Happy Halloween!

Purple Obsession not just for me anymore!

Well, it is about high time quilters got onboard with my obsession of the color purple. I personally consider it a neutral like black and white. There is not another color that doesn't look AWESOME with purple. Check out the All People Quilt article on it and the scrumptious quilts with TONS of purple in them like the one above.

Sock yarn isn't just for socks anymore!

Finished the first fingerless glove using the Drinking Gloves pattern from Knitters Brewing Company and yes, it is sock yarn! Who says sock yarn has to be for your feeties only! Woo hoo! I couldn't figure out the stranded work for the martini glasses in the original pattern so I went with a racing stripe,,,,tee hee. I'll try the strand work on the next pair.

And here is Krissy with one of her bestfriends Jeff. He is home on leave from Iraq so I made a "holiday style" Sunday dinner for the kids. Beer can roasted chicken, garlic smashed potatoes, my mac and cheese, veggies, and carrot cake for dessert! Yummo, they all had happy, happy tummies.

And of course, Sadie was happy, happy, happy! Camie Jo came over to hang out with us and Sadie LOOOOOOOOVVVVEEEESSSSS Camie Jo Jo! Can you tell?

Do you love scrapbooking and blogging?

Well Shimelle has come up with another winner. A Blogging for Scrapbookers class that starts Nov. 2nd! Check it out, I think it is going to be a blast. Lots have already signed up and are ready to roll.

Happy Halloween!

Check out this online pumpkin carving fun!

It was a lazy Sunday!

I am pretty sure we are in hibernation prep mode, doing that nesting thing. At 5 a.m. yesterday morning it was 27 degrees with a feels like 23 degrees and if it got up to 50 throughout the day I'd be shocked. Bonus, the sun was out the majority of the day, even if it didn't warm things up it did pick up spirits.
So I spent my Sunday reading, knitting, watching sports, and enjoying the kids and the animules. Started off with a tall coffee and pumpkin donuts from Tim Hortons. If you haven't had those pumpkin donuts yet get some, they are the BEST!
Then I decided for lunch/dinner we needed a "stick to your bones" type of yummy for our Fat Sunday. I did Rachael Ray's Potato Kielbasa Bake again with some additions. I added carrots, used homemade sauerkraut (last quart - buggers), and smoked turkey kielbasa. Turned out super yummy. I also did layers. Layered the kraut, then the keilbasa, then the gravy, then the hashbrowns, then the cheese. It just formed up better that way.

I really wanted to sew this weekend as I have a few projects I need to get out to friends but my Bernie decided to be sick and is now in the shop, it'll be there at least a week probably two. Buggers anyhoo. Oh well, it was due for a cleaning anyway so I guess it's as good a time as any. I did finish my second mini sweater. Pretty kute! Then put my second orange broadripple sock on the needles.

I finished up Terri Thayer's first Stamping Sisters mystery, Stamped Out, and started the second - Inked Up. I really like the series.

Been following the Houston Quilt Festival activities over the last week and wowser did some awesome quilts win. Check out the Best of Show quilt by Caryl Bryer Fallert.

Mini Kick!

I have spent my "off time",,,,OK, minutes between server maintenance then, making mini items that I am pretty sure I'm going to string on garland and put on the Christmas tree this year. Here is a sock I am sending out in a swap with a Ravelry group, then a finished mini sweater and one in progress. These mini's can be soooooooooo addicting and a totally kewl way to use up that left over sock yarn!

Socktoberfest - Mystery Sock Week 3 posted and finished!

I love when Thursday arrives because the next installment for the Socktoberfest Mystery Sock from Through the Loop Designs is released, not so happy when it is already done before work. Guess I'm going to have to put this sock onto holders and start the second sock,,,,,,I have an entire week to wait for the final installment! YIKES! Here is sock 1 of the Mystery Sock complete through week 3.

1st pic is the back of the sock through the heel flap and heel turn, 2nd pic is of the front of the sock with the heel cup up, 3rd pic is the side of the sock with pattern showing.

I am using Margarita with Salt sock yarn from Knitters Brewing Company.

Quarterly Quilt Challenge - All People Quilt!

The latest challenge has been issued from APQ! This looks totally fun, fast, and can get the creativity juices flowing. I'm already thinking black and white with a little red maybe add bright applique butterflies for a pop of color!?!?!?! mmmmmmmm, could be a fun one!

One Sock Wonders and More....

First off this morning, I don't think Krissy can claim anymore of my handmade socks! I busted her drying her socks in her bathroom! And that's not all of them cuz I don't see her zebra socks up there! mmmmmmm, girl better learn to knit LOL

Yet another mini sock pattern found, Fawkes Lace Mini Socks with a little pattern to it. I think this free pattern is at Ravelry only. I can so see these tied to garland on a Christmas tree and at the rate of my obsession with these things I may just have a pile of them to put on the tree.

How do you like my new sock model!?! I joined a Socktoberfest mystery sock (yes another one, hence the label of this post "One sock wonder...."). I refuse to drop the dollars for sock blockers and noticed on one of the boards that people use wine bottles, glasses, beer bottles to model their socks and take pics.....works beautifully!

