tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59624956612130079982024-03-13T00:20:55.404-04:00Knitting in red shoes...A collection of randomness in knitting and running and life.Mary Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01488226798259294097noreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-67741801911325389312013-03-29T22:04:00.001-04:002013-03-29T22:04:08.469-04:00Seed starting with kidsRegardless of how many times experienced parents tell me something I don't want to hear and it comes true, I never ever ever learn. I've been told by many parents of the horrors of toddler eating (lack of eating?). I remember my son being a baby and an amazing vegetable eater and being so pleased, smug really, that I had such a good eater. And he was a great eater....as a baby. They are not joking about the terrible twos! there can be so many levels of terrible! Even now, as a three year old, bargaining to eat veggies is sadly in the regular repertoire of parenting tricks. <br />
<br />
Two major things seem to help my son eat veggies:<br />
1) Helping to cook the meals.<br />
2) Growing the veggies. <br />
<br />
His first vegetable eaten after a particularly long and stubborn fresh vegetable fast last summer was a sungold cherry tomato plucked off the bush at our summer CSA. How he had managed to resist those warm orange globes of sweet and tangy juice the first few weeks of harvest, I will never know, but watching him pluck another and another and pop them into his mouth made me happy we had chosen to do a CSA despite our crazy year.<br />
<br />
This year, I have been waiting for seed starting season since the first seed catalogs came in January. Though the vegetable garden will not be our main priority this year, I have big plans. Dreaming big is never a problem of mine. <br />
<br />
Seed starting is more of a mental prep for the gardening season. I don't yet have grow lights, and I have a baby tearing through the house, including the room with the best light. I will be surprised if half of our seeds make it out to the garden. But there is something magical about watching that tiny sprout push its two tender leaves through the soil. And starting seeds, explaining what we are growing and what we will use them for is part of the process that connects our three year old with the food we serve. Now that we're figured out healthy food processes with him, our eleven month old is getting to the stage of refusing veggies. And so it begins. Again. <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYyfTNyt6H8Flgx-12IjaHFDiJ3VEwmSUqIw5Gfi23uDT6MlkMcabhyphenhyphenCo0p9g0Th_L2RCbQpQxhyphenhyphenQYHycXw7ODSGGM0hi0HwHxHy8OoYAOJc9oZyYoCiAnSl9PFg-7mRP8cN2vHwi2Rbs/s640/blogger-image-2137833081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQYyfTNyt6H8Flgx-12IjaHFDiJ3VEwmSUqIw5Gfi23uDT6MlkMcabhyphenhyphenCo0p9g0Th_L2RCbQpQxhyphenhyphenQYHycXw7ODSGGM0hi0HwHxHy8OoYAOJc9oZyYoCiAnSl9PFg-7mRP8cN2vHwi2Rbs/s640/blogger-image-2137833081.jpg" /></a></div> <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Dh0JCQHQS1jCHHR05kmrrSW0IVlR2bxbx0GwKM507vSl2DGt7WG6LXQBB3LI6JRyfJiR_fJmZjYwzoAuDujm_Y7cHdmOS3NhbcBNVySp6TmV3hA0cl8IeLeR9BkwVt8MZEAIMaqVjf1C/s640/blogger-image-1660017723.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Dh0JCQHQS1jCHHR05kmrrSW0IVlR2bxbx0GwKM507vSl2DGt7WG6LXQBB3LI6JRyfJiR_fJmZjYwzoAuDujm_Y7cHdmOS3NhbcBNVySp6TmV3hA0cl8IeLeR9BkwVt8MZEAIMaqVjf1C/s640/blogger-image-1660017723.jpg" /></a></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-42111306206053535382013-03-17T15:45:00.001-04:002013-03-17T15:45:56.683-04:00Homemade Pizza DoughWe eat a lot of pizza at Chez Neff. And by a lot, I mean at least once a week, sometimes more. We also have a lot of bread, ala Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. You can use their bread dough to make pizzas, and while the resulting pizzas taste excellent, the dough is extremely wet, and so not at all easy to work with. After multiple pizza disasters of the magnitude where you find dried sauce and cheese on cabinets doors days later....i ended up just buying pizza dough at the store for awhile. <br />
<br />
You know what's cheaper, and better? Making your own!<br />
<br />
It was time for an actual pizza dough recipe.<br />
<br />
I like this recipe because the kitchenade does the work, you get two pizzas worth of dough (I freeze one), and its ready in under two and a half hours, which is doable for a work night. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
Homemade Pizza Dough<br />
<br />
2.5 cups of bread flour or all purpose (I sub in up to half wheat flour)*<br />
1 Tbl sugar<br />
2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil<br />
1.5 tsp salt<br />
2 1/4 tsp rapid rise yeast<br />
1 1/2 cups warm water<br />
<br />
Dump all of the ingredients into the stand mixer. Mix/knead with the dough hook for 10-12 minutes. Dough should be a nice elasticity ball, if not add a bit of flour. Separate the dough into two balls to rise, unless you're planning on making one super huge pizza.<br />
<br />
If your house is a balmy 65 degrees like mine in the winter, you will need to create a warm place for the dough to rise. Preheating the oven at 225 for five minutes and then turning it off works pretty well.<br />
<br />
*If you like big crusted pizza doughs, use bread flour. If you prefer more of a flatbread, use all purpose. <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLLnxNr5BUBaXvM7btG1eaNdC-IJbuKyPbklPXVsfIOumeAvvWO0dSUV3mqTBIBNR3OXrFatRNnsCiPr61RcEYf4yl6HQycv9Hwpb95yVww19SWWYm1FqeNXYG80TXiUQp-ANp59YSRSn/s640/blogger-image--401624713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLLnxNr5BUBaXvM7btG1eaNdC-IJbuKyPbklPXVsfIOumeAvvWO0dSUV3mqTBIBNR3OXrFatRNnsCiPr61RcEYf4yl6HQycv9Hwpb95yVww19SWWYm1FqeNXYG80TXiUQp-ANp59YSRSn/s640/blogger-image--401624713.jpg" /></a></div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-22287698589126383192013-02-08T17:19:00.000-05:002013-02-08T17:19:09.289-05:00Pinterest Pins Review Day: Orange VinegarI love <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a>. No, I don't think you understand: I <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">LOVE </u> Pinterest. I have dozens of boards, hundreds of pins. Sometimes, I actually get around to trying some of them. So far, there have been more than a few failed Pins. So I thought it would be great to review the ones that I've tried.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://fountainavenuekitchen.com/orange-vinegar-a-green-cleaner/">Orange Vinegar</a> has been sitting on my DIY Household board for awhile. It had such a pretty picture of orange peels and vinegar in canning jars. In truth, pretty much any glass jar woos me. Canning, mason, those gorgeous ones with the attached lids....I'm pretty sure if you stick something in a jar it instantly becomes more attractive. That caused me to be a bit skeptical of the premise. Orange peels and vinegar, let it sit 2 weeks and then you have orange scented vinegar. Really?<br />
<br />
Yes!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KOHChHJThZw/URVru7zSymI/AAAAAAAAAUs/Xpx96sfs1tQ/s1600/51fd1b2a-7549-449d-8e66-b0e096e0f924" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KOHChHJThZw/URVru7zSymI/AAAAAAAAAUs/Xpx96sfs1tQ/s320/51fd1b2a-7549-449d-8e66-b0e096e0f924" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
It's clementine season in Israel, or wherever those clementines are coming from across the ocean. Clementines are the perfect snack size for toddlers, so we always have a steady supply of citrus peels. I popped some in a jar, added some vinegar and gave it a few weeks. The peels were not gorgeous (even in a glass jar!) at the end of a few weeks, but the resulting vinegar had a decently strong scent of clementine. <br />
<br />
<br />
We use a lot of vinegar in our house, as I have mostly given up commercial cleaners, so I am pretty psyched to have such an easy and economical way to make it smell prettier! <br />
<br />
Note: you can see little bits of peels in the finished product. I strained my vinegar through a fine mesh strainer. If you want all of the peel out, you could probably strain through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKfJ9KwbeXTToOIL62KM0WBKOTiV3C4Jjl5FQeEl2y9x45QkdWfse3Lpbn7m_dBgQzVTTgCQ4q6_x1_0Hz6QtzIQa5v17dag3kEhLGMHpQcV_dTW_KSJ3UVOhEVr_XOSYWy0CLQ1zJMy5/s640/blogger-image--2012705934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKfJ9KwbeXTToOIL62KM0WBKOTiV3C4Jjl5FQeEl2y9x45QkdWfse3Lpbn7m_dBgQzVTTgCQ4q6_x1_0Hz6QtzIQa5v17dag3kEhLGMHpQcV_dTW_KSJ3UVOhEVr_XOSYWy0CLQ1zJMy5/s640/blogger-image--2012705934.jpg" /></a></div>
Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-91367713687298610242013-01-29T21:36:00.000-05:002013-01-29T21:36:26.463-05:00Knitting Blog No LongerIt has been a few years.<br />
<br />
I've had another child.<br />
<br />
I've moved into a perfect for our family house.<br />
<br />
I've done some traveling and had some amazing experiences that I did not share here.<br />
<br />
I even did some *gasp* knitting. Not that I've done any in the nine months since kiddo #2 came...<br />
<br />
But I have missed blogging; taking pictures of my small accomplishments and writing miniature stories to share with my two faithful followers. (Hi, Mom and Dad!)<br />
<br />
