The Paisley Moon

It's never too early to make lists!

2011-07-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

We host one party every year.
One rather large, semi-formal sit down dinner party.
It is to celebrate Twelfth Night (or thirteenth night depending on how you count). We start our winter festivities with a quiet, contemplative Mother night and then starting on solstice we give gifts for twelve nights.
Twelfth night dinner started out small, really it did... I think the original guest list was about ten people. Not too many and I had enough china to set the table properly. As people move in and out of our lives the guest list has changed. Last year saw the biggest increase as forty-nine people were invited and thirty-two attended. It was a special year, we held the party on 1-1-11. Thirty people won't fit in my house, the year before had seventeen and it was a delicious crush. This year the preliminary list is twenty-three with an auxiliary list of another thirteen. Wyn wants it to be held at our home again (I think she is going to be over ruled). I only have five months left to plan! Logistics is key, if I have the menu, table favors, decorations, formal invites etc planned out I stress less (or at least I pretend to).
This years menu is looking like this:
Hummus
Assorted Cheeses
Dolmas
Crackers

Tandoori Chicken
Roasted Vegatables
Mashed Potatoes with Mushroom Gravy
Saag
Mixed Greens
Assorted Breads
Curried Pumpkin Soup
Mulligatawny Soup

Mayan Chocolate Truffles
Sugar Plums
Spiced Pear Cake
Kheer

Bear in mind that while I am normally hands off in the kitchen, I cook 85% of this myself. Once I have the menu down and know how far in advance things can be made, I can start to worry about other things, like table favors. I am not sure I can top last years nose warmers (a fashion trend in the making) but I shall try!

Life is good.

2011-04-04T11:02:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I need a reminder. It's so easy to get bogged down with the things that are happening in the moment. When I step back and look at the big picture there is very little to complain about. I have a steady job, a solid house, a healthy child, fantastic friends, a car that runs (for right now at least!). We are predisposed to want more, but my goal is to be happy with what I have. It's pretty great.

The things you can do with a phone!

2011-03-23T13:12:00.001-07:00

I love my new phone! We'll see whether or not being able to blog from it will make me do it more often.

On being the bigger man

2011-02-10T09:57:00.000-08:00

Or woman, or person....
A situation has come up, once again, and I find myself torn. Life has landed me in a rather sweet position where work is concerned. I have the ability to set my own hours and leave when I want to. Now some of that is based on how busy things are, and some of it is offset by the guilt I feel when it seems I am not putting in enough time, but on the whole, if I need to leave early I can. I try not to take advantage of it. The staff work harder and are calmer when I am there.
My ex has already asked me to leave early four times this year and we are only six weeks in. Now he wants to get out of being a parent again (and mind you he only parents for 15 hours or less a week as it is). It wouldn't be hard to suck it up and switch things around to accommodate him. But, do I really want to? Is his Valentine's celebration with his fiance a good enough reason to? What do I get out of this situation? You might think that he has offered to keep her on his day off, or that he plans to take her for a weekend, but you really don't know him well in that case. Sometimes I really wish I was the bitch that people (namely his fiance and her family) think I am. I have tried to treat this split with grace and dignity. I refrained from taking him to the cleaners. I have financially bailed him out on more than one occasion since the divorce. I try not to complain or rant about his poor parenting in front of Wyn. I'll admit that being free of the mood swings and daily temper tantrums is pretty good compensation but at some point I would like to not have to be the bigger person.

The Weight of Limitations

2011-01-31T07:06:00.000-08:00

I'm a dancer. I'm a mother. I'm a type A overachiever. I'm a thirty-something pencil pushing desk jockey. I know who I am. Thanks to dance, I like who I am. I am strong. I am self-confident. I am comfortable in my skin.

I dance with some of the most beautiful, amazing, generous women I have ever known. They make me smile. They are there for me when I need to vent. And they, along with the dance, have helped me to accept who I am. I am not always strong, but my self-confidence is no longer a facade that I have to try to maintain.

And yet it only takes one comment (read overly modulated rant) for me to question my ability to dance. Does knowing ones own limitations and asking others to respect them make a less dedicated dancer?

I'll admit it. I don't practice every day in front of a mirror. My every waking hour is not consumed by this art form. It is my release. My downtime. My fun.

