Wednesday, October 31, 2007

PUMPKIN PICKING AT ORT FARMS




Sarah and her best friend Brianna spent the day pumpkin picking at ort farms in flanders. We had the most spectacular day. The weather was fantastic mild enough for a tshirt which is far from normal in October around here. The girls had a giggly hay bale tractor ride out to the pumpkin patch. The bumpy ride had them laughing hysterical and really set the mood for some fun in the fields. The farm is set up for some great photo opportunities and lucky for us the girls were in a posing mood. We love all the props for pictures and the climb on hay piles for the kids. They also have a petting zoo with bunnies, ducks, donkeys, horses, cows, goats and pigs. Every year we seem to hit it just right to see the baby piglets. There were nine of them and they were down right adorable. The donkeys loved the attention of the girls and even got jealous when they left him. He was making a heck of a racket trying to draw them back to him. One of the goats thought Sarah’s hair must have been straw because he started to chomp away on it. You should have seen how mad she was. I thought it was the funniest thing especially when she started telling him exactly what she thought of him. My little sunshine always rewards with her laughter and sparkling personality. I cherish these times and hope we always have this much fun together.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Sarah at the apple orchard



This picture was taken last week when we went apple picking. Sarah just can't help herself when it comes to posing for the camera. She is just too cute. She really brings endless smiles and joy to my life everyday. She is my sunshine.
Every year we take a trip to Pennings Orchard in Warwick, NY. It's so beautiful there. We love the apples, the petting zoo and the playground. This year we went during the week and had nearly the entire orchard to ourselves. Macintosh, empire golds and ginger golds were ripe and ready for us. The apples were a little pricey but one bite and you know what you are paying for. Seriously, we had an amazing time and we were so lucky to share that time with our friends, Kristy and Brianna.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

I have completed my first sock

I am so happy to blog about my first sock experience. I followed the tutorial for Little Silvers socks on 4 dpns This tutorial did not dissapoint. My sock is done and awaiting its mate. Unfortunately I followed the pattern for the largest sock and baby it's big!
Now that the first one is done the itch is working it's way slowly thru my bones. I want more....more patterns...more dpns....more sock yarn....more socks! I can see this taking hold any moment now. I have already been on numerous sites looking for a good price on sock yarn, posted about them here and on my yahoo group. Hooked at least another member into knitting them and convinced another to try again. I see lots of hours scouring thru patterns and me knitting away in bliss.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Books I read in the last two weeks

I have been searching high and low for my little book journal. I can't seem to find it so I decided to post them here for now.

Last week I read:
The stolen child by Keith Donahue
secret life of bees by sue monk kidd
theory of relativity by Jacquelyn Mitchard

This weeks reads:
The myth of You and me by Leah Steward
The other Boleyn girl by Phillipa Gregory (HF)
Molokai by Alan Brennert (HF)

Now thanks to a new member of my knitting group. I love historical fiction. My first thought to historical fiction is that it would be a bore. Could I have been any more wrong. I have read two HF books this week and was totally delighted in each of them.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

MY LITTLE BOY IS GROWIN UP


It's really shocking to me that my son has graduated middle school already. I am nervous and anxious for him because he will be starting high school. It's reallY difficult to be a "parent". Seriously, where is the damn manual? High school is just as much my responsibility as it is his. He needs constant encouragement and guidance. I myself am gonna need a martini!

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

baby items

I have two baby showers coming up so I have been knitting away at baby items. I have knitted two baby blankets ( the first one is blogged below) the second one is the big bad baby blanket from stitch and bitch. It was an easy no nonsense pattern that lended itself well to knitting with company! It was fantastic to bring to my mcknit meetings. I also accomplished my first baby sweater. This was a fantastic pattern. The pretty baby sweater is a pattern that has been around forever.Easy to follow and really cool in construction. IT's knitted all in one piece and the sleeves are knitted and casted off til one left then crotcheted back. All and all I am pleased with it. I probably could have done a better job on the sleeves but It's my first sweater so I will be a little leniant in my criticism.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

stitch markers


These are the fantastic stitch markers I recieved from my partner,Celena. She's the bomb. I love these and can't wait to use them.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

quote

"IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN."

Thursday, June 7, 2007

SWAP



I am so excited to do this swap. I am keeping my fingers and toes crossed to actually have a positive experience. The last swap experience was not a good one. I love the whole process but hated that I never recieved my yarn or project. I made my bff a set of stitch markers last year and she loved them. I don't even have a nice set for myself. At least now if I make them I will be the recipient of a brandy new handmade set of my own. MY SWAP PARTNER HAS IT EASY! I love all kinds of beads, any color , texture OR material they would ALL work for me. I love anything animal print, punk, diva AND JUST about anything eclectic. i LOVE THE COLOR RED BUT REALLY DON'T DISLIKE ANY COLOR. Abercrombie AND hOLLISTER give me the hives! I LOVE THINGS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT AND NOT COOKIE CUTTER. I HEART TATTOOS AND ART AND DIY.