I would like to continue blogging, but this will no longer be a knitting blog. to be a knitting blog, you must knit, no? Instead Knitting in Red Shoes will live on as more of a general "my life is crazy" life blog. I am a knitter, a runner, a foodie, a stay at home Mom, Master Gardener, farmer wannabe, do it yourself- er, whole-foods-eater, environmentally concerned citizen, outdoor enthusiast, and a budding viticulturist (there's no shame in having to look that one up!). I am easily a paragraph, if not a novel, and I look forward to detailing my exploits once more in the big wide world of the Internet once again.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-68805545890425235122010-06-21T15:10:00.003-04:002010-06-21T15:53:06.059-04:00Hmmm<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBk4NEMUkoNqKrTJoSpHuiH7F1tvFFCyTzR8ZI7SYvmYodtboLKaopsT_UjipozwsxrcLCvQgrSKjFsUW-QUEAhV70AsZie3z_tIPlg_nL3nqZk64Fe8ny5h-029JtiBMxOH4ap4VkMbKZ/s1600/DSCN0687.JPG"><br /></a>So...I haven't been knitting. <br />At all. <br />It's amazing how many hours are sucked away by baby worship. Everyday Rowan seems to do something new. Recently, his obsession has been kitties :)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1duCsATvo2Jc6yv4xM61f-3S9_eydQoIauwtWDL606MKGaleM4HxwRHb70awLjk7xlpypxgcREY3nvajn2Jp0TXgleQXB6BSww_PPPoUG2G1RMK8wdx9ck8DWie10X2ScJwMnrwTh31j/s1600/Rowan+loves+Leo.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1duCsATvo2Jc6yv4xM61f-3S9_eydQoIauwtWDL606MKGaleM4HxwRHb70awLjk7xlpypxgcREY3nvajn2Jp0TXgleQXB6BSww_PPPoUG2G1RMK8wdx9ck8DWie10X2ScJwMnrwTh31j/s400/Rowan+loves+Leo.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485312107821084082" border="0" /></a><br />To combat my inability to knit at home, I've been thinking about going to a local knitting group so that I'm actually forced to at least pick up the needles. I did whip up a dishcloth for my mother back in May for Mother's Day. It was gratifying to finish a project, no matter how small.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaH1DHFMXbYSD3tYItrIBNq0F_fzq9PIp8P2vRabA4vn21hRobWL7dqu-j3qn2cpiNDiBh7gNW4s1feVDn9C8QskEnnGKpYRf119WljJQiOr3Q70dWNlk-Sx8r_xai2L5vle5n928NNtW/s1600/Mother's+Day+cloth.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaH1DHFMXbYSD3tYItrIBNq0F_fzq9PIp8P2vRabA4vn21hRobWL7dqu-j3qn2cpiNDiBh7gNW4s1feVDn9C8QskEnnGKpYRf119WljJQiOr3Q70dWNlk-Sx8r_xai2L5vle5n928NNtW/s400/Mother's+Day+cloth.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485312090731226642" border="0" /></a> So instead of progress on those pants....which at this point will be for child number two, here's a pretty picture of a gorgeous Vermont garden.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBk4NEMUkoNqKrTJoSpHuiH7F1tvFFCyTzR8ZI7SYvmYodtboLKaopsT_UjipozwsxrcLCvQgrSKjFsUW-QUEAhV70AsZie3z_tIPlg_nL3nqZk64Fe8ny5h-029JtiBMxOH4ap4VkMbKZ/s1600/DSCN0687.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBk4NEMUkoNqKrTJoSpHuiH7F1tvFFCyTzR8ZI7SYvmYodtboLKaopsT_UjipozwsxrcLCvQgrSKjFsUW-QUEAhV70AsZie3z_tIPlg_nL3nqZk64Fe8ny5h-029JtiBMxOH4ap4VkMbKZ/s400/DSCN0687.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485312111151149026" border="0" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-58959714366518570412010-04-30T09:02:00.006-04:002010-04-30T10:41:39.153-04:00The Baby Daze is Clearing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62CxAnihYtfkbJCFwglKCagGqTKP2jF3zIr_nSiDnWBbVESqlCA1BmD-vN3s_YRb0kWU-vmnGwiLtGOjDATeaTn8a7Qyk7vXF8z3AnrJm84t8okGJdbd8jBRQjP9fwdv9LfUyDpwivg4r/s1600/a+CT+trip.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg62CxAnihYtfkbJCFwglKCagGqTKP2jF3zIr_nSiDnWBbVESqlCA1BmD-vN3s_YRb0kWU-vmnGwiLtGOjDATeaTn8a7Qyk7vXF8z3AnrJm84t8okGJdbd8jBRQjP9fwdv9LfUyDpwivg4r/s200/a+CT+trip.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465937471131117474" border="0" /></a>Rowan is finally sleeping through the night and I am finally starting to consistently be able to cross things off the to do list. We even managed to visit some friends and see the beach. Vacationing with an infant is like nothing I could have pictured. Babies are so small, yet require so much STUFF whenever you take them places. I am planning on running the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco this October, and the idea of what we will need to get on the plane is kind of intimidating. I won't even attempt to cloth diaper for any part of that trip :)<br /><br />The weather is finally starting to turn around. We had a...I'm not sure if I would call it a freak or a typical spring snow storm a few days ago that covered our tulips and daffodils with inches of a wet slushy mess. I saw some really beautiful pictures on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Facebook</span> of flowers in the snow, but it dampened my spirits so much that I hadn't the heart to take out the camera.<br /><br />I am more happy about the green that is everywhere now that those few inches have melted. This might have been why I chose to delve into the stash for this gorgeous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">handpainted</span> yarn.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcQ-1qMjUvYvuyslWXiVnbtVfn32ewuomSxpXu7Oxl6f4l7yuTpN26Qfpf26M2vb4D9Ol-Z1-QfC4Hk_qNiiP3M9sno0K8jveLmP1VL5CTDsA2G30YNaMsRMQGJuqinr4F70hCRlEpq52/s1600/Blog+green.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcQ-1qMjUvYvuyslWXiVnbtVfn32ewuomSxpXu7Oxl6f4l7yuTpN26Qfpf26M2vb4D9Ol-Z1-QfC4Hk_qNiiP3M9sno0K8jveLmP1VL5CTDsA2G30YNaMsRMQGJuqinr4F70hCRlEpq52/s400/Blog+green.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465927869439758450" border="0" /></a>I'm slowly working my way through <a href="http://alison.knitsmiths.us/pattern_baby_bell_bottoms.html">baby bell bottoms</a> from The Blue Blog. I think they'll be a nice fit for my chubby baby...if I finish them before he grows too big, of course. I love the color variations in the yarn.<br /><br />This winter I was working on a nice quick scarf in Moss stitch, but I made it too wide and started to hate it and the very very slow progress I was making on it...and who knows where it is now :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibJCB5zI2gL87sLPpPf4VMCrjAFTVsaU2q6plUKWOLFVXTnp_u2JF048nAEUc1dI_VdupS0N0dqfA5PQF9w_XbTWadzIQ0fxsaGtiV4temw98ajs4bR87RmHJRsj8_re7h_B2k3sGP72B/s1600/a+CT+trip.JPG"><br /></a>Rowan already loves vegetables, of the cotton sort anyways.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgZHXRaHh2cTjOkmip5pz1r6UdMHvx7RlH9Xw8rjGbFou8V0q8NhfiIrmWSkkXgzH0GLY7YDvmiWnqwB0k3hdb2cYb1A31Nuqa6pmbYYjiWAlcr2SWjM89t4OBYsfQstJ0JFX-F45Ts1L/s1600/Eating+Corn.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLgZHXRaHh2cTjOkmip5pz1r6UdMHvx7RlH9Xw8rjGbFou8V0q8NhfiIrmWSkkXgzH0GLY7YDvmiWnqwB0k3hdb2cYb1A31Nuqa6pmbYYjiWAlcr2SWjM89t4OBYsfQstJ0JFX-F45Ts1L/s400/Eating+Corn.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465927849291937186" border="0" /></a>And speaking of vegetables, I got a raised bed to garden in this year, with the idea that I will take it from the condo when we buy a house in a few years. I've started the seeds...even the ones you're not supposed too. Poor zucchini. I love raising veggies from seed. It doesn't always work out, but it seems like when it does, I feel like I've accomplished so much more than when I buy the small plants from the farmers markets. Maybe because my kitchen window is no greenhouse. Only the strong survive :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7LF5kURwygPtz2gPxCeD_IRcU6XiNmhyEgAEFHlTXQG31LzpuWjFiK6ietCOJW9gD95DVz_ft_SMEHZGwZVFZFODKlE2LsnQl-I2ee6CxCPI10Nj-2_0Szu0egJhNOVPujqrnzplqE1b/s1600/Seeds+006.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL7LF5kURwygPtz2gPxCeD_IRcU6XiNmhyEgAEFHlTXQG31LzpuWjFiK6ietCOJW9gD95DVz_ft_SMEHZGwZVFZFODKlE2LsnQl-I2ee6CxCPI10Nj-2_0Szu0egJhNOVPujqrnzplqE1b/s400/Seeds+006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465937260858066258" border="0" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-3322861114647575552010-01-05T12:26:00.005-05:002010-01-05T13:21:55.397-05:00A Late FOI was hoping to finish this in time for my sister's baby shower in May....<br />And then I was hoping to have it done for when she gave birth in June....<br />And when that didn't happen, I thought, "Heck, why not give myself a few months and aim for the Baptism in August?"....<br />And when that didn't happen...I thought, "I should really stop avoiding sewing this elephant up and just get it done for Christmas. Ava (her daughter) is now old enough to appreciate stuffed toys...if I put it off too much longer she will be able to verbally thank me for her gift!"<br /><br />Guess what I was doing while my sister and her daughter were over for Christmas?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWFtVeCPnhyphenhyphenHvcEJ0npXRdb57oMfnWmHq4stljlHEYTzj0V3VIIckce3Y14CIaziuJONLFsxj7wRGqFzCvw5KmY9by4jg7APaDJX_v5qZvGjsWbaPsLbVxfyd5cKHPdj6v5h1-q8zmMlc/s1600-h/finished+elephant.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEWFtVeCPnhyphenhyphenHvcEJ0npXRdb57oMfnWmHq4stljlHEYTzj0V3VIIckce3Y14CIaziuJONLFsxj7wRGqFzCvw5KmY9by4jg7APaDJX_v5qZvGjsWbaPsLbVxfyd5cKHPdj6v5h1-q8zmMlc/s400/finished+elephant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423320209349363058" border="0" /></a>But I finally got it done.<br /><br />I made it a rattle on a whim with a small plastic container I had lying around from a shower favor and some mung beans. That was a good decision, because Ava loves different noises and textures, and she LOVED her little elephant. (So much so that it was hard to get a decent picture. :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-wtN-tdt5sBGLSnYW9dRIjAouNQlLOdAHyhNZ3Vq1xxwpqNkF6ITR5G1ojCiWVMHC6JOBEiHAEHwHTne4My3i6WbjtlzjIO4nt8J5V1iuTnNy9qoHga1d-i3IVoof2PwaOrdZAaIBcUf/s1600-h/Ava+elephant.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-wtN-tdt5sBGLSnYW9dRIjAouNQlLOdAHyhNZ3Vq1xxwpqNkF6ITR5G1ojCiWVMHC6JOBEiHAEHwHTne4My3i6WbjtlzjIO4nt8J5V1iuTnNy9qoHga1d-i3IVoof2PwaOrdZAaIBcUf/s400/Ava+elephant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423320204314308002" border="0" /></a>Besides the rattle, the only changes I made to the pattern were to add a tail, a suggestion I got from <a href="https://www.ravelry.com/account/login">Ravelry</a>.