Update!

Wow!! I can't believe it's been over a year since I updated my blog!!! Shame on me!  I won't let that happen again!!!

The past year, we settled into our new house, I changed jobs after 12 years at the last one, added a new vintage car to my collection, a new kitty to the family and knit a bit.

We didn't travel much despite really wanting to! We went to Toronto for a week and hung out and shopped. A second trip to Toronto was thwarted by really bad weather. After alot of soul searching, I sold my cabin at the lake. While we loved it out there we just found the past few years it was more work and less relaxation. The property was almost 2 acres on the lake and that's alot of grass to cut and bush to tame. We were working every weekend there just to keep the status quo. Plus, we werent doing anything else or going anywhere else because we just felt so obligated to go to the cabin. I finally decided I would much rather use the money from the sale to do the trips we really want to do --- this year we are going to spend a week in London, UK then a couple more in Scotland. I'm ecstatically excited!!!  We also have plans over the next few years to visit all the fab places we have always wanted to go -- Paris, Venice, Vienna, Tibet, China and road trip all over Canada and the USA.

I didn't knit last year as much as I usually do, and again this year, so far, not so much either. It's still my favourite hobby though!

Anyhow, I promise to post more regularly again! .... with lots of knitting and travel and kitty and doggie pics!

xox ♥

2011 Knitting roundup!

Happy New Year, everyone!!

I've been so busy over the holidays and can't believe it's been so long since I updated here!

I want 2012 to be a year that I blog here at least once a week.

Every year at the end, I gather up all the pics of things I knit that year.

I did ALOT this year!

I made 25 Monsters, 23 other Stuffies, (some of the baby monsters I didn't count), a pair of lacey socks, a set of felted bunny slippers, an alpaca scarf, 3 baby sweaters (one not shown because I have to sew buttons on it yet), 3 felted Xmas tree ornaments, 2 felted bowls, 3 Gnomey knitting needle holders, a doggy bandana, 3 mini Zombies, 3 mini Santas, 2 mini Snowmen and participated in a community effort to make a baby blanket for a member of our group by making 4 squares for the blanket. Those are only the things I remember and took pics of! I think there's about a half-dozen others too.

On top of that I knit about 120 hexipuffs too -- some for my future blanket and about 2 dozen for swaps and gifts to other's blankets.

LOOK at them all!

I like to do this every year because it makes me feel a bit accomplished. I know I spent alot of time knitting but when you give away alot of it then at the end of the year you dont have alot to show for it, except photos ....... and smiles!

I don't really have any goals related to knitting for 2012. I'm currently doing some test knitting for other designers and pattern editing. I like that. I also want to knit a bazillion more hexipuffs, of course! I like the swaps too so I'm sure I'll participate in a few of those on Ravelry. I've often thought of getting back into designing a little after years of taking a break from it. I did design and sell some beautiful pieces years ago but never published patterns and maybe I should. It's something to think about anyhow!

TOKmas holiday card swap

I joined the holiday card swap in the Tiny Owl Knits group on Ravelry. I've gotten a couple really cute cards...

This one came first, from "Rainbowscuba". She needle felted a little owl piece for the front of the card:

This one came from "SilveryMoonbeam". I love the animals on it.. and it sparkles! Plus she drew such a pretty owl on the envelope....

This adorable card came from "Thumbelina139", though I dont think it was part of the swap.

Thank you to you lovely ladies! I wish you a wonderful holiday season!

I am so behind on gift getting and making and putting up our tree, decorating and sending out cards this year, with the move. I sent out my cards for the swap weeks ago but my regular, personal cards are sitting in the den waiting for stamps yet!

Iris, a monster

Oh look!

Another monster!

I'm on a roll, right now. I've been going through my big bin of UFO's (unfinished objects) and working on a few that caught my eye.

One of them was this little cutie. She's made of the yarn from a kid's cardigan kit I bought a few years ago that just didn't turn out as I'd hoped. So, I re-wound the yarn and used it for Iris, the Gourmet Monster (pattern by Rebecca Danger, Dangercrafts).

Settling In

I love my new house!

I love the huge windows that face the sunshine all day long. I love the soft shag carpet. I love the sauna. I love the new neighbourhood and the huge garden. I love the deer that walk around my property every day, despite the fact that they will eat my flowers in the summertime. I even love the dated wood-paneled rec room with it's fireplace.

