can buy tools and materials that make the cost of my yarn seem minimal, and I get furniture. I personally think I have the better end of the deal, but I won't tell him that. He may wonder why he hasn't gotten any knitted items.


So far, he has given me beautiful jewelry boxes and a modified barrister bookcase. Last week, he presented me with


He spent quite a bit of time on the workmanship of this piece and it shows. The wood is a beautiful quarter sawn white oak. He designed the table himself and drafted his own plans. He played with a couple of finishing techniques in order to find a finish that brought out the medullary rays. When the light catches the table, it just shines.



I'm prolonging putting anything on the table. I don't want to hide the top. The table graces our front hall and blends in well with the overall design of the entryway. He truly did an amazing job and the table shows off his talents. It makes me feel grown-up. Maybe I'll knit the Bamboozelle basket for it as an excuse to buy bamboo yarn.

Mom

My mom had a smile and a laugh that radiated with her joy. It was contagious. It was happy. It was a small view into what I imagine heaven will be. When she was happy, you knew it. You could see it not only in her eyes and in her smile, but in every ounce of her being. She was completely happy when she laughed, and I miss it.

I remember my mom's wonderful smile, and I occasionally see it on my face. Her smile also graces Little Clover's face and her laugh rings in his. I remember the hugs my mom gave me and how, despite her small size, they covered me. I still feel her hug in the blanket she crocheted. Even though I prefer knitting to crochet, I feel connected to my mom each time I hold a single crochet hook in my hand. The blanket she made is one of my favorite things, and to me irreplaceable.

I was intending on preparing something special for my mom, something that would be perfect, but I couldn't. I could not find the words to describe just how wonderful my mother was. Words were not enough. My mom was more than what words could describe. My mom was love, was joy, was sorrow, was hardship, was life. My mother was complete. She loved completely, and I am blessed to have received her love. She may be gone from my life, but she is forever in my heart and in the hearts and lives of those who were graced with her presence. I love you, Momma. Happy birthday.

Erin Go Bragh!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Cead Mile Failte
Today is a big day for the Clover's. Both sides of the family are Irish and we have quite a few Patricks in the family as well. Little Clover loves St. Patrick's Day. For the saint parade at his school, he picked St. Patrick. We dressed him in a green tablecloth with a hole cut out for his head. We made a bishops hat out of foam and he took a toy snake for the parade. He called me early this morning to chide me for not wearing green (even though I did) and warned me that he will pinch me when I get home. He choose which green shirt to wear weeks ago and will be on the lookout for the non-Irish today.

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, here is a link to the History Channel which has a nice site devoted to St. Patrick, the holiday, and the Irish. To satisfy the knitters out there who may be reading, here is a link to the Irish Hiking Scarf. My favorite patterns, though, with Irish flare are at Girl from Auntie. Her Celtic knots are gorgeous. I haven't blocked out any time to knit the sweaters, since I am trying very hard to deplete my stash. (So far, my stash is still growing. I'm not sure how it happens exactly. All I know is that sometimes, I'll come home with a bag of yarn and no memory of how I got it.)

As a closing, may you have a wonderful St. Patrick's Day, and here is a blessing for you to send you on your way:

May the best day of your past be the worst day of your future. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Images

Sheepie


Porch

Fill the bucket

I'm catching up on listening to the knitting podcasts I've downloaded. I'm a bit behind. I just listened to Whit's latest About Time episode in which she mentioned two little things about positive words. The first mention was in regards to Wren Ross's generosity. A few times when Whit asked her a question, Wren complimented Whit and her interview style. This reminded me of a lesson I was taught two years ago. I was told that if I have a compliment, I should pass it on. By not passing it on, I'm robbing myself of the gift of making another person happy and I'm robbing the other person of the nice words that she may need to hear. Since being introduced to this concept, I strive to pass on compliments whenever they appear instead of letting them die within me. Some people may have heard of this concept as "Fill the Bucket." Whatever you call it, give it a try.

The second thing Whit mentioned regarded a friend of hers who has been receive some harsh feedback about her podcast, which made me ponder another lessoned I was taught. I have been taught that our words are either positive or negative, and if what we say isn't positive, then it is negative. "Wow!" I remember thinking, "those are my only two options? Where's the neutrality?" But then, where is the wonder in living a neutral kind of life? I know I often fail, but I hope that by trying to say only positive words to other people, I can make my tiny little part of the world better.

With that, here is how I did make someone happy. Kelly received her surprise birthday present this past Sunday.