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-86817047828960549332009-12-09T16:15:00.003-05:002009-12-09T17:29:02.096-05:00An early FOGuess who came 3 1/2 weeks early?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2hY-hfEqzXhwWOsopHueQvRgFtWQE3Omo67RvfaqTnmnXvO4BwZf7iDwsOKYceu3cP7QpLbG1i6SE3ny1qjlRmorH3D3l2o-Cmpfp-LOZxiacP-2D16VTdAy44QPd_o5-lpflEbt0jxz/s1600-h/yoga+pic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2hY-hfEqzXhwWOsopHueQvRgFtWQE3Omo67RvfaqTnmnXvO4BwZf7iDwsOKYceu3cP7QpLbG1i6SE3ny1qjlRmorH3D3l2o-Cmpfp-LOZxiacP-2D16VTdAy44QPd_o5-lpflEbt0jxz/s400/yoga+pic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413362082057207442" border="0" /></a>Introducing Rowan, my best finished object yet.<br /><br />So yeah, no knitting lately :)Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-90925181144713829692009-11-09T15:36:00.002-05:002009-11-09T16:33:31.793-05:00Finally, a FO<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5hBieGDeZZsHUls0cLlWp6Jt9G1patpn2taR2PB9D-JG1h8DsURdd2NpTc8LSWOlnKn7CWl5yqfnNiw4f6IYcCoXJvnblC9-mZGRwN6yRMZUwxdqmVDqgv1jzydsJJn036l-OqlBn6we/s1600-h/d+finished+sweater+close-up.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim5hBieGDeZZsHUls0cLlWp6Jt9G1patpn2taR2PB9D-JG1h8DsURdd2NpTc8LSWOlnKn7CWl5yqfnNiw4f6IYcCoXJvnblC9-mZGRwN6yRMZUwxdqmVDqgv1jzydsJJn036l-OqlBn6we/s400/d+finished+sweater+close-up.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402206061041705970" border="0" /></a>I killed the computer a week or two ago...and we finally got a new power supply in last weekend. Between killing my home computer, killing a work computer twice this year, and being unable to efficiently navigate ITunes, I feel technologically stupid. I sometimes wonder if I was not born in the wrong time period. <br />I mean farming, canning, knitting, no problem! (As long as time is not a factor :)) <br />But figuring out how to load specific episodes from one of my podcasts onto my Ipod? Not so much...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQUppqOjNB2FggHYT0x5PGJhfpPSMEFhKF7N0PKcS5fzCrl4r4kgIHez9YYUc80OT0p2gbauykP2ENAda7ebpHL-BBBau9V53nYRwL4JkLVjNf3N0YHLk-6nydUyHfU5e_n712bXuSqPu/s1600-h/Danielle's+finished+sweater.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQUppqOjNB2FggHYT0x5PGJhfpPSMEFhKF7N0PKcS5fzCrl4r4kgIHez9YYUc80OT0p2gbauykP2ENAda7ebpHL-BBBau9V53nYRwL4JkLVjNf3N0YHLk-6nydUyHfU5e_n712bXuSqPu/s400/Danielle's+finished+sweater.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402206052548878210" border="0" /></a>I finished the sweater for my co-worker a whole solid three days before the shower. I'm pretty pleased with the way it came out, and even though I didn't knit a swatch for gauge, I was pretty close. The sweater should fit somewhere between 2-6 months. And after washing and folding clothes for my little one, I think my sweater is closer in size than the variances between different brands of onsies.<br /><br />So...now no more excuses to keep plugging away at the Tilted Duster...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaE4dZ7phXYxSwS0joRFw1W-OMZz9ImwLbCQRUDR0xlfcOAtitCdt2kEN7sbN2W0_lIEtQRYAy1ksFm0NzYPtx97aNrXgP_5s1n4SYz88T4Yaz6wCZprRL7EhVrf1vWJotCOd77m-q2EAO/s1600-h/salmon+christmas+cactus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaE4dZ7phXYxSwS0joRFw1W-OMZz9ImwLbCQRUDR0xlfcOAtitCdt2kEN7sbN2W0_lIEtQRYAy1ksFm0NzYPtx97aNrXgP_5s1n4SYz88T4Yaz6wCZprRL7EhVrf1vWJotCOd77m-q2EAO/s400/salmon+christmas+cactus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402206043775144386" border="0" /></a>The Christmas Cactus I have at work never bloomed last year, so I was pleasantly surprised to see it budding. Aren't the striped petals gorgeous? <br /><br />One of the buds fell off, so I threw it in a beaker, and it flowered. It is the prettiest thing to ever be in that beaker, I'm sure.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEqZ0GA3GtEEHNN4YhfFC9VyrWk4pjw_5_zmDZqF8a_lieBmGtL7BbRCAi07uUX1r3Kj1jDF79XDkq4clARHIVpKpf62mtYnntY-H8zOeF81DQYWK4WxyOLkA1nZp-5fZtmO-WOLteOde/s1600-h/flower+in+water.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEEqZ0GA3GtEEHNN4YhfFC9VyrWk4pjw_5_zmDZqF8a_lieBmGtL7BbRCAi07uUX1r3Kj1jDF79XDkq4clARHIVpKpf62mtYnntY-H8zOeF81DQYWK4WxyOLkA1nZp-5fZtmO-WOLteOde/s400/flower+in+water.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5402206055756014002" border="0" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-24390966086377646562009-10-21T15:21:00.003-04:002009-10-22T13:04:19.352-04:00Baby Sweater<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMUPFfe2isD7eeJ3yeb0XNNJE_7YFp-S8oDfESOKM-nZFnCCmZn01wItQtob54IDN7ewe71p6s3-D9Fs6ojg0MDwy-TImlA_uQCBEc2CM0I8vPdd_Fpz4SEC3DEh-7V4pUxO3SoU7oKGX/s1600-h/sweater+blurry.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395148829157465410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMUPFfe2isD7eeJ3yeb0XNNJE_7YFp-S8oDfESOKM-nZFnCCmZn01wItQtob54IDN7ewe71p6s3-D9Fs6ojg0MDwy-TImlA_uQCBEc2CM0I8vPdd_Fpz4SEC3DEh-7V4pUxO3SoU7oKGX/s400/sweater+blurry.jpg" border="0" /></a>I'm knitting this sweater for a friend who is having a little boy. It's going really quickly on size 10 needles. I should be done by now...but you know, life and all. Or to be more specific, the first of three baby showers (baby stuff is sooo cute!), prenatal classes, prenatal yoga, and general nesting seems to be getting in the way of my knitting time. My time seems to be flying by in a blur, not unlike the stitches in the first picture :) I should be able to finish the sweater by next week, when it's done, I'm sure it will resemble a sweater and not a blob.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriWqEEJ9Io6AL8_10ZYhjwb_o74z2AfrY5ZJ_5zKa4MECiMpwTclfAEy7bqjn5VUTKvBmz2_a7Gs9DyoWls0EV2er1ONwSO9ew4KY59hnq3qpYgezh8TgBVQGbL56NgzsO4b67VbCCPgg/s1600-h/danielle+sweater+blob.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395148822364045138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriWqEEJ9Io6AL8_10ZYhjwb_o74z2AfrY5ZJ_5zKa4MECiMpwTclfAEy7bqjn5VUTKvBmz2_a7Gs9DyoWls0EV2er1ONwSO9ew4KY59hnq3qpYgezh8TgBVQGbL56NgzsO4b67VbCCPgg/s400/danielle+sweater+blob.jpg" border="0" /></a>It's looking more and more like the Tilted Duster might be a winter sweater....Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-32305389392815185792009-10-04T13:39:00.003-04:002009-10-04T14:03:14.770-04:00Something Finished, Something Not<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDg-__wXyP2MCMGoqYVVQtNpA56LW3JNci89jbONuAgaBUSF12jACsgXbxhleTG3vYd2yLJE1mUj9E-MxYQ-EO5oecpjTcYQ2jIH5dranirlCs4PWP2-lYLm-ZLDFRuSEBNrIEmDRnJOX/s1600-h/Italy+soaker.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDg-__wXyP2MCMGoqYVVQtNpA56LW3JNci89jbONuAgaBUSF12jACsgXbxhleTG3vYd2yLJE1mUj9E-MxYQ-EO5oecpjTcYQ2jIH5dranirlCs4PWP2-lYLm-ZLDFRuSEBNrIEmDRnJOX/s400/Italy+soaker.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388805490854372818" border="0" /></a><br />I finally got around to taking a picture of the soaker I finished a week ago. It's from the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/frantic-mama-knitted-soaker-pattern">frantic mama pattern</a>.I love the spirally stripes the variegated <a href="http://www.100purewool.com/servlet/StoreFront">Purewool</a> turned out. You can see how much more even my stockinette is in the round versus on the bottom where I switched to straight needles. I must purl tighter :)<br /><br />The leg holes seems a bit small, but then, I suppose the cloth diaper will take up a bunch of room. I can always rip it back and pick up more stitches around the hole when Baby Neff plus diaper fits into it. Coming from my stock, chances are his legs will not be skinny :)<br />I'm pretty sure he's working diligently on building his muscles now. It amazes me how strong some of those kicks are.<br /><br />I've finally dusted off my Tilted Duster again (I really couldn't resist the corny pun). Hopefully I can put some serious knitting time into that and can finish before fall ends. One of my co-workers is due for her firstborn 7 weeks after me, and I'd really like to knit her something. I guess its a good thing that its getting dark earlier and the weather is getting colder. Less outdoor distractions = more knitting time.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-49142825810198264582009-09-22T16:28:00.006-04:002009-09-22T17:27:37.445-04:00Picture Heavy Post of Italy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqfKdprDrB2mL4xd4zintibZIyTMisApBN0zpjg3N1w9B_MvGxFlH5MtmxMSBpXkTEEiPMqL-1E7KeYIg7BJKLMHqzik_qWi_M7_HhmXBpkPj-YFQsIkhhc1Mf16aMEG3w6soKU8iY5Tl/s1600-h/Matt+and+Me+Colloseum.jpg"></a>In no particular order:<br />A rare shot of me and Matt complete with pregnancy belly inside the Colosseum.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqfKdprDrB2mL4xd4zintibZIyTMisApBN0zpjg3N1w9B_MvGxFlH5MtmxMSBpXkTEEiPMqL-1E7KeYIg7BJKLMHqzik_qWi_M7_HhmXBpkPj-YFQsIkhhc1Mf16aMEG3w6soKU8iY5Tl/s1600-h/Matt+and+Me+Colloseum.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqfKdprDrB2mL4xd4zintibZIyTMisApBN0zpjg3N1w9B_MvGxFlH5MtmxMSBpXkTEEiPMqL-1E7KeYIg7BJKLMHqzik_qWi_M7_HhmXBpkPj-YFQsIkhhc1Mf16aMEG3w6soKU8iY5Tl/s400/Matt+and+Me+Colloseum.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384399626832321874" border="0" /></a>Ancient marble facade remnants on the outside of the Pantheon.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kCr1Yl-x7NYdZrmJ8djJJd-Isq5s9sT1PO3mW-NLs9k0iHb_ta18lumGLk9ltdxJNQ0d2AHsAOhtwzegRbkRI45dbx_fTYLYK1frBE05j6t6gc3IVhO0PLt-0o1LTuzNSIup1ATl3V3Y/s1600-h/Marble+facade+remnants+on+Pantheon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kCr1Yl-x7NYdZrmJ8djJJd-Isq5s9sT1PO3mW-NLs9k0iHb_ta18lumGLk9ltdxJNQ0d2AHsAOhtwzegRbkRI45dbx_fTYLYK1frBE05j6t6gc3IVhO0PLt-0o1LTuzNSIup1ATl3V3Y/s400/Marble+facade+remnants+on+Pantheon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384399608931862642" border="0" /></a>Monteriggioni, a castle outside of Siena.