Below are the plants I inherited from the office. Hopefully I can keep these pretties alive through the winter. Medusa, the crazy cat, likes to chew on plants. So far so good though.

My Kids!

Haven't updated pics of my animules lately. Here's Dusa keeping watch in the living room window. First showing us her big green eyes and then returning to her post. She's been pretty sad the last couple of days with the temps well, well below 50. Poor thing will now have to hibernate.

Of course, the cat is more of a watch dog than these two yahoos are. LOL Just teasing. This is their favorite spot besides in bed snuggled up to me. I don't dare not have pillows down as they will sit next to the couch look at it then turn and look at me until I get up and put "their" pillows down for them. Brats.

Ruby Tuesday is always, always snuggled up in some form or fashion but let me tell you, you don't need a weather man when you have a Chihuahua,,,,she has her winter nest built in her fleece quite nicely already. Pretty sure she's ready to hibernate, I am in pickup Ruby and carry her outside to piddle mode already and it is only October!

Socktoberfest Update or One Sock Syndrome!

I hope everyone was able to make progress on their Socktoberfest socks over the last week. I've turned mine into a One Sock Syndrome - that is, I finish one sock of the pair and move onto another yarn or another pattern. LOL Actually I did this purposely so I could show the same pattern with different cuff and heel treatments. Here is the top of the socks, both are the Broadripple sock pattern but have a different feel as the orange is done in sock yarn and the pinkish one is done in a soft fingering weight yarn.

This set of pics shows the cuff and heel of the socks. The orange sock I did the cuff in the Estonian Cast On, as you can see the ripple pattern in the cuff isn't as deep and the cuff has a thicker texture to it. I also did the heel according to the pattern in a gusseted heel form. In the pinkish sock I did the pattern long tail cast on and did the heel in the garter stitch short row heel form which provides a more cushioned heel. I really like the garter stitch short row heel for house/bed socks and it feels like it is massaging your foot while you walk.

Wendy at Knitters Brewing Company is doing a mini sock swap for Socktoberfest so of course I jumped on that bandwagon. Here are a couple that I finished up yesterday. Great, quick, satisfying project. I can see these tied on to a long trail of yarn and used as garland on a Christmas tree. The larger one is a pattern from Classic Elite, Sox Mini Socks, 4" tall and 1.5" across and the smaller one is 3" tall and .75" across from Knitters Brewing Company.

Outlander Love!

"It's always two hundred years in the Highland stories...the same thing as 'Once upon a time.'"

Just finished Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and I am seriously hooked, it has been since the Stephanie Plum and Benni Harper series since I've been this hooked. I always thought of the Outlander series as a historical romance which is a genre I'm not much into but that so does not describe the series, I am happily amazed that it is so so so much more! The next in the series, Dragonfly in Amber, is on its way to my reader as I type, waiting patiently it's line in the library order. Question is, can I wait! LOL

What has been patiently waiting on the reader is Terri Thayer's new Stamping Sisters mystery series starting with Stamped Out with Inked Up waiting its turn in line.

Also got a lead on a local Michigan author and her first novel looks to be an excellent read. Kristina Riggle, real life & liars. I love reading local authors because I usually know the settings like the back of my hand and can actually visualize being at the locations in the stories!

My Friendship Bag Arrived!

Check out my mini tote and goodies I received in the Friendship Bag Swap from Cheryl at The Stitchin' Chicken! Isn't it awesome. It was great to come home to a bright surprise after a long, dreary, rainy day at work! WOO HOO! Thanks again Cheryl, I absolutely love everything!

Calling All Pat Sloan Fans!

What, you don't know who I'm talking about, you're not a Pat Sloan "stalker" like me? My only question then is "where in the world have you been hiding and get your happy sewing self over to her site and get wandering!" Pat is one of the best and most creative fabric, quilt, craft designers out there so you better go look Sisters and Brothers.

Then get yourself on over to the Moda Bake Shop to join in Pat's challenge. It is so kewl and how can you go wrong with punkins! WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!

And check out her latest gorgeous creation! I love the combination of stitchery and quilting,,,yummo, especially when it involves Pat new fabric lines - this one is "Georgia"!

Craftoberfest !

Figured I'd change from Socktoberfest to Craftoberfest cuz I have lots of updates that involve everything I love: quilting, sewing, knitting, socks, totes, yarn, fabbies, and the list goes on and on and on cuz it all just makes my heart flutter! LOL

First I have to show you my winnings! I got a nice surprise while I was down with the stupid flu, I was one of the winners in the Knitters Brewing Company With a Twist KAL, my socks shown here as well as my winning yarn with a little extra from Knitters Brewing Company. Can't wait to make something awesome with them - Lemon Drop and Plum Wine. YUMMO!

And here is an update for my Socktoberfest sock tutorial I've been posting since October 1. I did the optional Garter Stitch Short Row Heel. Love the look. I'm started up the foot now.

Here is my "mini bag" for the Friendship Bag Swap I'm involved in. With a mini - knitted sock tied onto the handle to hold a chapstick! Too kute.