Happy New Year

I wrote this post on Monday but didn't post it.
I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. I haven't touched my needles in a week. It has been busy visiting people and then relaxing. Sometimes I need a break from my knitting and then I will go crazy with non-stop knitting.

I am sitting in the store writing this wearing my new Patrick. Wannietta worked like crazy and got it done. I am so happy-more old one is not doing well. There are holes in the sleeve seams but I am not parting with it!!! Since she was driving down, Amanda asked if they could work. The two of them spent all morning winding skeins of Dream in Color Classy for the Tulip cardigan.

Have a happy new year !!
It is now Tuesday evening
Last night I started a new project-Rocketry from Dream in Color. I don't have pictures yet but mine is pinks and greens. I have the body done, neck border done and I am working down the first sleeve.

Beth gave me a Slingbox for Christmas. This is the coolest thing that you hook up to your tv. I can now watch our home tv on my computer at work. I also have it on Beth's computer so she can watch at work as well. Since I was downloading I also put it on my mac. Now I can being doing work and watch tv at the same time. Life is great!!! A word of caution-it wasn't as easy to set up as they say. If you don't have someone who is technically inclined then pay someone to set it up for you. We had a friend do it-I would have thrown it across the room.

Merry Christmas

Here is an updated picture of my Leaf Poncho Jacket. I am into the second skein of yarn. The knitting is going faster than I thought it would. I am really enjoying knitting with the Tahki Donegal Tweed-it is much softer when knit.

Mom and dad are safely in Myrtle Beach. We just talked to them and it is 75 and they came home from church with the top down on the car (a PT Cruiser that stays in Myrtle Beach). We did family Christmas on Wednesday night and although it was stated no presents it took over an hour to open everything.

I want to say Thank You to Nori for the beautiful box of chocolates. Cathy and Sarah-thank you for the beautiful gifts.

There is a box of Dream in Color Classy on the way to us. I thought it would be delivered on Friday-maybe on Monday. I will be making more kits of the Tulip Cardigan in different colourways over the next few weeks. There will definitely be some done for little boys with no pink. I am also going to have my knitter make a sample for the store in a larger size to see how much yarn it takes. (Rhonda are you free?)

I don't think I will be doing a post again before Christmas. Work tomorrow morning, drinks at Rousseau House and then dinner at our friends.

I hope all of you have a safe and Merry Christmas.

Finally some knitting to report

Here is the start of my Leaf Poncho Jacket. Now that the border is done and I don't have to keep track of rows the knitting is going much faster.

I love the colour of purple and the flecks are great. This picture is close to the actual colour of yarn-that doesn't happen very often.
Roko and Melo are playing together at the warehouse. They love to fight and roll around in the snow. Melo doesn't need to be on a leash because he will come when called but the same can't be said for Roko. We aren't sure that Roko knows his name yet-or he thinks it is NoRoko.
This is Roko digging in the snow.

Last night my best friend from university came for dinner with her husband and two boys (aged 9 and 7). The dogs were so tired when the boys left and just wanted to sleep. They were up the stairs, down the stairs and running around the basement.

Tonight mom and dad are coming over to do Christmas. For a family that says no Christmas gifts there are a lot under the tree. They are off to Myrtle Beach on Friday morning-much better weather there than here!!

I had to stop writing for a bit because customers came in. Maria brought me a tin of homemade cookies-thank you very much. My idea of baking cookies is cutting up the store bought cookie dough and placing it on a baking sheet so homemade ones are always a treat!!

Central Park Hoodie

This is the Central Park Hoodie from Knitscene Fall 2006. You can purchase the pattern online (which I did today). My knitter Lynda will be making for me-I just started a sweater and need to stop myself from starting something else. I will decide tomorrow what colour to have it knit in. I know it will be done in Tahki Donegal Tweed.

I just got a letter in the mail from Dream in Color. There will be eight new colours coming in the new year (brights). There will also be a new yarn called Baby which is a lace weight yarn (700 yards on a 4oz skein). Included were pictures of some new patterns-a great lace shawl as well as an adults version of the Tulip jacket. I will be going through our stock tomorrow and doing an order-it usually takes about eight weeks to receive the yarn.

A shipment of shawl pins from Moving Mud arrived while I was away. There are some great new colours!!