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjAIlMFjqI94VEReJdVJ3iu_Saw95Onwqkjil2da27-uDoddL4VobkmVjq5rLF9prgPUNMritDYxUYVVDpbtSOnEasA1vjRDE5_Ptd9IQfuiD4bsyaO8vvqM9YXUrZ4vBbPzWIRxHL9qr/s1600-h/Montiorggire.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjAIlMFjqI94VEReJdVJ3iu_Saw95Onwqkjil2da27-uDoddL4VobkmVjq5rLF9prgPUNMritDYxUYVVDpbtSOnEasA1vjRDE5_Ptd9IQfuiD4bsyaO8vvqM9YXUrZ4vBbPzWIRxHL9qr/s400/Montiorggire.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384399603319242914" border="0" /></a>Little medieval streets in Orvieto.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeQRI5khn0hyphenhyphenN8If1rlQIDtqqJGzYBXAwloX4WITcz7WXBrqil9iRLimKB_opoyWKoSvc44zTHsUoydsQyYQZWmu8yNbPbBXqJapwINgBY4WQi4feVY3nYAy1prILom5EgxnaXPzuYi6f/s1600-h/Orvieto.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzeQRI5khn0hyphenhyphenN8If1rlQIDtqqJGzYBXAwloX4WITcz7WXBrqil9iRLimKB_opoyWKoSvc44zTHsUoydsQyYQZWmu8yNbPbBXqJapwINgBY4WQi4feVY3nYAy1prILom5EgxnaXPzuYi6f/s400/Orvieto.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384399596108024530" border="0" /></a>View of the Roman Forum from Palantine Hill.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbXnYA2k74AOZNNUXoakbz4lCobfLAuDJU02126iVGzvq6Pzi4LhcvU9ggPweRDY3fB-_FTo6xF-jRUYEKD5g2k_4YuzAcMmVs6eQIejR6qbYNn7z9lDo_e42llPIM1xmb-dPaaP2vTpv/s1600-h/roman+forum+from+palantine.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilbXnYA2k74AOZNNUXoakbz4lCobfLAuDJU02126iVGzvq6Pzi4LhcvU9ggPweRDY3fB-_FTo6xF-jRUYEKD5g2k_4YuzAcMmVs6eQIejR6qbYNn7z9lDo_e42llPIM1xmb-dPaaP2vTpv/s400/roman+forum+from+palantine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384404466932271682" border="0" /></a>Piazza del Campo, Siena.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHuuZSW_X47Q_oIDdGPGk3LrsPV39CQ-VQTYm9IYU5sLAzS5CxjbJrR8F2MKIqILD02aQSTb9FVrSlri5HanrKpN7TikhLLwNlKzv1lIbQQEfzut72ebgPTc8ObdXI_rg4JeOOB9jOruk/s1600-h/Siena+square.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHuuZSW_X47Q_oIDdGPGk3LrsPV39CQ-VQTYm9IYU5sLAzS5CxjbJrR8F2MKIqILD02aQSTb9FVrSlri5HanrKpN7TikhLLwNlKzv1lIbQQEfzut72ebgPTc8ObdXI_rg4JeOOB9jOruk/s400/Siena+square.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384404463277356226" border="0" /></a>Arch of Constantine (my favorite *ahem* Russian Fulbright scholar) in Rome.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1x9akDmmEgc2aUBcwVfLUhuAWOhKz3D2wBeNq7BhcLXfOCZntT8DLb3DDyRpEhrdr8HeeGH0FPZ-kMyf0ZgsSl4ekyh4WDcFe0vKDqEth2eLpcwjiZiAWwQHMYs9Z5JENqAYqqO0c_bf-/s1600-h/Arch+of+Constantine.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1x9akDmmEgc2aUBcwVfLUhuAWOhKz3D2wBeNq7BhcLXfOCZntT8DLb3DDyRpEhrdr8HeeGH0FPZ-kMyf0ZgsSl4ekyh4WDcFe0vKDqEth2eLpcwjiZiAWwQHMYs9Z5JENqAYqqO0c_bf-/s400/Arch+of+Constantine.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384404451048544146" border="0" /></a><br />Fresco in Monte Oliveto Maggiore Monastery (note the cat and dog fight).<br /><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Juf5t6TbFztWyFAiWSHiebm3XqzDlr-ZGHzhBkY5Nk_yCbVfkOG20omDV4RBeZ9rNK3tOrynzR0F4UE0frdrbs4p8SIuDK-7SAgbWE_RBj5Z0rG7aO1g64voA_uaZ94_fOO7nzXDRCTm/s1600-h/Mount+Oliveto+Maggiore+Abbey+ct+and+dog+fight.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Juf5t6TbFztWyFAiWSHiebm3XqzDlr-ZGHzhBkY5Nk_yCbVfkOG20omDV4RBeZ9rNK3tOrynzR0F4UE0frdrbs4p8SIuDK-7SAgbWE_RBj5Z0rG7aO1g64voA_uaZ94_fOO7nzXDRCTm/s400/Mount+Oliveto+Maggiore+Abbey+ct+and+dog+fight.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384404475502168946" border="0" /></a>Volterra (Best place in Italy to catch a sighting of a vampire for all the Twilight fans, hehe)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZz2wrLe5BRgEQydEfyNZnPalHAnuodTegJ9Q4e4MxcE6UeXrxhY1B03LFyxbSxYxg2pGWpHx0c4uI9aR5kVLaxRU3bzGrx5Hpvc5w82e6DdXDW9eUF-W1p_WBzQmIfsvhHxosp73_IdDh/s1600-h/Volterra.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZz2wrLe5BRgEQydEfyNZnPalHAnuodTegJ9Q4e4MxcE6UeXrxhY1B03LFyxbSxYxg2pGWpHx0c4uI9aR5kVLaxRU3bzGrx5Hpvc5w82e6DdXDW9eUF-W1p_WBzQmIfsvhHxosp73_IdDh/s400/Volterra.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384398747897066914" border="0" /></a>View of the Duomo in Orvieto.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg157hgxk3QUGvn9ZGkd8qBkscFCuBF58R3hdWSZI1gZRit2PgcNnXUkbGbiU6-ujLX1nbKP0Dc8tWj_Xka2d3flBFrKhIAJCzqwhBsQ-8t2QNO3HX_6LoLLERVMIFsE48ZxvAGH6dVHKII/s1600-h/Orvieto+and+cathedral.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg157hgxk3QUGvn9ZGkd8qBkscFCuBF58R3hdWSZI1gZRit2PgcNnXUkbGbiU6-ujLX1nbKP0Dc8tWj_Xka2d3flBFrKhIAJCzqwhBsQ-8t2QNO3HX_6LoLLERVMIFsE48ZxvAGH6dVHKII/s400/Orvieto+and+cathedral.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384398739014975042" border="0" /></a>Ponte Vecchio in Florence (The famous Medici family used to use this as their personal commute into the city.)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZy-oyy_Cd9bO-d0zhh9spPGOCk91eIU-m1QXYL7Y4RiRyQUVVUBKEDZYISGsjX_yUsTw6UHHG6xvx1rtwN0-ddyCJt2fyMQJUcunPvsduwQlz0i6DM34-K9BTPkGGXacCmF1oB-rYl-9r/s1600-h/Florence+bridge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZy-oyy_Cd9bO-d0zhh9spPGOCk91eIU-m1QXYL7Y4RiRyQUVVUBKEDZYISGsjX_yUsTw6UHHG6xvx1rtwN0-ddyCJt2fyMQJUcunPvsduwQlz0i6DM34-K9BTPkGGXacCmF1oB-rYl-9r/s400/Florence+bridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384398738171106466" border="0" /></a>Trevi Fountain at night, Rome.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5LraKMeU4p1YO6nVP0y3CSJ4Bh177IRjl2a_2K29QosuvnA7xKVaZ3dnzkUbpKJ2Yg-pq8qvOGXbof6fDFxQ_JFa6L8UFLcEAgjNZ3VH2S6aU9HZ2G2REaHlDZy6o1t0gRVC3-v0zPsZ/s1600-h/better+trevi+at+night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5LraKMeU4p1YO6nVP0y3CSJ4Bh177IRjl2a_2K29QosuvnA7xKVaZ3dnzkUbpKJ2Yg-pq8qvOGXbof6fDFxQ_JFa6L8UFLcEAgjNZ3VH2S6aU9HZ2G2REaHlDZy6o1t0gRVC3-v0zPsZ/s400/better+trevi+at+night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384398728140382546" border="0" /></a>Casole d'Elsa, our home base in Tuscany.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwm3MpKud9qASTP-RwFR2cE_vOj1ui81_Dx7TXOGwfoXe8WIdmhTfeefdO2G4sgBV_21Aurbyl8MVbe0ERotYvV6jpNfwieg2HUf_WwjMDOlCq8Y_pj-HAoYnuygXShdVslef4-3sx9F4F/s1600-h/Casole+d%27Elsa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwm3MpKud9qASTP-RwFR2cE_vOj1ui81_Dx7TXOGwfoXe8WIdmhTfeefdO2G4sgBV_21Aurbyl8MVbe0ERotYvV6jpNfwieg2HUf_WwjMDOlCq8Y_pj-HAoYnuygXShdVslef4-3sx9F4F/s400/Casole+d%27Elsa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384398721309709586" border="0" /></a>Hey look, I even did a little knitting in Italy. Someday this will grow up to be a diaper soaker for the wee one. I love the spiral/stripey thing going on in this yarn.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdDx5YfPoQWS___qF5Fite_8vE_BxUvlj_RbgxkU2-bMmsbc0w2pjzmbRq9ZibRQ47ivsTvP7ujTmy80RknH_SSCS0bA6axOYyqion8b3y6bYeJtXnJ9_0u6fN03rg_iU3fwxmTRvB5-S/s1600-h/Italy+knit+progress.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdDx5YfPoQWS___qF5Fite_8vE_BxUvlj_RbgxkU2-bMmsbc0w2pjzmbRq9ZibRQ47ivsTvP7ujTmy80RknH_SSCS0bA6axOYyqion8b3y6bYeJtXnJ9_0u6fN03rg_iU3fwxmTRvB5-S/s400/Italy+knit+progress.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5384399616150976722" border="0" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-33277705021579902692009-08-31T11:12:00.004-04:002009-09-01T07:50:29.307-04:00Poor Neglected Blog<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVfk5FGNmLA0iJ0rtvbLbMdirx8Efr5EwMSEVbNJSm1vghawUw8YjpmMHyxoyQRylHJaLRgPRkSYqlLu-yXfEDVMydQn-Qd5Dh0_SmdCiAoSNX6Esf9DT0IsirUi85yyh9ESgwg-aGfZs/s1600-h/sweater+with+new+camera.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVfk5FGNmLA0iJ0rtvbLbMdirx8Efr5EwMSEVbNJSm1vghawUw8YjpmMHyxoyQRylHJaLRgPRkSYqlLu-yXfEDVMydQn-Qd5Dh0_SmdCiAoSNX6Esf9DT0IsirUi85yyh9ESgwg-aGfZs/s400/sweater+with+new+camera.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376461907635061858" border="0" /></a>I haven't been knitting.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfAYwBIXHd8gIMgc7apDUE-2g8tsOcBHJe31RAyLvWUjuNktX40UCd8IWxQ5Nv8kprDXgGSGA0xeWi-D0dRWHCscvOZ4YZJIRrUIVPt3cXFXytKuCNFCVsYh4eNUnzy4F-jRlMuyQTeab/s1600-h/triple+falls.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGfAYwBIXHd8gIMgc7apDUE-2g8tsOcBHJe31RAyLvWUjuNktX40UCd8IWxQ5Nv8kprDXgGSGA0xeWi-D0dRWHCscvOZ4YZJIRrUIVPt3cXFXytKuCNFCVsYh4eNUnzy4F-jRlMuyQTeab/s400/triple+falls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376460447528210546" border="0" /></a><br />I've been doing a ton of traveling (from Maine to Oregon to southern New Hampshire) and preparing for baby and I have some great pics, but nothing knitting related.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxQPbNGgnOtzM-n5Jm59u0fkTqbvrNUcM5f1T-SBmG8VArgOyd5jsEq2ukxVAq7XDSx6hn0anD_8J_kfrCDLLfusRExesInflko6YjS1RL2ybfEznTTXPGfj1MmHMyqGchPaIuUMm5FIc/s1600-h/gorgeous+oregon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxQPbNGgnOtzM-n5Jm59u0fkTqbvrNUcM5f1T-SBmG8VArgOyd5jsEq2ukxVAq7XDSx6hn0anD_8J_kfrCDLLfusRExesInflko6YjS1RL2ybfEznTTXPGfj1MmHMyqGchPaIuUMm5FIc/s400/gorgeous+oregon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376460440771796818" border="0" /></a><br />That elephant I was supposed to finish for my sister's shower and then birth and then baptism? <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsCgfTimazaIlOVd3nJylLMHREvNM9wyNUyLwCC0d_4CJy7nWReUTvqtKnlKfmpNU9skH1WGB-5H2KQsEr0KF3BcPzaSLfYvangmYmXN7zLoq93dojU72SsWGHPH3oQCvNuKgLdWSJ6Pj/s1600-h/mul+falls.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivsCgfTimazaIlOVd3nJylLMHREvNM9wyNUyLwCC0d_4CJy7nWReUTvqtKnlKfmpNU9skH1WGB-5H2KQsEr0KF3BcPzaSLfYvangmYmXN7zLoq93dojU72SsWGHPH3oQCvNuKgLdWSJ6Pj/s400/mul+falls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376461920577565698" border="0" /></a>Never happened.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdmLpr6qEeFAicJ7vCMLm-uJ-4iAKZQROJ-EcSuwjsG_S6sXI6oVM34x63VsyTWDUJtaYQMWsAMRCu90weukGxjcEU_FsxMu3QoDKLuHGXJRduEEvLglvmc9TalJ6jrJnS2uJoTavdwP5/s1600-h/elkhead+vineyard.