I know these women I dance with. I know which one can't keep time, which one has the most subtle cues. I know what move that one likes best and that this one hates this move above all others. I am aware of my sisters as we dance. I know when they are tired and their brains too fried for the new combo I want to try. I know with barely a glance what they need from me. And I know that if I want to do certain things I sometimes have to wait untill certain ones have taken a break. And I know when I need to take a break too.

I know my limitations. Does the knowing, and accepting, of these limitations make me a weaker dancer? Is it unfair to ask my sisters to acknowledge my limitations as I acknowledge theirs, so that we may be a more cohesive whole?

For me perfection comes not from the fanciest tricks, but from the ability to take six separate beings and watch them become one amazing unit. I don't think that can be achieved without give and take from everyone involved. To dance as a group is to set aside personal wants and individual grand-standing. We have strengths beyond our limitations.

Random Mussings and Bookclub Love

2010-02-23T08:46:00.000-08:00

Where has the month gone? I can't believe February is almost over. I was good to myself this year and didn't make any resolutions that I would fail to keep and feel guilty about all year, but the lack of a goal has me floundering so I have decided that 2010 will be the year of the purge. I have become (read probably always was) something of a pack rat and it needs to stop. It's hard when stashing is a common practice among crafters, and add to that the feeling of guilt whenever you toss a school paper or childhood toy. But I am resolved! I will reclaim the house for a useful purpose as opposed to the storage warehouse it seems to have become. Goodwill here I come!

The end of the month is wrapping up quite nicely at least. Our book club, Broom Book and Needle, had it's second meeting on Sunday and I am so loving it! I don't know how many other clubs have four hour long meetings.... It helps, of course, that the members of said club are women (and one lone man) that I love dearly and that they were all humoring me when I first brought the idea to the table. The last two meetings were over The Mists of Avalon, and while I found it hard to stay interested in it for some reason, it was interesting to hear the thoughts of so many others. The next book is Margret Murray's The God of the Witches. I can't wait to hear what will be said.

The month is ending on a huge up note! We leave Friday for Milwaukee to participate in Tribal Union. I get to spend the weekend with some of my favorite people, pick-up new skills and perform with my girls. How much better does it get?

Ending with a Bang!

2010-01-27T08:20:00.001-08:00

November was as quiet as October was busy but December made up for that!

We had Wyn's ninth birthday
an early full moon that Juniper led

a fantastic Yule party

and Twelfth Night with a blue moon at our place.

A Month Most Magikal

2009-11-05T10:05:00.001-08:00

The last six weeks have been busy! Between work and dance I spent more time on the road than anything else. I have been subbing for Melanie at Kahraman as well as taking lead for unda. Having to teach has made me a much more focused dancer and I hope that I don't lose that now that I am back in the ranks so to speak.

October has always been one of my favorite months. The cold damp air, the fall colors the bounty from other people's gardens… seriously who doesn't love it? This year October was especially full. We started with a wiccaning for Bailey. This was the first group ritual that Juniper has been in charge of and it went well. She used a blessing that I had written for Wyn as a focus and I admit I was flattered.
Next came Samhain, Lisa hosted the party this year (and it was a smashing success) and I led the ritual. The plan was to write a new one but as I was preparing I found the one from '05 and remembered how much I had liked it. I expected the ritual to only be three or four people but instead we had eight. I am always nervous leading new people and I am glad I kept it simple. We used a pomegranate and an apple and then threw into the fire slips with what we wanted to be rid of in the coming year. It ended with cider and corn bread.

Juniper and I had planted broomcorn and used it to make a besom for our friend Elisabeth. She had just moved into her first place, and her birthday was this month, so we took her bread and salt to bless the house.

We spent All Soul's Day celebrating the full moon with our fledgling coven. The children all joined in as well, we howled at the moon, gave her an offering of milk and each of us received a blessing. It finished with cashew moon cookies and mulled cider.

I think it was by far the best ending to a year I've had yet. We still have to smash our pumpkin to find out how many months of good luck will be coming to us but all in all it was a beautiful month.

Catching up

2009-08-18T10:07:00.000-07:00

It has been an interesting year. I can't believe it is mid-August already! July marked two pretty important anniversaries for me. I was officially divorced for a year, and I have spent one full year as GM at my hotel. Both things have proven to be more life altering than I had imagined. While I am still not the person I wish I was, the growth that I have had in the last twelve months has put me closer to where I would like to be.
Dancing with unda has given me more confidence and the support of my troupe keeps me going when things look bleak.
I just got home from nine fantastic days at Sacred Harvest Fest . I got very little sleep, danced a ton, drummed for the first time and had an all around stellar time. The people are always warm and friendly and you can't beat camping under such a magnificent stand of oaks.