People have been asking what the store hours will be over the holidays. December 24th 10-1. Closed the 25th and 26th. Back to normal on the 27th. December 31st 10-3. Closed January 1st. Reopen on January 2nd.

Gotta run. There are Christmas presents to be wrapped.

Canada is Cold!!

We just returned home from Vegas. The plane landed at 7:30 and I am at work. It could be an interesting day working with no sleep. Sarah was supposed to come in but the roads weren't good on the way home from Toronto with lots of snow falling. Of course, there is nothing yet in Ancaster.

The weather in Vegas was around 50F during the day and 38F at night. Everyone there was complaining but it was balmy for us.

The trip was great. We accomplished nothing but were busy for the whole time.
-We rented a car for two days and did some touring around

-We went to see Love again on Thursday night. The first time we saw the show we were in the second row (section 104). This time we were the fourth row from the back (section 304). Click to see the theatre set up.

-I did some damage at Nordstroms buying 3 pairs of shoes and a pair of boots. I love the shoes that Paul Green makes. I haven't found them in Canada but Nordstroms carries a great selection!!

-We both came home with roughly the same amount of cash that we took. The craps table was very good to both of us.

-I didn't take any knitting with me. I never have time while there to knit so it would have just taken room in the suitcase and we needed all the room coming home. Beth's suitcase weighed 56 lbs and we were going to be charged $50 because it was over weight. She pulled out some stuff (2 pairs of jeans, pair of boots and some books) and got it down to exactly 50lbs. Her knapsack weighed almost that much when it was filled.

It is now Sunday night. I started the post at work yesterday but the store was really busy so I never got to finish it. After work Beth and I went to Jane's for dinner. For those who don't know Jane, she works in the store on Mondays and when I am away. She is also known as Mom #3. We celebrate holidays with her family (husband Bob and two sons Gavin and Peter.) It is always an evening of laughs at the Lowe house. Thankfully the snow didn't start until after we got home. Beth had to drive because I couldn't keep my eyes open.

We woke up this morning to lots of snow. I need to think about bringing some winter clothes to the new house. I don't have boots or a coat or gloves or a scarf. Maybe tomorrow.

How about the Survivor finale? Amanda thought she was all good for winning!!

Off to bed now. I napped twice today but am still far behind in the sleep category!!

Vegas here we come

I finished sewing together my Hip to be Square yesterday afternoon. The picture is really bad but I wanted to brag about finishing another project. I will take better pictures at home where the lighting is brighter. The last time I took my picture like this I was criticized for not smiling-I have to concentrate on keeping my hand still so the picture doesn't come out fuzzy.


This is the Leaf Poncho jacket from Simply Shetland 4. It is designed by Nicky Epstein-the flower closures give her away. I am knitting it out of Tahki Donegal Tweed-colour 853 purple. I will be changing the sleeves-I think they are much too narrow. I also might do them in the pattern from the body with the scallops at the wrists. The side seams are not sewn up either but I will sew them and make it a jacket.

Beth and I are off to Vegas early Sunday morning. We are staying at the Mirage. It is one of our favourite hotels but we haven't stayed there in years. No shows are planned for this trip-it is for relaxing. HA! Who am I kidding-no one relaxes in Vegas!!

Long Post

The past week has been a bit crazy (I say that a lot). There are lots of pictures today.

Store
A limited number of colours of Cascade 220 have arrived. We will be adding more as the supplier receives them.

Knitting
I have a FO. Holly knit out of Noro Transitions. This was started over a year ago and I pulled it out last week. Super easy to knit. I think it took longer to put it together. Don't forget about the price of Transitions dropping by $5 a skein.
My Hip to be Square jacket could be done tomorrow. I just have one sleeve to sew in and the collar to finish.

House

This is our new pet. He is made out of leather and we got him at the One of a Kind Craft Show. A few years ago I bought my mom a bull dog and almost stole him when we moved into the house. Now we have our own footstool and he matches the furniture.
There were many more purchases but many are Christmas presents. It took two trips to the car!!

This is the glass bowl that was blown for us. The colours are phenomenal.


Dogs

This is Melo's favourite position-sleeping on my bed.


Sunday we had lots of snow and the dogs wanted to run and run all day.