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdmLpr6qEeFAicJ7vCMLm-uJ-4iAKZQROJ-EcSuwjsG_S6sXI6oVM34x63VsyTWDUJtaYQMWsAMRCu90weukGxjcEU_FsxMu3QoDKLuHGXJRduEEvLglvmc9TalJ6jrJnS2uJoTavdwP5/s400/elkhead+vineyard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376461917431863554" border="0" /></a><br />At this point I guess I'll be hoping to finish for Christmas, when the baby will be 6 months and might actually react to a stuffed animal, so that would be nice.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPKmWOjcx8_lIhDzHObXkXycTb9bg7QAyZHlkHF8HdX7LKkLKX8XlUJ7Yz73TL13o49qEIZxisyIo15vTkuRB9_5gc0NVct8zGqaQsxHDvZNDcL5S0pKYlZsWnUIfRRwtQCi5Ez66v9qo/s1600-h/cool+rock.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPKmWOjcx8_lIhDzHObXkXycTb9bg7QAyZHlkHF8HdX7LKkLKX8XlUJ7Yz73TL13o49qEIZxisyIo15vTkuRB9_5gc0NVct8zGqaQsxHDvZNDcL5S0pKYlZsWnUIfRRwtQCi5Ez66v9qo/s400/cool+rock.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376460435492308194" border="0" /></a><br />I'm going to Italy in a few days and I'm hoping to take some knitting for the plane, but I have so much to do for the next few days I don't even know if I'll have time to gather patterns/materials, and I'm not taking the Tilted Duster with me. Trying not to <em>panic</em> about all I need to get done in the next 24 hours!<br /><br />On the non-panicked side, I turned this:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsw4I98QrQlt4C_j57mcpwsFQvzqGHvkYpTqwCAwj0jwpCBPO_tZoQVQ9HKNYIU3SLVmes-oqL8liQhz0IBeddkRPJS_4lLpxILbgThJ5_rF4lHnzGBu6M7ZA_JVH-sRycvudg4MX-MBJN/s1600-h/Queen+Anne%27s+Lace.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsw4I98QrQlt4C_j57mcpwsFQvzqGHvkYpTqwCAwj0jwpCBPO_tZoQVQ9HKNYIU3SLVmes-oqL8liQhz0IBeddkRPJS_4lLpxILbgThJ5_rF4lHnzGBu6M7ZA_JVH-sRycvudg4MX-MBJN/s400/Queen+Anne%27s+Lace.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376460418351829938" border="0" /></a>Into this:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AAvKH_n9oCHJLWTGNLVqO5dAj3uoES65gjr5Cf4LNjHpWjLqvSQtijzuUEx2Ov4mIJJOIICR0vMESvP5vUuiGYGM5s3NdBcb0ieSN8TkL2Q0WDOkZXlit-PsAS1UM2dncWPlUF7Sj_Nf/s1600-h/Queen+Anne%27s+Lace+Jeely.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4AAvKH_n9oCHJLWTGNLVqO5dAj3uoES65gjr5Cf4LNjHpWjLqvSQtijzuUEx2Ov4mIJJOIICR0vMESvP5vUuiGYGM5s3NdBcb0ieSN8TkL2Q0WDOkZXlit-PsAS1UM2dncWPlUF7Sj_Nf/s400/Queen+Anne%27s+Lace+Jeely.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376460425340206018" border="0" /></a>And then I found that the seeds of Queen Anne's Lace were used as a contraceptive...so I won't even get to see if it tastes good. The flowers, which were used for the jelly, might be safe, but I couldn't find info that they definitely were. <br />But it's pretty anyways :)Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-82172353428532972782009-08-02T18:22:00.004-04:002009-08-02T21:03:14.210-04:00Rest in Peace Dear Canon Powershot S50For 5 long years you served me.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuyhu-QOAsH89_tiJVNp7OvC6rLEbt0T8Sd4_1AzHbp-5lb98uUZe-p4inCS7nHNho5X6X2kixJJ4SgN4KO3csftubUW51_u8h4WiqueFsxWJzpy0bu4-MDeSXEfuRm-BndjRa_qyCcrr/s1600-h/first+bloom.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuyhu-QOAsH89_tiJVNp7OvC6rLEbt0T8Sd4_1AzHbp-5lb98uUZe-p4inCS7nHNho5X6X2kixJJ4SgN4KO3csftubUW51_u8h4WiqueFsxWJzpy0bu4-MDeSXEfuRm-BndjRa_qyCcrr/s400/first+bloom.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365532830983520514" border="0" /></a><br />You took some pretty pictures.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVl7ze7-HBLreZ342SDNKKzBaprUaxH9RKj0Ovdrv6L-rz7BMeffIgCCvYk9iLnaj9oX9g7jB8r25NiC9AXpDRiVmbyLtIbLkJVRQDnLE8JcGrSMKm77jzXyuiWnmnUG7etQpQygtzgSb/s1600-h/Heron+Island+Sunset.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVl7ze7-HBLreZ342SDNKKzBaprUaxH9RKj0Ovdrv6L-rz7BMeffIgCCvYk9iLnaj9oX9g7jB8r25NiC9AXpDRiVmbyLtIbLkJVRQDnLE8JcGrSMKm77jzXyuiWnmnUG7etQpQygtzgSb/s400/Heron+Island+Sunset.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365533831892062946" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhGiLjQPGbi7fWHO_cUTodyf9hMD9IWdkHra2WGtHLcj4hb3f2go-20tB6hoFbVqNgWCio9RwPvUp3SB4yLlbAjye2BhJT270xeNBwXdGZA5IXqnteIAGMQWJXaZBt7-B19quNZQyCAHX/s1600-h/Picture+Window.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhGiLjQPGbi7fWHO_cUTodyf9hMD9IWdkHra2WGtHLcj4hb3f2go-20tB6hoFbVqNgWCio9RwPvUp3SB4yLlbAjye2BhJT270xeNBwXdGZA5IXqnteIAGMQWJXaZBt7-B19quNZQyCAHX/s400/Picture+Window.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365532844959342482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYitePQ2PosaoI7BAkNGk7rTC_a-7OCBgA4gORPyEBQgiFYf5YFOtYar_T9h3tts3HJ73FOC0gpScunbbIe6NquXkcehz5cLK4nloxrjtAQZv-Q7wKafn49czxchdiBR7_8TvE2-kUenO/s1600-h/cat+Oia.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYitePQ2PosaoI7BAkNGk7rTC_a-7OCBgA4gORPyEBQgiFYf5YFOtYar_T9h3tts3HJ73FOC0gpScunbbIe6NquXkcehz5cLK4nloxrjtAQZv-Q7wKafn49czxchdiBR7_8TvE2-kUenO/s400/cat+Oia.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365533835874252594" border="0" /></a><br />You took some fun pictures.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMbEY37LAV6meZztCQzcfsKij4FjksNi8ZseKl0vlGd67-Yk8DHSNfEn8VnAWvXFmW6R-0vuZE28aVOM0PMdM5ubKroF5ESGmbzTHtRkPF7LLZ4o_D5LVHNAfinRhvBeuQuRDy5GyCUbZ/s1600-h/fun+picture.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSMbEY37LAV6meZztCQzcfsKij4FjksNi8ZseKl0vlGd67-Yk8DHSNfEn8VnAWvXFmW6R-0vuZE28aVOM0PMdM5ubKroF5ESGmbzTHtRkPF7LLZ4o_D5LVHNAfinRhvBeuQuRDy5GyCUbZ/s400/fun+picture.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365532840719472258" border="0" /></a><br /><br />You even took some knitting pictures.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWn0kpBRu4pbmIAAwb_yP2LOODbUaif48li2VbINtaAAL9edvgGLh8W60IRA1NuX5HkPdFOVVoXyJsytez9bzMY7ngiOEImI-NT4mZELufQygHxRj3jW9o3irxKVuAF3PEmODIrLSlo6D/s1600-h/P1010442.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWn0kpBRu4pbmIAAwb_yP2LOODbUaif48li2VbINtaAAL9edvgGLh8W60IRA1NuX5HkPdFOVVoXyJsytez9bzMY7ngiOEImI-NT4mZELufQygHxRj3jW9o3irxKVuAF3PEmODIrLSlo6D/s400/P1010442.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365532856860794034" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihns6ow58bJXBDQf0lTXQLQwHCdfxFQHqzp5TC-9ZeC0HkOqueCfEjVbjq0bfTl9Nuuef-UT20qE3DZZtj8vjFulpLirgjuzKOw67qgqqtWTDHb5xVGXTVRBFa8N2ihsk8XcmwI0-YAjXd/s1600-h/IMG_2272.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihns6ow58bJXBDQf0lTXQLQwHCdfxFQHqzp5TC-9ZeC0HkOqueCfEjVbjq0bfTl9Nuuef-UT20qE3DZZtj8vjFulpLirgjuzKOw67qgqqtWTDHb5xVGXTVRBFa8N2ihsk8XcmwI0-YAjXd/s400/IMG_2272.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365532850930242530" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Your service has been greatly appreciated, but you have become:<br /><br />sad<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TvGbjuVkFjy1ODcPcdKZvXfi_Dx9BVWlozC5T0xMRs8vFwnbljTW5PFvc00w-285eukOvEChgygDvcnEsHjmOt0KKmFOkevloXQVbxEoOQoVfveAsuyVQL3LoJJfUf7SnjEa6T9nqf1h/s1600-h/Old+camera.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3TvGbjuVkFjy1ODcPcdKZvXfi_Dx9BVWlozC5T0xMRs8vFwnbljTW5PFvc00w-285eukOvEChgygDvcnEsHjmOt0KKmFOkevloXQVbxEoOQoVfveAsuyVQL3LoJJfUf7SnjEa6T9nqf1h/s400/Old+camera.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365533823683704210" border="0" /></a>and bulky and<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRmNdJANTZ_RESMR0d7UxlZPDgFxlV0zbbR3B1vpeLL8tW45_1laegBSyIQVuV6pV6CFEiX9uDn-w8qpU6TofISFKLqEFeAv6LhQLr5cpWmltewmsUFvTeiuh-F1ZHk21p9ql9hAbAdtf/s1600-h/old+broken+camera.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlRmNdJANTZ_RESMR0d7UxlZPDgFxlV0zbbR3B1vpeLL8tW45_1laegBSyIQVuV6pV6CFEiX9uDn-w8qpU6TofISFKLqEFeAv6LhQLr5cpWmltewmsUFvTeiuh-F1ZHk21p9ql9hAbAdtf/s400/old+broken+camera.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5365533818964547074" border="0" /></a>slightly broken...<br /><br />I think it best if we put you to rest and let the <a href="http://www.nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/Product/Digital-Camera/26164/COOLPIX-L20.html">Nikon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Coolpix</span></a> take it from here.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Yay</span> for early birthday presents! :)Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-1800258302228417692009-07-20T19:19:00.003-04:002009-07-20T19:54:38.506-04:00Sweater ProgressThere's not been much progress to show, but enough to take a picture of:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GLhedMOCJAY5vqnR-m4yNN-6iOSl98eU8Fmb1hLgINkP8Wfu7FViayRt0EqU0pX-tnVvQb7zpPwjfOKdJ7ZD8r7bV746uDqxKYVsJkx2U_CHvt7WGDMYZhgsMFh-PQb1enN5GmPu8akm/s1600-h/Tilted+Duster+progress.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-GLhedMOCJAY5vqnR-m4yNN-6iOSl98eU8Fmb1hLgINkP8Wfu7FViayRt0EqU0pX-tnVvQb7zpPwjfOKdJ7ZD8r7bV746uDqxKYVsJkx2U_CHvt7WGDMYZhgsMFh-PQb1enN5GmPu8akm/s400/Tilted+Duster+progress.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360689283145438866" border="0" /></a>The yarn is gorgeous, heathered with pinks and blues. If only I could get myself to cast that piece off and start on the next piece...<br />Less picture worthy is the elephant that I have yet to sew together. My sister's baby is hovering on a month old....hopefully I'll get around to it by the christening next month.<br /><br />It's been a busy month. (Excuses, excuses...) We went to the Finger Lakes with friends for the Fourth of July and got to stay at an awesome house right on Lake Canandaigua. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKMqMyfCvsQS_K7dXJjGlEC1uIEhghchmACUS3Qd3WEfz0zB39DO3uqExW8BlOH7iGH1Ib_ch6-raZDq-FVI32UEhRVKSAUVhRq2IJY2pAcmAes_MaFgTvSoyVK8eDR1sKVe2dUpt-CGA/s1600-h/front+porch+finger+lakes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGKMqMyfCvsQS_K7dXJjGlEC1uIEhghchmACUS3Qd3WEfz0zB39DO3uqExW8BlOH7iGH1Ib_ch6-raZDq-FVI32UEhRVKSAUVhRq2IJY2pAcmAes_MaFgTvSoyVK8eDR1sKVe2dUpt-CGA/s400/front+porch+finger+lakes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360689270875728418" border="0" /></a>Our friends got their very own designated driver for a day of wine touring. The vineyards out there have gorgeous gardens, gorgeous landscaping, gorgeous lake views, gorgeous swans...yup, gorgeous swans :) Perhaps when I am not so pregnant, I'll be able to do some tasting myself.