She loved it! I have to be a little selfish here. I know it was her gift and I'm thrilled she loved it, but she gave me a gift as well by loving her present. One of the many joys of knitting is seeing the beam in a persons eyes when they receive a present I made just for her. I love seeing that look. It makes me want to knit more.

The Fiesta La Luz Silk was absolutely luscious to work with. It is an unplied yarn, a first for me. I think the fact that it is unplied makes the yarn even more beautiful. I would recommend putting lotion on your hands first before working with the yarn. Not only will the yarn glide through your fingers a bit better, but it will make your hands happy. The pattern is from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. Love this book!!!! So far, I've made this camisole and the knitted animals from the book. The patterns are quite pretty and I love how the book is organized into time frames (2 hour gifts, 6 hour gifts, etc). This tank took a little longer than the suggested 8 hours, but I think I was being overly cautious with the lace at the bottom. Overall, it is a quick knit and a knock-out gift.

Smile!

We had a very exciting day yesterday!



If you look closely, you can see the gap. How about now?



Can you see it? Little Clover lost his first tooth! He has been dutifully wiggling it the last few weeks, and yesterday when I dropped him off at school, he gave me a final look at the wiggle. The tooth was desparately clinging on like Cliff Hanger from Between The Lions. I knew it wouldn't make it through the day. When I picked him up from school, he sauntered over with a grin and then gave me a full smile, proudly displaying THE GAP.

The tooth came out during snack. Italian Clover had packed hard cookies for him which did the trick! Little Clover didn't notice his tooth had fallen out, but he did notice that he was having a hard time chewing one little chunk of cookie. When he took the hard bit out, he finally realized it was his tooth! His class cheered for him, which made him beam.

The Tooth Fairy visisted last night while he slept and graciously allowed him to keep his tooth, since it was the first.

Kelly

Kelly,

(I'm sorry this is late)
I want to thank you for being you. Not only have you been a great sister-in-law to me, but you have also become a wonderful friend and a fantastic Godmother. Thank you for being you. I always look forward to your visits and seeing your bright and beautiful smile. I hope you had a wonderful birthday and I'm looking forward to celebrating it with you. Happy belated birthday!

We love you and send you warm wishes for your birthday.

2006 FO

I have no idea why there is a gigantic space here, but there is. The pictures of my finished objects are below.

Warm Fuzzies

I love warm fuzzies. Warm fuzzies are those little things in life that make you smile and warm you all over. This weekend, I had three.

The first warm fuzzy happened Saturday morning. Little Clover had a basketball game. Little Clover plays in the "Lucy and Charlie Brown League"; a league for little people who are barely bigger than the equipment. I love this league. At this age, the kids have no concept of the sport and no concept of playing to win. If they lose, they usually don't care. If they win, they usually get extra ice cream from the parents. This is the best time to watch kids play a sport. For basketball, the ball is honestly larger than their heads. They play four quarters, but each quarter last 5 minutes instead of twenty. The ref usually has to physically guide the kids to the right places to stand.

For the duration of the game, we got to watch kids running down court, holding the basketball, then remembering they have to bounce it every now and then. The ref had to stop a couple of kids from shooting into the wrong goal. Occasionally, two kids will become totally absorbed in the conversation they were having that they forgot to run down court with the rest of their teams. The kids that did score beamed with pride and joy. They usually gave a wave or a thumbs up to their parents in the bleachers. The kids don't really know positions yet, so they just kinda run around the court trying to get the ball. It was the best way to begin a Saturday, and Little Clover had a blast. He asked if he could play basketball again some time. I think we'll take him to the rest of his games.

The second warm fuzzy happened yesterday. We were lounging before Church and I told Little Clover to get ready. As he ran down to his bedroom, I went into mine to finish getting ready myself. When I walked back into the living, Little Clover was playing a video game with Italian Clover. He was wearing grey winter pants and the green acrylic sweater that I knitted for him. I almost cried. He could have picked anything to wear and he picked the one and only thing I've made for him so far. Having a child is truly amazing (and p.s. Little Clover, I promise to make you more stuff).

Finally, the third warm fuzzy: I finished the surprise birthday present!!!! I'm already planning which two or three projects I'll get back to! Bye, bye monogamy, hello, yarn!

Mechanically Challenged

I'm at the grocery store and looking for some "healthy" snacks to take to work; snacks that do not involve fruit. The store has a section of wall with dispensers, the kind one would see in a cafeteria for cereal.