I just love it here and am settling in comfortably. I still have a ton of boxes to unpack yet but I'll get to them ... eventually. The important things like wool, knitting needles, teapot, kitchen things and computers are unpacked.

Can't find our xmas decorations yet though! Will have to take care of that this week. Good thing my mom and auntie brought us a huge house-warming poinsetta plant.

Been getting alot of knitting and finishing done on some projects that have been sitting around awhile. My box for the TOKmas swap was mailed off to my spoilee on Monday. I finished up her Gnome Homes (for double-pointed knitting needles - or pencils!) and her Hopsalot bunny slippers.  Tracking the package shows that delivery was attempted and she should have a notification card to pick it up at the parcel depot. I'm excited and nervous! I hope she loves everything I sent her!

Also finished up a gang of Travelling Gnomes that I sent off as a gift to a fellow knittie. I forgot to take a pic so this is hers!

And... I finally finished this guy! Gort the monster (pattern from the Big Book of Knitted Monsters by Rebecca Danger). I started him at the cottage this summer but only just had the time to finish him up the past couple days.

I have a ton of Xmas knitting yet to do and cards to mail out and gifts to buy and wrap! With moving, it's all been left to the last minute... but that's ok! I work really well under pressure! ♥

Update! Kitteh

Wow! It's almost been two weeks since I updated! That's what I get for moving, eh!

We've been absolutely crazy-busy with packing and moving and starting to get the new house set up the past few weeks. It's really been nuts. We are just now finishing up the 'moving' part and now, onto the unpacking part. It's my least favourite part. I'd rather pack than unpack -- I find it really stressful trying to figure out where to put everything in a new place and get back into a regular routine.

So, I have no knitting to update on!

... though, I've finished putting together my TOK-mas swap package and it will go out in the mail tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'll post pics of the goodies I made for it before it's received yet. I'm fairly positive my partner doesn't read my blog so I just may. The projects I did up, in my humble opinion, are awesome! So, maybe I'll share this week. 

I've also been putting the finishing touches on a package for another knitter who had a new baby. I'm sooooo slow though! Baby was born in August and life got the better of me and I am just now finishing up putting buttons on sweaters. I decided to add a couple little elves for her other kids too and may put in a diorama ornament too, if I can finish one by Tuesday night. I want to mail it Wednesday. 

So, for lack of knitting pics, I'll give you my kitteh.

Sleeping .... and behaving, for once.

Isn't he a goofball?

♥

Holiday Tree ornaments

I finished up a few of the felted diorama holiday tree ornaments. They go off in the mail tomorrow to the recipients. I hope they love 'em as much as I do. I know I'll definately make more of these and in fact, wish I had time this year to do so to give as gifts.

They really are much cuter in person! I had to photograph them at night, which I dislike, but they needed to be packed and I couldnt' wait for the sun to accomodate me!

I used the Snowman Diorama ornament & Tree Diorama ornament patterns by Katie Startzman.  (Ravelry link: here)

 I modified the red one to hold a mini Santa with the tree. Also made a few more mini Santas for a gift pack. They look a little fuzzy... need to pick some of those long hairs off them!

Pattern is the Teeny Tiny Mochi Mochi Santas pattern by Mochimochiland. Ya'll know I LOVE minis and these guys are perfect for the upcoming season!

Elves!

I finished the set of elves I was working on. They are surprise gifts and need to head out in the mail to the USA this week!

I have a ton of other xmas knitting I've been working on plus packing my house to move, so that's it for this week's update! Hopefully things slow down here in early December and I can post much more.

How about a photo? Aren't they adorable?! I need to make hundreds of these little guy!

Ornaments & hexipuff check in

This past week I've been working on some holiday tree ornaments that are going out as gifts to some special friends.

They are diorama ornaments, made first of a felted ball with an opening in it. Little snowmen, santas and holiday trees go inside.

I've nearly finished. Got the balls done about a week ago and today I finished up half the 'insides'. I have a few that need to be mailed out sooner than the other few so I'm working on them first.

