Skeeter Yarn

I call this particular color variation of Sugar 'n Cream "Kitty Cat."  I think it will make nice dishcloths...

Positivity Challenge: Day 1

I accept the Positivity Challenge from my mother! The challenge is to write 3 positive incidents a day for 5 days and to challenge 3 people to do the same.

1. My Tastefully Simple business with its awesome food and flexible schedule
2. Dave's job, which he enjoys (even if he doesn't like getting up in the morning)
3. Our home--while we don't own it, it's a lot more than some families have

I challenge Heather, Kristine, and Allison... how about some blog posts? ;-)

My furry office assistant

Girly Knits

Another bib and burp cloth set made it through snail mail to baby Aaleayah, so I can finally post a picture.  Big sister Faith had a star button on her knit set, too!

Bib and burpcloth set in Sugar 'n Cream "Camo Pink"

It took me way too long to knit my second commissioned piece for the same daughter of a former co-worker who received a fuzzy purple scarf in January.  She chose a Quick & Easy Knitted Infinity Scarf pattern I found online, but in a different color yarn.  It was a fun pattern to knit, and I learned how to join my yarn with a double knot since it was too bulky to knit two strands together.  Skeeter was rather fond of this yarn, so I may have to make another one...

Infinity Scarf made with Yarn Bee's Debut yarn in "Rose Petal"

Week 14: Da Coach

Da Bears pulled out an impressive win this week for Monday Night Football, which was appropriate considering they retired Mike "Da Coach" Ditka's number during halftime.  Oh, and I got a bit of knitting done on the scarves for the sponsor family at work this past week, too!

I'm a little ashamed my "to finish" pile has gotten this bad,
but the scarves on top got finished and washed this week!

Starting a scarf for a 4-year-old boy

Skeeter tolerates modeling the finished scarf

You started another one?  Leave me alone till it's done...

Almost done with the brother's scarf!

Week 12: Just Knit

I knit fast and furiously as the Bears played their division rivals, the Lions, but all I got was a bunch of finished or nearly finished projects...

Lime Stripes burp cloth is FINALLY done,
plus I finished the Pink Camouflage bib

Photobombing cat arrived shortly after I snapped the first picture

Started this double-strand scarf on a Friday...

...practically finished on Sunday!
Both yarns were from my random stash of accumulated yarn :-)

Week 10: Too Late

We'll say this post is so late because of the Bears' unfortunate defeat last week. The fan base at our local Chicago eatery were yelling at the coach to pull the injured quarterback for most of the second half. When he finally did send the back-up quarterback in, it was too little, too late, and the Bears lost by 2 points.  I spent the first half of the game tinking (or un-knitting; "tink" is literally the word "knit" backwards) the Lime Stripes burp cloth because I was having trouble matching up the stripes to start the second ball of yarn.  Since I was so frustrated with the stripes, I ran home at halftime and grabbed a ball of Pink Camouflage to start the bib for another baby set.

Photobombing Cat must play with the string...

Mine.

Week 9: Surprise Finish

I think most Bears fans were hoping for a win against their long-time rivals from Green Bay last night, but with our quarterback out and no home field advantage, we were also mentally prepared for the opposite.  When their quarterback got injured early in the game, both teams were on a more level playing field and a close game ensued with the Bears pulling out a win at the end!

I also finished another baby bib at halftime made from a cone of Peaches & Creme "Christmas Ombre" from my grandmother.  Dave liked the colors so much, he said he would have asked me to make him a scarf if he actually had clothes to match!  For next weekend's project, I've thrown the half-finished "Lime Stripes" burp cloth back into the knitting bag.  Oh, and did you notice my new knitting tote?  I've recently discovered Thirty-One, and I'm having a party next weekend to buy more storage totes for my crafty stuff!

Photobombing Cat strikes again!

Week 8: Bye

A week late, but not much to report for Week 8. The Bears had their bye week, and I didn't do much stitching except to finish up one of the Chicago bibs.  And Skeeter thinks all unfinished ends are hers to eat...

Week 7: Away Game

Both of us missed the Bears at Bobby G's this weekend because we were up in Chicago for Dave's grandfather's funeral. The Bears were out of town, too, and unfortunately they lost even though we were surrounded by the Chicago family in their Bears gear. I knit during the game, as well as during the drive and most of the weekend while we were staying with Dave's grandmother. She used to be a kniter, too, but now only crochets, just like my grandmother.

Finished projects: "Hippie" burpcloth, "Playtime" bib,
and striped "Hippie" and "Hot Blue" bib

Partially finished: "Tie Die Stripes" bib and striped
"Beach Ball Blue" and "Hot Blue" bib

Skeeter just wants attention (and to play with yarn)
after being without her humans for several days

Week 5: Wedding Weekend

My husband and I were both in a wedding this past Sunday, so he caught most of the Bears game in the groom's hangout room.  The TV in the bride's room didn't work, but we had plenty to keep us busy before the ceremony!  Still, I'm sure my lack of knitting is getting blamed for another loss.  I did get a bit of knitting done on a new bib (yarn color "Hippie") at the salon on Sunday and during Monday Night Football.  I also finished up the Tie Die Stripes burp cloth during the week.  So many friends having little boys right now--I'm going to run out of options for blue yarn!

Pretty in Pink!

A bib start and a burp cloth finish

Let me help you with that string, Mama!

July-August Blessings

I realize I've been negligent in posting my blessings the past two months, and some of our summer blessings are the very causes of my tardiness!