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyErE1FxTH0TH0NFBUyXCFTMef1hoi59mlnnTl9iH6RJthi-pQCC5moPA9ojtfSB8ORGOo2WG2yd3-0Nj7RyWjy1xZ-AVh7m7zQmyYJ__B7Ss2gJQN9fWpCEWj01j7mFnJ7MGo-xQrp1R4/s1600-h/bully+hill+patio.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyErE1FxTH0TH0NFBUyXCFTMef1hoi59mlnnTl9iH6RJthi-pQCC5moPA9ojtfSB8ORGOo2WG2yd3-0Nj7RyWjy1xZ-AVh7m7zQmyYJ__B7Ss2gJQN9fWpCEWj01j7mFnJ7MGo-xQrp1R4/s400/bully+hill+patio.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360689268295002482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tRqjxKBVXMgOfmosnxuKKrwSgH_2OvOhEfjYgVR6XXtvAYNGQdXnRJhbjazN9oJt7IJN80qrqJABqgU4Lbz_ntGNfPRAxP0To9ISQHAF7NKhv6Lo8YHfP-57l6swcSmNMuo7v2KIIp4x/s1600-h/stereotypical+swan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5tRqjxKBVXMgOfmosnxuKKrwSgH_2OvOhEfjYgVR6XXtvAYNGQdXnRJhbjazN9oJt7IJN80qrqJABqgU4Lbz_ntGNfPRAxP0To9ISQHAF7NKhv6Lo8YHfP-57l6swcSmNMuo7v2KIIp4x/s400/stereotypical+swan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360689280680837058" border="0" /></a>And no month without blogging would do without at least one weekend of trucking down to Western MA. We had a lovely hike up Monument Mountain in the Berkshires, complete with some wild blueberry foraging. I must be getting a bit spoiled on the Green Mountains though, because we go to the top....and I was hoping for a bit more mountain to hike up.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibh1Ms0K0bqZP3AbOmwQ3i4fHuF8-AIuS2C9aqNKn2bPp0ybPvAhvTHTt5pHZMDB0rt7lAp4Onwc79gCMSKPfHaE1a5xvseA1FVOql6j_vcVY4-I8ieb_q91-LzHRsl3jlUz2xozh29LHX/s1600-h/moutn+monument+summit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibh1Ms0K0bqZP3AbOmwQ3i4fHuF8-AIuS2C9aqNKn2bPp0ybPvAhvTHTt5pHZMDB0rt7lAp4Onwc79gCMSKPfHaE1a5xvseA1FVOql6j_vcVY4-I8ieb_q91-LzHRsl3jlUz2xozh29LHX/s400/moutn+monument+summit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360689273716289698" border="0" /></a>Last weekend we had people up for <a href="http://www.vermontbrewers.com/overview.html">Brew Fest</a>. Yet another event that made me really miss the occasional imbibing of alcoholic beverages. Not to complain too much. They put on the festival on the Burlington waterfront and it's a gorgeous place to hang out. <br /><br />Yesterday we also spent our energy volunteering for the <a href="http://www.vtmozart.org/">Mozart Festival</a>. Beautiful classical music in some of the most gorgeous settings in the area. But parking and un-parking hundreds of cars is exhausting, and I still have some sleep to catch up on. Hopefully next time, I'll have more knitting to show in less time. That's the dream anyways :)Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-73620432911110960602009-06-21T14:54:00.003-04:002009-06-21T15:36:58.880-04:00Tilted Duster PrepReady to start my first sweater project. I finally got to put the skein winder and ball winder to good use. Husband was amused by how amused the whole setup made me. <br />So easy! <br />No resulting yarn tangles! <br />I heart my ball winder :)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4uxbhJatsRj8fed5tUB618fmDf_83oCj1VVaSABqvhlt9DcSIkT8h9e7Ql7IEd-90c8dtn4VHxCYJbvkB-9fCyhhVpTDS5tBhYGNRNGCVy2trmgE2lGk7cXn7gUrhng3-8dOYf6E5wb4/s1600-h/winding+yarn+balls.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4uxbhJatsRj8fed5tUB618fmDf_83oCj1VVaSABqvhlt9DcSIkT8h9e7Ql7IEd-90c8dtn4VHxCYJbvkB-9fCyhhVpTDS5tBhYGNRNGCVy2trmgE2lGk7cXn7gUrhng3-8dOYf6E5wb4/s400/winding+yarn+balls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349860506121876098" border="0" /></a>Matt really wanted to know why yarn was not sold in yarn balls, if skeins were so difficult to knit from. <br />I really wanted a logical answer but all I could come up with was,<br />"Because skeins are pretty, Matthew."<br />Am I missing something?<br />My pretty purple yarn balls. <br />Prettier than skeins? <br />You be the judge.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYT9DpqdaTIxt0BO2XHtb-Ehp6AsXdpFiFFuvCvTQ7w1yxeICXc5aVgAUgilDFMum-Xgzc9dtRIGYXZNR4YZXEtMrA840HvEBlt2Di0rPb3VfpyAl58IN9Z9cvfdYUi5fAVnMawXuCaJjm/s1600-h/perfect+yarn+balls.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYT9DpqdaTIxt0BO2XHtb-Ehp6AsXdpFiFFuvCvTQ7w1yxeICXc5aVgAUgilDFMum-Xgzc9dtRIGYXZNR4YZXEtMrA840HvEBlt2Di0rPb3VfpyAl58IN9Z9cvfdYUi5fAVnMawXuCaJjm/s400/perfect+yarn+balls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349860505637200354" border="0" /></a>I've decided to limit the baby knitting until we find out the gender. If Baby is cooperating, that might in just 3 weeks. <br />I really love gender specific baby patterns :)<br /><br /><br />In other news, I finally made it to my second Red Sox game. It only took 17 years. (Seriously, the last game I went to was with my DARE class in elementary school.)<br />Luckily, it was hugely more entertaining than the one I went to back in the '90s during their less awesome years. For starters, I actually kind of follow the team now. They were playing the Marlins and between Big Papi's homerun, and then not striking out at all (it's the small stuff), Ellsbury stealing bases left and right, some excellent knuckleballs from Wakefield, and you know, actually winning the game (a great change from my last game) , I just wish Boston was a little closer so we could go more often. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWJocHu17fAP8nWlCruM-h_QZ2dPkXq3QrJN6JTR086cYRzxMB3rSKeQanc9ylrKdTmrlCt38ILM8-t6pUVJDeyVNSPXnF5Ryz8NDBV9aijdoaCTRPiHNb1OVR7wMNwvvmr1YZmwoUHtt/s1600-h/fenway+june+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWJocHu17fAP8nWlCruM-h_QZ2dPkXq3QrJN6JTR086cYRzxMB3rSKeQanc9ylrKdTmrlCt38ILM8-t6pUVJDeyVNSPXnF5Ryz8NDBV9aijdoaCTRPiHNb1OVR7wMNwvvmr1YZmwoUHtt/s400/fenway+june+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349860499143523906" border="0" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-74568429411780286112009-06-11T20:58:00.004-04:002009-06-11T21:12:34.738-04:00Perhaps I Should Start Knitting My Own Baby Items...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqciIYox3beSKAs1Cjzzge2dBSdJGamYsq7bO452LA704CqvdzKC2rPmrkMeIs5rxsDRLO6LjI1lZUN7vYs8DpD_cvo-pZHeP6jboKX5s_nwLPvIi7oA87hIkB75Sr1ISzNn2U942YxnLv/s1600-h/finished+blanket.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqciIYox3beSKAs1Cjzzge2dBSdJGamYsq7bO452LA704CqvdzKC2rPmrkMeIs5rxsDRLO6LjI1lZUN7vYs8DpD_cvo-pZHeP6jboKX5s_nwLPvIi7oA87hIkB75Sr1ISzNn2U942YxnLv/s400/finished+blanket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346240577856511650" border="0" /></a>..seeing as in 6 short months I will have a baby of my own! I guess I'll have to get on that now that I'm past the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">nauseous</span>/tired stage.<br /><br />I have no new knitting to show you (I never even finished sewing the elephant together) . The blanket was well <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">received</span>, though someone in the audience, and yes, the shower was so large (30+ guests) that it was as if there were an audience watching my sister and her husband unwrap guests...<br />Tangent! Anyways, some guest asked if the blanket were crocheted or quilted. I still don't know if they really didn't know the difference between sewn material and yarn...but then again, maybe they were sitting that far away...<br /><br />How about some pretty flowers instead? These pictures are of the peony gardens in <a href="http://www.shelburnefarms.org/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Shelburne</span> Farms</a>, definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in the Burlington, VT area.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTB8PzQSUACHstprN_GvNsKF-c0wMrg0VUWRNWwftg1vTPHTWaE1QQBvle_aXlZYl2zlEcryyx8zlMq0ol_HtFj8VuSl8DHwTgQcsYdtIC4-pkIDOxhZ2JWjbFAXnzshqgr0REUZ1V5qs6/s1600-h/Peony+tour+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTB8PzQSUACHstprN_GvNsKF-c0wMrg0VUWRNWwftg1vTPHTWaE1QQBvle_aXlZYl2zlEcryyx8zlMq0ol_HtFj8VuSl8DHwTgQcsYdtIC4-pkIDOxhZ2JWjbFAXnzshqgr0REUZ1V5qs6/s400/Peony+tour+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346240303925865154" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbmSSl9-65_H8AEQUcT7v2wgMT-ELNYGWFy9825aNMFkYa_4Z9dB5qelsCQ_jQqD-UIGqJh9pL41BpCisuaDoQkj-pJVr3Iggkx0vnAkzEwLEaVewNbew3FKQ5r1VRE_HtdbxMvkCTo0k/s1600-h/peony+garden+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYbmSSl9-65_H8AEQUcT7v2wgMT-ELNYGWFy9825aNMFkYa_4Z9dB5qelsCQ_jQqD-UIGqJh9pL41BpCisuaDoQkj-pJVr3Iggkx0vnAkzEwLEaVewNbew3FKQ5r1VRE_HtdbxMvkCTo0k/s400/peony+garden+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346240303657761634" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjrc8anb-QS9LX9bUjk9uCVaXv1iVeMQUryHq3yMzE1obS0K6dvSZxCmJDlM-3rWxOJ1kfAAN9eINrJStss2gvhCKDyVKYPpRVJvRf7mDXx4jZRgXIRFTAUcyinIzNn0N4vH9MYj75zoh/s1600-h/peony+bud+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjrc8anb-QS9LX9bUjk9uCVaXv1iVeMQUryHq3yMzE1obS0K6dvSZxCmJDlM-3rWxOJ1kfAAN9eINrJStss2gvhCKDyVKYPpRVJvRf7mDXx4jZRgXIRFTAUcyinIzNn0N4vH9MYj75zoh/s400/peony+bud+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346240302235105010" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSx-N3f8dAADiWktoa96s_YpkLQzxKXOAgD4LgNqVqeCJ9RLS8aG5O3RDL6cWFRb21AMAOAUNNJKLFB9RDfjNzYj0CeVHzDx3uDSJdfSv3en6HudE9RrECm6GafBKNpZrmUVQNoDb64cq/s1600-h/peony+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpSx-N3f8dAADiWktoa96s_YpkLQzxKXOAgD4LgNqVqeCJ9RLS8aG5O3RDL6cWFRb21AMAOAUNNJKLFB9RDfjNzYj0CeVHzDx3uDSJdfSv3en6HudE9RrECm6GafBKNpZrmUVQNoDb64cq/s400/peony+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346240297941535554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZU748mnu1e5i4NkRD1TgBRGtmNb6kVWbBsHs8lwcViIQH7YoHF91zWPJzyp9PY5zfWbcMlWpPs71Zlgve503nKdNwo-iXYb0EjqgXKARvPjOTrNZfzoogXkd1aG2NoFkWDbZlxmRqzCti/s1600-h/peonis+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZU748mnu1e5i4NkRD1TgBRGtmNb6kVWbBsHs8lwcViIQH7YoHF91zWPJzyp9PY5zfWbcMlWpPs71Zlgve503nKdNwo-iXYb0EjqgXKARvPjOTrNZfzoogXkd1aG2NoFkWDbZlxmRqzCti/s400/peonis+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346240297091398274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoM4DPOWxwY_KZDNki0za2eC98KqxNDvcjj_VaMI_hgv09FwBHgG6FAx9A2nhrXkabbPeOj0EZgbGvD2bPNrmVbru4q0pkn9rKIkrOuMHY6-6X66Iq8K1PGKQ3tEeboxlMhogSob5uU9D/s1600-h/brick+house+shelbunre+farm+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoM4DPOWxwY_KZDNki0za2eC98KqxNDvcjj_VaMI_hgv09FwBHgG6FAx9A2nhrXkabbPeOj0EZgbGvD2bPNrmVbru4q0pkn9rKIkrOuMHY6-6X66Iq8K1PGKQ3tEeboxlMhogSob5uU9D/s400/brick+house+shelbunre+farm+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5346240580212352610" border="0" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-63898546732419917672009-05-28T15:29:00.004-04:002009-05-28T18:41:29.238-04:00Think