It's a snack food heaven! I grab a little plastic bag, find some wasabi fried peas and look for a knob to turn. There is no knob.

I think for a short bit (not long enough, though, which becomes evident later) and I put the bag on the nozzle and pull down. Then I pull again. This sucker is not budging. I decide then to push up on the nozzle. Nothing. I push up again. I'm starting to get really puzzled. I decide to pull down again, thinking that might work now that some time has lapsed. Still nothing.

I look at the dispenser and notice a hinge that moves forward and back inside the nozzle, so I pull the nozzle towards me. I'm pulling hard. I want these peas. The dispenser begins to move away from the wall, slowly pulling all the other dispenser next to it towards me. Shoot! I must be pulling the wrong way, so I push the dispenser back towards the wall. Still no movement from the hinges, but I do hear a soft "pop" as the dispenser snaps back into place. I'm exasperated and hungry. I find a 16 year old high school boy who works at the store and say, "Excuse me, I need some help with your nuts." Then I smile. He walks over, grabs a new plastic bag, puts bag on nozzle, and....

pulls the lever.

Anatomy and Monogamy

Anatomy
I got a chance to watch Sunday's episode of "Grey's Anatomy" yesterday (gotta love TiVo)and was very amused. I love Sandra Oh. I think she is a fantastic actress and of course, she's Korean! Plus, her character is a very strong ambitous woman who isn't afraid of taking risks and getting things done. The show opens with her character dancing while brushing her teeth and listening to her iPod. I started to smile because I sometimes dance around the house if I'm alone. Then I noticed her iPod. I looked at it, then looked at mine on the sofa next to me. After some rewinding and rewatching, I confirmed that it was definitely the same iPod.

Hmm, it had to be coincidence that the one Asian on the show owns an iPod in the color Wasabi. Now, a little backstory. When I looked at buying an iPod, I settled on Wasabi because it was the perfect Ying and Yang. The green fit my Irish Western background and the name of the of the color fit my Asian Eastern background. To see Sandra Oh with it, I had to giggle. Then, when the episode began the final scene, Italian Clover and I really began to giggle. Sandra Oh, was sitting in bed, with a carton of Chinese take-out, eating it with chopsticks. I loved it! This was a character who spoke to me!

Monogamy
Even though I pulled out of the Knitting Olympics, I've been following the activities of fellow knitters and cheering them on. Because I'm under the pressure of a deadline To keep the spirit alive I've decided to work solely on one Work in Progress, abandoning all the other yarn in my stash that is crying out to me. I don't like it. Being monogamous in my knitting just doesn't seem to be in my nature. I love my project. I love the La Lux silk yarn. I love the recepient of the said project and hope she will be thrilled. I do not love only working one project at a time. I have sock yarn languishing in my stash, feeling neglected and unloved. I have two tank tops that are seeking professional help for the depression they are experience because after a year, I still haven't finished them. To top it all off, I just bought Little Clover this book. Every night, he flips through the book and begs for me to knit him a rhinocerous, or a parrot, or a seal, only to hear his mom tell him "as soon as the present is finished."

I'll never be monogamous (with my knitting) again.

Snow and Tulips

It's sleeting now in Tennessee. After temperatures in the 60s during the week, we get to enjoy freezing rain and 30 degree weather on the weekends. Lovely isn't it? At least it's lovely in the sense that I have an entire weekend to stay at home and knit! The weather here has definitely been odd.
Last weekend, we had:



Then we got to make a



This weekend, we just have grey skies and frozen rain. Little Clover and Italian Clover are keeping themselves occupied with video games and sword fighting. I'm having a chance to catch up on a birthday present, which I'll post pics of after the it's been gifted. I will tell you that it's being knitted from La Luz Silk. I definitely recommend this yarn! The sheen is amazing and it feels heavenly sliding in my fingers.

I did get to finish the Yarn Harlot's Tiptoe socks.


I'm not sure if I would do intarsia again. The weaving in of ends is a bit of a downer, but the socks are going to be a blast to wear!

Unofficial Knitting Olympics

For the Knitting Olympics, I will be competing in two separate events. The qualifying rounds began last summer. I am competing in the speed tank top event and the distance tank top event. Good luck to all my fellow Knitting Olympic competitors. Three days until the flame is lit!

Hello World

Hello everyone! This is my first forray into the blogging world and I'm excited to be here. I would like to dedicate this blog to my mom who had the most amazing gift of find four leaf clovers anywhere. I love you, Momma.