Sunday, June 3, 2007

first baby blanket done! yay!



Here is the baby blanket I have been working on for my friend Maryanne. She is due in September so I got a jump on it. I used caron simply soft because I know it will have to take a good washing ....like all the time! She is a total clean-o-holic! The pattern I found on the net. I loved the simplicity of it. I made some modifications by changing the border to a seed stitch. I love the look of the seed stitch but it does slow down the knitting. I learned to knit with out a cable needle for this one and for this it was easy peasy. I will post when the hats are completed to match. i am going to do a cupcake hat in the leftover yarn and maybe some maryjanes.

Monday, May 7, 2007

top 100 books....The ones I have read are in bold

Look at the list of (100) books below. Bold the ones you’ve read. Italicize the ones you want to read. Leave blank the ones that you aren’t interested in. Movies don’t count.

1. The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)(in the process)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)

8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. Bible (partial, not all the books of the bible)
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According To Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

I have no idea where this list came from, but I thought I would join in this one. Feel free to copy and paste the list and make you own adjustments

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

My sunshine day cloth


BEACH DAYS SERIES

Sunshine

**Free**

Material: 100% cotton worsted weight yarn
Size 7 US = 4.5 mm needles

Cast on 41 stitches

Rows 1, 3, and 5: (K1, P1) across
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12: Knit across
Rows 7, 9 and 11: (K1, P1) twice, P33, (P1, K1) twice
Row 13: (K1, P1) twice, P16, K1, P16, (P1, K1) twice
Row 14: K19, P3, K19
Row 15: (K1, P1) twice, P15, K3, P15, (P1, K1) twice
Row 16: K18, P5, K18
Row 17: (K1, P1) twice, P14, K5, P14, (P1, K1) twice
Row 18: K10, P4, K3, P7, K3, P4, K10
Row 19: (K1, P1) twice, P6, K6, P1, K7, P1, K6, P6, (P1, K1) twice
Row 20: K11, P6, K2, P3, K2, P6, K11
Row 21: (K1, P1) twice, P7, K8, P3, K8, P7, (P1, K1) twice
Row 22: K12, P5, K7, P5, K12
Row 23: (K1, P1) twice, P8, K4, P9, K4, P8, (P1, K1) twice
Row 24: K13, P2, K11, P2, K13
Row 25: (K1, P1) twice, P8, K3, P11, K3, P8, (P1, K1) twice
Row 26: K11, P3, K13, P3, K11
Row 27: (K1, P1) twice, P5, K5, P13, K5, P5, (P1, K1) twice
Row 28: K7, P7, K13, P7, K7
Row 29: (K1, P1) twice, P2, K8, P13, K8, P2, (P1, K1) twice
Row 30: K7, P7, K13, P7, K7
Row 31: (K1, P1) twice, P5, K5, P13, K5, P5, (P1, K1) twice
Row 32: K11, P3, K13, P3, K11
Row 33: (K1, P1) twice, P8, K3, P11, K3, P8, (P1, K1) twice
Row 34: K13, P2, K11, P2, K13
Row 35: (K1, P1) twice, P8, K4, P9, K4, P8, (P1, K1) twice
Row 36: K12, P5, K7, P5, K12
Row 37: (K1, P1) twice, P7, K8, P3, K8, P7, (P1, K1) twice
Row 38: K11, P6, K2, P3, K2, P6, K11
Row 39: (K1, P1) twice, P6, K6, P1, K7, P1, K6, P6, (P1, K1) twice
Row 40: K10, P4, K3, P7, K3, P4, K10
Row 41: (K1, P1) twice, P14, K5, P14, (P1, K1) twice
Row 42: K18, P5, K18
Row 43: (K1, P1) twice, P15, K3, P15, (P1, K1) twice
Row 44: K19, P3, K19
Row 45: (K1, P1) twice, P16, K1, P16, (P1, K1) twice
Rows 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58: Knit across
Rows 47, 49, 51 and 53: (K1, P1) twice, P33, (P1, K1) twice
Rows 55 and 57: (K1, P1) across

Bind off.
Weave in ends.

swap time for me!


I love swaps! i love everything about them. The preparing of the package, sending it and ofcourse when mine comes in the mail. Love, Love , love it!