Happy Christmas to all!

2008-12-10T10:11:00.001-08:00

Knitter's Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas and all around me
There was unfinished knitting not under the tree,
The stockings weren't hung by the chimney with care
'Cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
But I had not finished the caps for their heads.
Dad was asleep---he was no help at all.
And the sweater for him was 6" too small.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I put down my needles to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash.
Tripped over my yarn and fell down in my stash.
The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow
Reminded me how far I still had to go.

When out on the lawn I heard such a noise,
I was sure it would wake up both Dad and the boys.
And although I was tired--my brain a bit thick,
I knew in a moment that it must be St Nick.

Yet what I heard left me very perplex-ed
For nothing I heard was what I expect-ed.
"Move Rowan! Move Patons! Move Koigu and Clover!
Move Shelridge! Move Starmore! Move Spinrite!
Move over!

Lopi, don't circle around, just stand there in line.
Pay attention you sheep and you'll work out just fine!
I know this is hard as it's just your first year
But I'd hate to go back to 8 tiny reindeer."

I peered over the sill. What I saw was amazing:
Eight wooly sheep on my lawn all a-grazing!
And then in a twinkle, I heard at the door
Santa's big boots stomping on the porch floor.

I rose from my knees and got back on my feet.
As I turned around, St Nick I did meet.
He was dressed all in wool from his heat to his toe
And his clothes were hand knit from above to below.

A bright Fair Isle sweater he wore on his back.
And his toys were all stuffed in an Aran knit sack.
His hat was a wonder of bobbles and lace
A beautiful frame for his rosey red face.

The scarf on his neck could have stretched for a mile,
And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.
On the back of his mitts was an intricate cable.
And suddenly on one I spotted a small label:

"S.C." in duplicate on the cuff.
So I asked, "Hey, Nick, did YOU knit all this stuff?"
He proudly replied, "Ho, ho, ho, yes I did.
I learned how to knit when I was just a kid."

He was chubby and plump, a well dressed old man,
And I laughed to myself, for I'd thought up a plan.
I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,
And the next thing he knew, he was tied to a chair.

He spoke not a word, but looked down in his lap
Where I had laid my needles and yarn for a cap.
He began then to knit, first one cap then 2--
For the first time I thought I might really get through.

He put heels in the stockings and toes in some socks,
While I sat back drinking a scotch on the rocks.
Quickly like magic his needles they flew,
Good Grief! He was finished by two!

He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,
And over his shoulder he looked back at me.
I heard him explain as he sailed past the moon,
"Next year, start your knitting sometime around JUNE!"

Let it Snow....

2008-12-03T11:18:00.001-08:00

Or really I would rather it not. It has started to come down hard here and it's not supposed to stop until tomorrow. I am leaving work early I don't want to be stranded for Wyn's birthday!

Package Sent!!!!

2008-10-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

I have sent my All Hollow's Eve swap package out! I had to mail it from the hotel I am staying at but it's all good. Here's a teaser pic....
I was happy with the way everythig came together so I hope my swapee is too.

Week 5's topic

2008-10-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

If you could go anywhere at all to enjoy a wonderful fall vacation - where would you go and why? Somewhere you've been? Somewhere you've heard has amazing fall colors? Somewhere that's LESS fall-like than where you are?

I have heard that Vermont is beautiful in the fall and I would love to see it. As hard as it is to believe, I like IL in the fall. I live along a river and there is nothing prettier than driving along it with the trees changing. Not to mention being in the corn belt you really get a sense of what the season is all about, Harvest time.

Week 4 a questionaire

2008-10-05T14:38:00.000-07:00

Q1: Where did the idea of Jack-O-Lanterns originate?
A) Scotland

Q2: Halloween is the 2nd most successful commercial Holiday - what's the first?
B) Valentine's Day

Q3: What is the intense fear of Halloween called?
B) Samhainophobia

Q4: The mask worn by Michael Meyers in Halloween (the Movie) was actually a mask of who?
D) No one - it was an old hockey mask

Q5: In 2004, what was the most popular Halloween Candy?
B) Snickers

And finally - tell us what YOUR favorite Halloween Candy is! I love that I have a kid who trick or treats! I try not to buy a lot of candy but she is great about sharing her loot. My favorite Halloween treat is popcorn balls. Especially homemade ones. Chocolates come in a close second with those Reeses pumpkins topping that list.