I'm Gonna CheatI'm done knitting the baby blanket for my sister's shower this weekend. I have not yet started the process of weaving in all those ends...or piecing together the elephant...and I'm out of time. Luckily it doesn't really need blocking. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dOiED8JF9wznbGFYRDfdDDxpJSfgjRWP02uoTyJ-345MqHXfk8VS5PQ3mG3K7Fd2vt21O9P0OjqDP5OFEdV36iKDhKmwykyW9EnrLClk2x4gijp9tfVQQs2pukzaKOQu0zWylAKt-BXx/s1600-h/blanket+pre.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dOiED8JF9wznbGFYRDfdDDxpJSfgjRWP02uoTyJ-345MqHXfk8VS5PQ3mG3K7Fd2vt21O9P0OjqDP5OFEdV36iKDhKmwykyW9EnrLClk2x4gijp9tfVQQs2pukzaKOQu0zWylAKt-BXx/s400/blanket+pre.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340996263916984258" border="0" /></a><div>Unluckily, I have shower "stuff" to do tonight instead of spending my hours weaving in all those ends. </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDurDvhj4JelQiYT_vopAZqXPTDuwxP9yYpGbv6wGjD5cP1KEgmlZgRbXX14H8YDixZj8tCww0GKyr5urSvySi6Tp1NIPLUlxWGnNkb9Be2f-3VQ4KnNyGOrMniEV-wDo6Epz-DoKZY2-/s1600-h/almost+finished+blanket.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDurDvhj4JelQiYT_vopAZqXPTDuwxP9yYpGbv6wGjD5cP1KEgmlZgRbXX14H8YDixZj8tCww0GKyr5urSvySi6Tp1NIPLUlxWGnNkb9Be2f-3VQ4KnNyGOrMniEV-wDo6Epz-DoKZY2-/s400/almost+finished+blanket.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340996254691157618" border="0" /></a><div>So I might be cheating a bit...we'll see how that goes. I got Myha to sit in on the pic so you could see the size. I'm pretty happy with it, but if I had more time and more dark blue yarn I probably would have doubled or even tripled the border length.</div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQPJI-BqZlmD91toniuz6-NMPyzk5VsSn0cQraAQOO3o8DzC7MO33GaTLZOLcSUb3x7vDDo87SV5r_kLRuwxRCwVlVcuC_MIZ-vB8lBJ8IJfsPs9tEp7O625stZ0ObhGn4iWRRR6cMpGG/s1600-h/baby+bells+blanket+plus+Myha.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZQPJI-BqZlmD91toniuz6-NMPyzk5VsSn0cQraAQOO3o8DzC7MO33GaTLZOLcSUb3x7vDDo87SV5r_kLRuwxRCwVlVcuC_MIZ-vB8lBJ8IJfsPs9tEp7O625stZ0ObhGn4iWRRR6cMpGG/s400/baby+bells+blanket+plus+Myha.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340996259926781362" border="0" /></a><div> </div>Honestly, I'll just be happy when this week is over :)Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-52248850591393549472009-05-07T11:47:00.003-04:002009-05-07T12:04:49.929-04:00Sometimes I Commute by BikeAnd when I do, I often stop for groceries on the way home. My Trek doesn't have a basket, or anywhere to store my purchases, save my backpack. More than once, I have tried to balance a grocery bag of food on each handle bar. It is precarious at best, and has resulted in the ruination of at least one of my <a href="http://www.chicobag.com/p-16-chicobag-original.aspx">chico bags</a> from the near constant brush against the tire spokes as the bags swing.<br /><br />I've been looking at bike baskets, which aren't too expensive, but I worry that I and my Trek are not retro enough to pull off the <a href="http://www.comcycle-usa.com/ProductInfo.aspx?id=4946408">wicker basket</a>. And though my bike is uncool enough for the <a href="http://www.ebikestop.com/wald_compact_front_bicycle_basket-9047.php">metal basket</a>, I just don't like it.<br /><br />If I had a million dollars, <a href="http://www.madsencycles.com/bikes/">this</a> is probably what I would get. Just pile in groceries, children, flowers, gardening tools. Genius :) Since I am not a millionaire, and you probably aren't either, they are having a <a href="http://www.madsencycles.com/contest/">contest</a>.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-20170450401484952622009-04-26T18:23:00.002-04:002009-04-26T18:32:03.342-04:00There's Been Some Knitting...Not much though. I have one more week of classes and then one final and then I will really have to start knitting up a storm. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MKt4qWEjerUR_ss60HAwcHZUrBf5wLn2dZoELtfpWDkL8s_yz4lSnTaQZrIaeJMqLWMI6LFUKQUZWyzIqHqCeylXxy3h2gFqKU__IQakM2F4crBMEnPbF7JJtumio3DOoVMUIOF_R6R2/s1600-h/blanket+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3MKt4qWEjerUR_ss60HAwcHZUrBf5wLn2dZoELtfpWDkL8s_yz4lSnTaQZrIaeJMqLWMI6LFUKQUZWyzIqHqCeylXxy3h2gFqKU__IQakM2F4crBMEnPbF7JJtumio3DOoVMUIOF_R6R2/s400/blanket+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329129391141443938" border="0" /></a>And start swimming again. <br />And start biking again. <br />And start running again.<br />It's rather amazing how my exercise habits just completely fall apart under the guise of "busy-ness"...<br /><br />Yesterday we had our first summer day. It was in the 80s and sunny and gorgeous. It's amazing what one warm day will do to plants. Our lawns are now summer green, the bulbs seemed to have started blooming overnight. <br />So, of course it was cold and rainy today :) <br /><br />It's all fine by me because I only have one more week of classes!Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-3509137497141985352009-04-15T19:53:00.002-04:002009-04-15T20:19:21.758-04:00Hey Look, It's Only Been 3 Weeks....I've been having this love-hate relationship with the blanket I'm knitting. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0gf8H6MQ7KcMuhdiQWoCMliK_RCvjx4hM0rB4oS16CKwSxppF7A4gW4ojNxDYROYy8k-VLbaHXTA6vp-duWX1Qpih8KD5UH7kUcBWZ_PNhJcO4Vdmk869Ed8i9DTHjKo9clQcPOpCzn5/s1600-h/baby+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0gf8H6MQ7KcMuhdiQWoCMliK_RCvjx4hM0rB4oS16CKwSxppF7A4gW4ojNxDYROYy8k-VLbaHXTA6vp-duWX1Qpih8KD5UH7kUcBWZ_PNhJcO4Vdmk869Ed8i9DTHjKo9clQcPOpCzn5/s320/baby+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325071008916055858" border="0" /></a>I love the way it looks in the pattern, and all of the finished pieces on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/curve-of-pursuit/people">Ravelry</a>, but I hate the way it seems to be coming out :)<br /><br />It started off pretty horrible as you can see in the picture above. I re-knit the middle twice because I thought somehow this would make the stitches I picked up along the edge somehow more even.<br /><br />*snort*<br /><br />Somehow it did not register in my sieve of a brain that all those itty bitty triangles *ahem* "squares" would mean all these itty bitty ends to weave in. Or the fact that there might end up itty bitty wholes from all the joining and cutting and knitting and cutting and joining....Somehow I even managed to knit the square backwards or upside down. Which of these, I'm not even completely sure, all I know if that when you see the side with the middle square not having the stripe around it, all of the other squares do have stripes. <br /><br />Does anyone know what I did wrong?<br /><br />To keep my sanity, I have chosen to ignore these things. <br /><br />I'm going to play on the fact that the blanket will be handmade and flawed and beautiful despite it's flaws. Plus, babies tend not to be picky about stripes and holes and unevenness in blankets.<br /><br />Right?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRFLs7o_xV4aQ_5kOMJR2ore0cYI6UlR5TjkxT-S2XDObubwORrdCMivSarYc3JfaGTcOFtjuej8bytWYsntrR1RBWlN7bpLAPESfhIi0LSfSIYS-W2RHZrb1mpEJhDVBhS5tUB3lbw4H/s1600-h/baby+4-15.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRFLs7o_xV4aQ_5kOMJR2ore0cYI6UlR5TjkxT-S2XDObubwORrdCMivSarYc3JfaGTcOFtjuej8bytWYsntrR1RBWlN7bpLAPESfhIi0LSfSIYS-W2RHZrb1mpEJhDVBhS5tUB3lbw4H/s320/baby+4-15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325071013143552690" border="0" /></a>The booties, though not done, are just not a priority to finish. I love the little bunny buttons I found, but I couldn't get my camera to focus for a close-up. So just take my work for it: bunny buttons=super cute :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyJ5VaEEC9NfEFDHOKNu8tNA6-6iBOFIsGBw08YNDh1DQz54poeix1_wRSXSgxzNzZiuBnAGTlgAARDk2AeQPX-YjYmIITwxZcVRzswKIAZPhuLXdCLn7C5qU8OGRR5iJao-vgRxTVBjv/s1600-h/baby+bootees.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyJ5VaEEC9NfEFDHOKNu8tNA6-6iBOFIsGBw08YNDh1DQz54poeix1_wRSXSgxzNzZiuBnAGTlgAARDk2AeQPX-YjYmIITwxZcVRzswKIAZPhuLXdCLn7C5qU8OGRR5iJao-vgRxTVBjv/s320/baby+bootees.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5325071013457443138" border="0" /></a>Two more weeks of classes....Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-59005072539457072472009-03-24T11:51:00.005-04:002009-03-26T11:24:04.126-04:00Has it Really Been a Month?A month is gone and I really don't have anything (knitting-wise) to show for it.