• In July and August, we celebrated Dave's birthday, his dad's birthday, my mom's birthday, my dad's birthday, and the birth of our fourth niece (and soon-to-be Goddaughter), Elizabeth Amelia.  Lots of family time!
• Sarah and I planned an awesome bridal shower for our middle sister, Mary.  I'd blog about it here, but Sarah already did an awesome job on her blog.
• Our rental was available on August 1st, and we were closing on the townhouse on August 2nd, so we had a very short time frame to move.  A month later, we have no more mortgage (nor Homeowners Association, woo hoo!), and I'm finally unpacked enough to be willing to invite people to our home.
• I joined Tastefully Simple as an independent consultant in the midst of all this craziness and now have my own little business to organize.  I have my own Facebook page and consultant website, plus I'm having fun setting up a home office in our loft!
• After five years as a contractor for Big Blue Wireless Company, Dave was offered a position as an actual employee!  We're looking forward to a bit more job security and hopefully a good benefits package.

My workspace (and Dave's playspace)

Tastefully Simple Central

I can't argue with sharing an office...

Counting My Blessings #5

• It's been a long week of obnoxious work hours for Dave, but I am thankful he has a job and his big project at work is almost over.
• Tuesday we were both able to get a day off together.  Our plans?  We slept in, then had a big lunch at Mimi's Cafe!
• We had a contractor look at some of the cracks in our ceiling upstairs to get an estimate, and he advised us to wait till an interested purchaser has an inspection done.  Then he can take care of everything on the "fix list" at once, and the cracks may not even be an issue!
• I sped through the book club choice for March, A Grown Up Kind of Pretty, in three days.  After book club on Wednesday night, I got to stock up on new books for the next few months: In the Sanctuary of Outcasts, The Magician's Assistant, and The Dovekeepers.
• I'm finally healthy enough to be getting back on the treadmill again.  While not the most thrilling thing in the world, I'm just happy to have the energy to work out again and take advantage of that outlet for stress relief.
  

Dave texted me this picture while we were both home on Tuesday...

Best Etsy Finds of 2012

Most of my lovely readers know that my BFF Heather lives across the country in California. I found the perfect present for her on Etsy a few months back and ordered it just in time for Christmas!

All incoming boxes are subject to kitty inspection...

Aren't these just too sweet?

Goodbye, Georgia mug, and safe journey to California!

Check out more cute stuff from GreySkiesBlue on Etsy!

The other awesome find on Etsy this past year--a baby black hole (with birth certificate) that shipped across the pond from the UK!

Perfect to cheer up my Georgia BFF after eye surgery!

Being Thankful

It's almost Thanksgiving time again!  The decorations went up at home this past weekend, and I've been counting down since October...

My Top 10 Reasons to be Thankful

1. My wonderful husband who loves me and supports me unconditionally (even when my logic doesn't make sense to him)
2. The strong faith Dave and I share and our wonderful church community
3. Our parents who are great models for us with their combined 70+ years of marriage
4. The proximity of our siblings and their families so we can get together regularly
5. Two best friends who would do anything for me and who have helped me through life's up and downs
6. Jobs that allow us to live relatively debt free and to save for our future
7. A home of our own with a brand new roof to keep us warm and dry (even though the HOA sometimes drives me crazy)
8. Plenty of food in the pantry and clothes in our closet
9. Sweet Skeeter who can make everything better by curling up in my lap and purring
10. All of the small things that make me smile: the yarn aisle at the hobby store, cheesecake, Sharpies and Post-its, a hot cup of tea, adorable baby animals, ice cream, etc.

I am truly blessed!

Pretty Planner

Last year, by BFF sent me a gift certificate to order myself a pretty personalized planner for Christmas. This year I debated about the expense, but finally decided that if it made me happy, it was worth it to order another Erin Condren notebook planner.  I eagerly watched the package's progress via FedEx and was super excited to find it on my doorstep last Friday!

New colors this year, but the same cute box!

The design is called "Peacock" in green and teal

By the end of the night, all birthdays and anniversaries had been added

It's not big enough to curl up and nap *kitty pout*

A Little Help

Skeeter was very curious about my stash of buttons when I pulled it out last weekend to choose buttons to finish off a couple bibs I knit a while back.

I like this one... no, this one... wait...

Comfy!  How about all of these buttons are mine?

Seriously, don't you have friends with real children who can model?

Backlogged

And this is why there have not been very many knitting posts lately...

Weaving in the ends on knitting projects is right there on my list of "not fun crafty stuff" along with backstitching on cross stitch projects.  I'm currently lost under a pile of completed knits, which Skeeter loves because all of the loose ends are great fun to bat out of the knitting bag and to nom when I'm not looking.  I will definitely be washing all of these prior to gifting to remove the kitty spit!

Practical Crafty

You know those "clean/dirty" magnets you can put on the dishwasher? Well, I concocted something similar to keep track of kitty litter duty for me and my husband.  One wallet-sized magnetic frame + 2 printable address labels = a "his turn/her turn" magnet for the door to the garage so we know whose turn it is to scoop when we leave for work in the morning...

And here are some gratuitous Skeeter pics since she's unimpressed by the whole thing.

Kitty Noms

Skeeter loves her mama's habit of playing with string (aka knitting).  I've left my project on the couch for a minute only to pick it back up and find a section of kitty spit as I knit the next row. Good thing I wash all of my knit gifts before they're given away!

Recent Knits

I went a little scarf-happy during my holiday vacation...

Mix blue/green/purple fun fur (left) with orange/yellow/green fun fur (right)
and you get a double-strand funky rainbow scarf (middle)!

More random stash yarn transformed into simple garter stitch scarves

A bag full of scarves ready to donate to a local women's charity!

Stash from a BFF Christmas care package = future scarves?
P.S. Thank you, Heather!

My unfortunate model ignores a new ruffled scarf-in-progress