My Package Came!!!!

2008-10-05T13:32:00.000-07:00

I received a wonderful package from my secret swap partner. It included a green cloth plus super soft mittens, Puma shower gel and cologne, nail polish (which my daughter loves!), hot cocoa mix, chicken soup mix and fabulous alpaca blend yarn in a lovely dusty blue.

The only problem is I can't figure out who to thank. I think I have read every ones blog and either I am really obtuse or I missed someone. So if this package was from you.... THANK YOU!!! I am a very happy spoilee.

Week three's topic a day late

2008-09-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

What's the oddest/strangest/weirdest Halloween decoration you have ever gotten for your home? Or, if you've never had a "wow, did I REALLY buy that?!" moment - what's the strangest Halloween decoration you've seen somewhere else?

I don't think I have anything too odd (but that doesn't mean that someone with less refined taste might not find something ;) )! I do think the vintage grinning black cats and pumpkins are a bit creepy. They look more maniacal than happy to me. I am into the black silhouettes and apothecary jars for Halloween right now. Hallmark had a line out a couple of years ago that I loved (Hauntington).

This weeks topic

2008-09-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

- What are your favorite parts of fall? How do you know it's truly arrived where you are?

I love fall! The crisp cool air, the smell of the damp earth, the brilliant colors.... What's not to love? There is something comforting about fall. It invokes images of curling up in a sweater with a good book or wrapping a fantastic hand knit scarf around your neck and taking a stroll. The thing I don't like is that it is fleeting. For me summer lasts too long and winter seems to never end but fall is like a "blink and you miss it" season.

The Big Read

2008-09-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

I found this on the blog of AmberF. while working on this week's assignment for the All Hollows Eve Dish Cloth Swap and thoght it would be fun. If you've only read 36 of the 100 are you really well read?

The Big Read is an National Endowment for the Arts program designed to encourage community reading initiatives and of their top 100 books, they estimate the average adult has read only six.

*Look at the list and bold those we have read.
*Italicize those we intend to read.
*Underline the books we LOVE .

Share this list in your blog, too, if you like.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas in French
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte's Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery in French
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo in French

What a Summer

2008-09-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

This has got to be the oddest, most stressful year I have had yet. Life just seemed to derail and it took a bit to get it back on track.
I am officially divorced. I still can't quite wrap my head around it. It happened so fast. I decided to file in April and we were almost divorced by the 4th of July except for a stupid parenting class we were forced to take. Once we got that out of the way it was over shortly there after.
I normally deal with stress pretty well but I think there was just too much this time. On top of the breakup of a 14 year relationship I had work complications as well. I love what I do, and most of the time I don't find it stressful at all, but the property I was at for six years was sold twice in about eight months. And then they tell me it is up for sale again....
Now do you think I could just get headaches or not be able to sleep or something annoying like that? Of course not. My stress decides to manifest in back issues. I ended up in the ER twice and had weeks where I couldn't hardly move and wasn't supposed to work. Needless to say I started looking for a new job. It happened so fast I wasn't quite ready for it. I applied on a Sat, interviewed on Wed and was offered the job on Thur. Two weeks later I became the GM at a new property.
It's hard to believe but I haven't had a bit of pain since I switched jobs! (I am knocking on wood right now)
The school year has started so now I have to include all of Wyn's activities into the schedule but even then I feel more relaxed and on top of things than I have in months.

It really doesn't surprise me......

2008-09-13T20:00:00.001-07:00

You Belong in 1959

You're fun loving, romantic, and more than a little innocent. See you at the drive in!

What Year Do You Belong In?

All Hollows Eve Dishcloth Swap

2008-09-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

Questionnaire
Knotting Yarn
1. Do you knit or crochet? For how long? Both for about 15 years.

2. What sort of needles or hooks do you enjoy using the most? Are there some you've been dying to try out and haven't? I am not picky, I love Harmony needles and I like Brittany as well.

3. What kind of projects do you most enjoy? Small things you can take with you, or big complex ones that are just gorgeous when they're done? I like small ones I need the instant gratification! I am trying to make myself start a large one.