Friday, April 6, 2007

Here's a picture of the famous "Dutchy boy" we adopted him last year. His real name is Dutch but Sarah has deemed him her Dutchy boy for a long time now. Had we not adopted him at a year old he surely would have been called something way cooler like...Neo or more likely Morpheus. My husband loves the matrix!
Dutch is a puggle which is a designer breed dog. This hybrid breed is produced by mating a female Beagle with a male Pug. Most puggles are fawn in color so he is a little more rare. He is a crazy little puppy with tons and tons of energy. He is full grown now at a whole 28 lbs. He's not gigantic by any means but 28lbs is slightly heavy for a lap dog that insists on giving you hugs.
Now you all have a clear picture in your mind for when you hear me refer to " that damn dog" or many of the other expletives that come flying out of my mouth on a daily basis. He is awful cute with his silly tongue hanging out itsn't he?

Sunday, March 25, 2007

THE MUSEUM OF KITSCHY STITCHES


OK WELL I HAVE TRIED TWICE TO POST THE ACTUAL LINK AND IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WORKING. SO GO TO WWW.STITCHYMCYARNPANTS.COM FOR THE MUSEUM OF KITSCHY STITCHES

STITCHY MCYARNPANTS-SPRAY ON KNITWEAR


OMG THIS SITE HAS SOME OF THE FUNNIEST KNITS AND COMMENTS I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE AUTHOR OF THE SITE BELIEVES THAT THIS ONE WILL " KEEP YOUR PANTY PARTS FRESH FOR DAYS WITH A SPACE AGE AIR-TIGHT SEAL"

NOW THAT SOME FUNNY STUFF!

Friday, March 16, 2007

BEADED SOCKS



I CROTCHETED SARAH TWO PAIRS OF SOCKS LAST NIGHT. IT WAS NOT A BAD PROJECT BUT EACH SOCK DID TAKE AN HOUR TO COMPLETE. SHE WAS SO EXCITED WHEN SHE SAW THEM SHE IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THEM UPSTAIRS TO HER ROOM. I MADE ONE SET RAINBOW AND ANOTHER ALL GREEN FOR SAINT PATS!

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

my love bug

'

I just wanted to share my beautiful daughters picture with you all. The last photo session we had cost me a small fortune. There were so many great poses that I actually resorted to calling in my husband for help. I knew he would spend way more than I ever would so I didn't have to feel guilty and he proved me right! He bought a huge package and a trilogy wall hanging. gotta love it!

Sunday, February 25, 2007

besotted for John




I have been making this scarf for my Dh and it's fun and interesting. This is my first cable project ever! The pattern is a free one again from online at www.helloyarn.com

persephone cable scarf



I found this beautiful yet daunting pattern as a free pattern posted on the web. I would love to make this for hubby or myself. It knits up to 2" per hour ughhh. This would be a real challenge for me and my short attention span. It reminds me of my husbands wedding band that we had imported from Ireland.
'
Here is the pattern :
Scarf pictured above was knit with 5 balls of Elann's Peruvian Highland Silk (80% highland wool / 20% silk; 21 st/4 inches 4.0 mm/US6; 112m/122yd; 50g/1.75oz ball), a DK weight yarn, and 4.0mm (US6) needles. The scarf is 6 inches wide and 70.5 inches long.

Please see "Notes" section at the bottom before starting.

Cast on 48 stitches.

Beginning Border (6 to 8 rows of seed stitch):
Row 1 (RS): * K1, P1 *
Row 2 (WS): * P1, K1 *
Repeat rows 1 & 2, two or three more times.


Pattern:
Row 1 (RS): B4, P2, BKC, (P4, BKC) four times, P2, B4
Row 2 (WS): B4, K2, P4, (K4, P4) four times, K2, B4
Row 3: B4, P2, K2, (FC, BC) four times, K2, P2, B4
Row 4: B4, K2, P2, K2, P4, (K4, P4) three times, K2, p2, k2, B4
Row 5: B4, P2, K2, P2, FKC, (P4, FKC) three times, P2, K2, P2, B4
Row 6: B4, K2, P2, K2, P4, (K4, P4) three times, K2, P2, K2, B4
Row 7: B4, P2, K2, (BC, FC) four times, K2, P2, B4
Row 8: B4, K2, P4, (K4, P4) four times, K2, B4
Row 9: B4, P2, BKC, (P4, BKC) four times, P2, B4
Row 10: B4, K2, P4, (K4, P4) four times, K2, B4
Row 11: B4, P2, K4, (P2, BC, FC, P2, K4) twice, P2, B4
Row 12: B4, K2, P4, K2, (P2, K4, P2, K2, P4, K2) twice, B4
Row 13: B4, P2, BKC, P2, (K2, P4, K2, P2, BKC, P2) twice, B4
Row 14: B4, K2, P4, K2, (P2, K4, P2, K2, P4, K2) twice, B4
Row 15: B4, P2, K4, P2, (FC, BC, P2, K4, P2) twice, B4
Row 16: B4, K2, P4, (K4, P4) four times, K2, B4

Repeat rows 1 through 16 for pattern, knit until desired length. End with row 7.