<br /><br /><br /><br />I started a baby blanket for my sister and restarted it. I have have finished the elephant pieces, but haven't sewn it together or stuffed it....and I still have to weave in the edges on the baby bootees....you know how I heart finishing :)<br /><br /><br /><br />I have made some jewelry, but given it away before I took pictures. I made a metal bead and am working on a "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">mandent</span>" for Matt, which is looking promising.<br /><br />I also got the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">OK</span> to run (finally!) and am up to 2 miles at a relaxed pace. I'm pretty happy to be able to run again, even if our Spring seems to have regressed for the time being, and I don't really have the time to do it more than a few times a week. I look forward to running shorts weather. Soon. Please?<br /><br /><br /><br />My sister's baby shower is in about 8 weeks, so I really need to get on that elephant and blanket. I just really want to knit something simple that I don't have to consult the pattern every two rows or have to seam or put things together. Also, I'd really like to have time every night to sit down with some knitting, but that's my fault.<br /><br /><br /><br />Instead of knitting, on the nights I don't have classes, I got sucked into <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cider_House_Rules">The Cider House Rules</a>. Books have a way of really been getting in the way of knitting...or accomplishing all of the things on my To Do List.<br /><br /><br /><br />I was only supposed to have two classes to worry about; then the undergrad got me all excited about beer brewing, which is a really fun class. And as soon as I find someone to sell me their used equipment, I'll be having some beer brewing fun. All of my classes are really cool, it's just so much time.<br /><br /><br /><br />I have about 5 weeks of classes left, and until then, there won't be many posts, or much progress :) I passed up the chance to read Stephanie Myer's vampire love story, The Host, in an effort to keep on keeping on.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-49813693056357493512009-02-24T14:02:00.003-05:002009-02-24T14:06:48.224-05:00Dreaming of SpringIs Spring here yet?<br /><br />Warmth and flowers and exercising outside without fear of falling on the ice....<br />all of these things I presently wish for even though I wouldn't really have time for them until classes are over...<br /><br />Is it Summer yet?Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-43081421366663526342009-02-17T09:11:00.005-05:002009-02-18T21:01:22.040-05:00Parade of Unfinished ProjectsI haven't been blogging because there's nothing done.<br /><div><br />I haven't yet finished the stuffed elephant that I swear people on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ravelry</span> have been claiming to finish in a night (I do covet a faster knitting speed). <br />I had some issues with pattern wording. I tried to get help from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ravelry</span> but the comments were all useful, for example: "pattern wording is confusing." <br />This is the first time <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ravelry</span> has failed me.<br />Luckily, my co-worker's mother is a knitting guru, so she helped me. (Thanks Jess's Mom!) So someday I will finish this, but not today.<br />They had you knit the arms in one piece and sew a seam. I figured out that this was unnecessary by arm number two...but man I do hate sewing seams.<br /><br />Excuse the blurry picture, it's hard in the darkness to get a decent picture that allowed you to see the trunk. <br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVvdp1tGlQDDIE-4Kd8_ra7z64VJueJa96gArzuLJC6soukODv99EBTmynWNNTbyd8a6XFtX4uT4T6HKrp85rIHJNIRBWfmMMNPSjAiz2-2QQ3wgsWpp1llP8nCpCdnYKxI7LKXFnnkKX/s1600-h/elephant+pieces.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUVvdp1tGlQDDIE-4Kd8_ra7z64VJueJa96gArzuLJC6soukODv99EBTmynWNNTbyd8a6XFtX4uT4T6HKrp85rIHJNIRBWfmMMNPSjAiz2-2QQ3wgsWpp1llP8nCpCdnYKxI7LKXFnnkKX/s320/elephant+pieces.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304316938335107346" border="0" /></a><div> </div><br /><div>I still have yet to seam and sew the buttons on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Saartje's</span> Bootees. I feel like the buttons make the booties, so I've been putting off the process of button searching. This pattern takes up almost more time sewing seams than knitting....have I mentioned how much I hate sewing seams? After I finished knitting and seaming the first one I, of course, found a seamless <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Saartje's</span> pattern.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlzoyStjxLlYjeozGmyFEF7tCRYah7tAcsn8RZAPWQReqGTtWtL4-ZNyty-pb4R5Ehxa6HcLSvuvTdQKtD4RynunGLTulMs-G1nyEw6xQlAwM-NTZf-zEIE7mvW1hpcDSKumBi6mA4U6X/s1600-h/Saartje's+unfinished.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXlzoyStjxLlYjeozGmyFEF7tCRYah7tAcsn8RZAPWQReqGTtWtL4-ZNyty-pb4R5Ehxa6HcLSvuvTdQKtD4RynunGLTulMs-G1nyEw6xQlAwM-NTZf-zEIE7mvW1hpcDSKumBi6mA4U6X/s320/Saartje's+unfinished.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304316932287102930" border="0" /></a><div> </div>I realize the saying is live and learn, but sometimes I wish I could skip straight to learn :)<br /><br />Speaking of learning, after 5 weeks of jewelery class (read as 20 hours in the studio) all I have to show is this silly pendant. I learned soldering, to make a bezel cup, and the process of finishing a piece. I am quickly developing a true appreciation for why any and all unique jewelry costs so much. The process is time intensive, even when you are skilled. Also, silver is expensive, and while I'm normally a silver/white gold person, I find myself appreciating the colors of the new gold (not gold, just golden in color) and copper...probably because of the relative affordability in price.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiTCI4Re70HikMc4jyH-Qdz3xgtLixWjt_-WH9CIXbYtBjFYTo5g03lsqs401_qMbmq-MYvNUcJKNg8eF8VrOm_pRy4F7AzSz74WQ4aVSmYTWSR1vmOGtLAaKYHctwZ6ohNbs-c9lkD0g/s1600-h/jewelryflame.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiTCI4Re70HikMc4jyH-Qdz3xgtLixWjt_-WH9CIXbYtBjFYTo5g03lsqs401_qMbmq-MYvNUcJKNg8eF8VrOm_pRy4F7AzSz74WQ4aVSmYTWSR1vmOGtLAaKYHctwZ6ohNbs-c9lkD0g/s320/jewelryflame.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304316763070176066" border="0" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5962495661213007998.post-41537904882853675922009-02-05T13:37:00.005-05:002009-02-06T17:02:48.538-05:00Matt's ScarfI finished it awhile ago, but as soon as I wove in the ends, Matt took it and replaced his old scarf, which I have to make "disappear." It took a few days to catch him in the scarf with a camera, and I was not given time to properly arrange the scarf on the model, but you get the idea. It would look nicer blocked, but <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">that'll</span> probably have to wait until spring.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMGTbFY3f4OlKNC7_p4luZhnO14Dcfru_yMKx6BsAyQjI11FXiIomIxPDTy6NqpofFp1nP9zqfhkpsNNslzSNc19uZs_MCruvS-slPQ_jX-MUjt2_OIBB2EZwlGR4ESbSqTIkzYPG7h_s/s1600-h/Matt's+scarf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFMGTbFY3f4OlKNC7_p4luZhnO14Dcfru_yMKx6BsAyQjI11FXiIomIxPDTy6NqpofFp1nP9zqfhkpsNNslzSNc19uZs_MCruvS-slPQ_jX-MUjt2_OIBB2EZwlGR4ESbSqTIkzYPG7h_s/s400/Matt's+scarf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5299807287936291058" border="0" /></a><div> </div><br /><div>While I like to have options for accessories, Matt really likes to have one, and only one set of everything. </div><br /><div>One pair of exercise pants. </div><br /><div>One hat, one scarf. </div><br /><div>One bathing suit. </div><br /><div>A pair of black dress shoes, a pair of brown. </div><br /><div>One set of sneakers for running/tennis/walking, which he will not replace until they are literally falling apart. </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>We've come to a healthy compromise where I sneak new shoes in the house. I remember putting all of my running shoes in the shoe rack when we moved in together and him staring aghast. Granted, there are about 6 pairs of running shoes in there, but only one has enough life for long runs. Another pair I use for short runs, another pair I use for tennis or the gym when I'm not running, another I use for walks, and the last pair I use for anything that's to get really dirty. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">OK</span>, that's only 5...there may be an unused pair in there....but when you train for marathons, you go through 2 or 3 pairs, depending on mileage, and while they won't have enough cushion to run ten miles, they still feel fine for other <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">activities</span>.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>I've almost finished a pair of <a href="http://www.saartjeknits.nl/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Saartje's</span> Bootees</a>, but there's still the seaming and buttons to finish, maybe this weekend. I've also been working on an <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lovable-toys">elephant</a> for one of the many babies that will be born this year. It just doesn't look like anything yet.</div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>This is my first week of all 3 classes, to 3hr + night classes on Monday and Tuesday, and it's really exhausting...and the weeks not over yet. Still an exam tomorrow, luckily it's on beer. No really. Wanna hear about the German Beer Purity Act? :)</div>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07860175097394228040noreply@blogger.com2