4. List one pattern for a dishcloth that you love to make, or just tell us about one you've made or received that you loved.
5. What are your 'must have' notions? Are there any notions you need or can never have enough of? Any that might make you cry if you owned more? I just found a cable needle necklace that I am in love with and I love wooden tapestry needles though I have a hard time finding them.

Petting Yarn
6. What are your favorite yarns to work with? Any you hate or are allergic to? I love natural fibers and do not have any allergies.

7. What colors do you like to use in projects? Any we'd never catch on your needles? Blues and Greens are favorites I like muted colors over super bright ones.

8. Any cottons you'd like to try you can't find by you, or just haven't gotten around to getting? We do not have a LYS near us so anything that can't be bought at Wal-Mart is great!

Halloween, Fall, and General Stuff
9. Do you like to use bar soap or shower gel more? What kinds of scents do you love? What kind do you hate? Either, I like spicy or herbal scents over fruits and florals.

10. What's more 'Halloweeny' - Ghosts, Pumpkins, or Witches? Pumpkins

11. What's your favorite Treat to get? Sweet or Salty? Anything you're allergic to or just hate? I love Black Licorice and Dark Chocolate I don't like salty things as a rule.

12. What was your favorite Halloween Costume as a kid? As an adult?? As a kid I dressed up like Madonna a lot (typical child of the 80's) now a Witch is standard.

13. Are you on Ravelry? What's your ID? Rhea

14. Anything else you'd like to be sure your pal knows? not right now.

2008-05-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

1. Do you knit, crochet, or both? both

2. What do you prefer to knit or crochet? socks What would you like to try to knit or crochet? lace shawls

3. What are your hobbies outside of knitting or crocheting? reading

4. Do you have any fiber allergies? no Fiber preferances? natural fibers

5. Do you have any favourite books, music, or tv shows? If so, what are they? Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, Monk and the Big Bang Theory

6. Do you have any pets? 1 dog and 7 cats

7. Do you prefer salty or sweet snacks? sweet

8. Do you prefer coffee or tea? tea

9. Aside black, which colours do you like/dislike? blues and greens especially peacock blue

10. What is your favourite time of the year? (season-wise or holiday-wise) fall

11. What is your favourite scent? cloves

12. What do you collect? books

13. If there's anything else you'd like your swappee to know, list them here:

But Baby it's COLD outside!

2008-01-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

This has been one of the coldest weeks ever. We topped the scales today at a whopping -10. I have no intrest in doing anything except curling up and knitting in front of the TV. I can't wait for spring!
I am almost done with the second Nagini sock and will post pictures soon. After I finish that I have to decide what patten I want to use for the sock swap I am in. So many choices so little time.

Posts sent....

2008-01-14T08:56:00.000-08:00

I have sent out posts to my sock swap partners! I love shopping and with the holidays over I don't get another good chance for awhile. Keeping a secret is hard, but I will do my best!

2008-01-12T13:36:00.000-08:00

I received my name for the Harry Potter Sock Kit Swap and ideas are spinning in my head. I can't wait to start putting together my package, it's my first swap and I am a bit nervous. I am still reading a lot of other peoples blogs to get ideas. I am a huge planner and want to be very sure of everything I want to include.

Knitting as a Tribe

2008-01-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

I picked up a magazine the other day and I haven't wanted to put it down. Check out http://www.livingcrafts.com/ . I am so in love with the knitted farm article that I am trying to get everyone I know to work on this with me. A group of 12 knitters from all over each worked to make squares of this playmat and then swapped so all of them had a complete set.

This one is by Fiona Duthie, check out her webiste too! http://fionaduthie.com/

I think its absolutly fantastic! So.... if any of you all want to join me I can't wait to cast on.

There are times....

2008-01-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

when you just have to let it go. Panic only gets you so far, well lets admit it, panic pretty much leaves you in the same place you were before. My mantra for the day is "There is only so much you can do, and after that, just make sure your name isn't mentioned."
I am going to spend the afternoon with a cup of tea and a set of double pointed knitting needles. Woe to the person who causes me to frog!!!

Well, here goes ......

2008-01-04T12:54:00.000-08:00

I swore I wasn't going to start a blog, and yet here it is. The posts will probably be short and sporadic. They may end up being all about knitting and raising an only child. I can't promise enlightenment or amusement, but if nothing else they may be cathartic for me.