Ending Border (6 to 8 rows of seed stitch):
Row 1 (WS): * P1, K1 *
Row 2 (RS): * K1, P1 *
Repeat rows 1 & 2, two or three more times.

Bind off in seed stitch pattern.


Notes:

B4 = Seed stitch border. K1, P1, K1, P1 on right side rows. P1, K1, P1, K1 on wrong side rows.

CN = cable needle

BC (back cross) = Slip 2 stitches onto CN & hold in back. Knit 2 stitches, then purl 2 stitches from CN.

BKC (back knit cross) = Same as BC, except you knit all 4 stitches. -- Viz. slip 2 sts to CN & hold in back, knit 2 sts, then knit 2 sts from CN.

FC (front cross) = Slip 2 stitches onto CN & hold in front. Purl 2 stitches, then knit 2 stitches from CN.

FKC (front knit cross) = Same as FC, except you knit all 4 stitches. -- Viz. slip 2 sts to CN & hold in front, knit 2 sts, then knit 2 sts from CN.

For you experienced knitters, you can read all the wrong side pattern rows (rows 2, 4, ..., 14, 16) as "knit the stitches as they present themselves". You basically knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches. As a newbie knitter, I like to read the wrong side pattern row instructions as it helps me catch any cable crossing errors (which had happened a few times while I knitted this scarf). But you pros might find it more efficacious to read your knitting instead.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

MY BUTTON

HERE'S THE BUTTON MY BROTHER MADE FOR MY KNITTING GROUP. HE JUST DID ALL THE CODE STUFF FOR ME. I WISH I KNEW MORE WHAT TO DO WITH IT. AHHH WELL. I SUPPOSE IT IS FOR POSTING IN BLOGS AND WHAT NOT.
There are two. One has the extra text and the other doesn't Pick one.

H4 ALIGN=CENTER> Morris County Knit Together (Click the Pic!)http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Morriscountyknittogether/
Or follow this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Morriscountyknittogether/

The other one

Morris County Knit Together

(Click the Pic!)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Morriscountyknittogether/

Monday, February 5, 2007

BOYCOTT SEW FAST SEW EASY!


http://www.freetostitchfreetobitch.org/ CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL LOW DOWN ON THE TACTICS BEING USED BY SEW FAST SEW EASY LAWYERS. THEY HAVE BEEN BULLYING SMALL GROUPS AND SHUTTING THEM DOWN BECAUSE THEY FEEL THEY OWN THE COPYRIGHT TERM " STICH N BITCH" THEY DO OWN STITCH N BITCH CAFE BUT LETS FACE IT THATS DIFFERENT! THERE IS INFO HERE TO JOIN THE BOYCOTT, BUTTONS FOR YOUR POSTING PLEASURE, FLYERS TO HAND OUT AND PETITIONS TO SIGN AND MAIL BACK. THIS IS A WORTHY CAUSE LADIES . . . US KNITTERS NEED TO STAND TOGETHER AND NOT LET BIG CORPORATION LAWYERS BULLY US NON FOR PROFIT GROUPS.

my tarot card.....I am the sun

p align="center">


You are The Sun


Happiness, Content, Joy.


The meanings for the Sun are fairly simple and consistent.


Young, healthy, new, fresh. The brain is working, things that were muddled come clear, everything falls into place, and everything seems to go your way.


The Sun is ruled by the Sun, of course. This is the light that comes after the long dark night, Apollo to the Moon's Diana. A positive card, it promises you your day in the sun. Glory, gain, triumph, pleasure, truth, success. As the moon symbolized inspiration from the unconscious, from dreams, this card symbolizes discoveries made fully consciousness and wide awake. You have an understanding and enjoyment of science and math, beautifully constructed music, carefully reasoned philosophy. It is a card of intellect, clarity of mind, and feelings of youthful energy.


What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Girl on the Rocks » patterns

Girl on the Rocks » patterns THIS IS A REALLY COOL TISSUE COVER PATTERN CALLED SNIFFLES. i AM MAKING THIS FOR MY MYSTERY SKEIN SWAP PARTNER. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO THINK OF SOMETHING ELSE TO GO WITH IT. SHE HAD SENT ME THIS VARIEGATED YARNS WITH ORANGES, REDS AND PURPLES. THIS PATTERN IS GREAT FOR THIS YARN.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

New to Blog Land

I wanted to start this blogging stuff so I had a place to organize all the great online knitting info I find. My computer has not been cooperating lately so i tend to loose all info all at once. Not fun for someone who is unorganized and relys on her computer for EVERYTHING.
If you happen upon this blog and it bores you to death. Please don't hold me responsible. I am just learning!

... cast on, cast off ...: Free Baby Hat Patterns

... cast on, cast off ...: Free Baby Hat Patterns