As for hexipuffs and my weekly check in --- well, they are still on semi-hiatus until I get my Xmas & swap knitting done. Some of that xmas knitting is hexipuffs as a gift but I've only gotten one done and they dont count towards my total count. Couple more weeks and I'll be back into the puffing ... from a new house! Yup... moving in a few weeks to the new house (yup! We bought a new house!) so things are extra nuts around here right now!.... so forgive me if I dont post too much in the next week or so. xox

Peak at a secret project!

I"m giving you a BIG peak at a secret project only because I cant stand how cute they are turning out without sharing them with someone!

Are they not the sweetest little things, ever!?

I'm a winner! MacIntosh Yarns

About a week or so ago, MacIntosh Yarns held a contest on their blog to name a couple Monkeys to be used as yarn samples. The monkeys, from the Rebecca Danger Jerry the Musical Monkey pattern, were made of their Skye Worsted yarn in the Aubergine and Jade colourways.

I suggested Nigel and Basil and I won!! They LOOK like a Nigel and Basil, don't they?

I won a skein of their Celtic Sock yarn in the Burr Bush colourway. It's gorgeous and I cant wait to see it in person.

 

Thanks, Mac-Yarns!

Hexipuff check in!

Hexipuff check in day!

I have to admit though, I didnt knit a single puff this last week. Ok, that's not quite true. I knit one-half a puff.

I've been concentrating all my knitting time on swap and gift knitting and will be for the next week or two. Then I can get back to puffing!

I did, however, receive the first shipment of the Dancing Dog Dyeworks' Mini Yarn Skein club! Obviously, I'm using mine for puffs!  Look at all the gorgeous colours!

I also picked up sparkly yarn! Secret project!!

♥

HexiPuff check in!

Puff Count up, October 28 = 91.

I only managed to whip up 8 puffs this week. I did them all out of Araucania Ranco Multy. I have a whole skein with no other plans for it so will probably use it all up for puffs.

I present -- the Shish-Ka-Puff!

This is most of the puffs --- doesnt include the ones I have unstuffed yet that are waiting for little pictures to go on them.

I have to put the puffs away for awhile and get to work on Xmas and holiday swap knitting. Some of that knitting is gift-puffs though so I guess I can say I'll still be puffing, just not for my blanket! I have alot of projects to get done in about 3-4 weeks, plus a few than can be done after that too.

I have so many neat xmas projects on the go and am just dying to post pics but I just cant until the end up at their final destinations. I dont want to spoil any surprises!

The Beehive! Hexipuff Storage

Look what I found while out shopping last night!

Behold! The Beehive!

 I think it should hold about 200 puffs. Since I'm not even at 100 yet it will take me awhile to fill it!

I finished up this little guy today. He's the Molly the Traveling Turtle pattern by Jenna Krupar (ravelry link). It was very easy, very fast and makes a very cute stuffie! I modified it to knit the head and feet 'toe up' from the ends to the point they join the body rather than the other way around. I cant wait to make a few more. This pattern is perfect for those last minute gifties.

Stash enhancement, WIPs and weekly Hexipuff check in!

I have a couple of topics for one post today --- stash enhancement, WIPs and my HexiPuff check in.

I'll start with the weekly HexiPuff count up for my Beekeeper Quilt (pattern by Tiny Owl Knits). Week 7 and I'm up to 83 puffs! That's 12 done this past week. That's also ALOT considering I also feel like I slowed down on my puff knitting and ramped up on alot of other knitting. Not bad, eh!

I only took photos of the new puffs ---- no 'group' photo this time. The past week's puff theme was Blue Moon Fiber Arts' yarn in Chestnut, True Blood and River Rocked.

I have no idea what this upcoming week's puff theme will be yet. I have a multi coloured skein of Araucania Ranco I picked up in Black's Harbour, New Brunswick a few years ago and made one puff out of it so far. Maybe I'll just see how many of those I can make this week.

I also did a little stash enhancing this past week ---- like I really needed it.  I DID! yes, I did so!

The next installment of the Dancing Dog Dyeworks' Monster Mania 2 club arrived. I think this may be the last installment for this round. Michelle is looking at MM3 for the new year. Yay! I love, love, love her worsted yarns. They are fantastic for all those monsters I love to make.

This shipment was a dual pack. A regular sized skein in the "Summer Sugar" colourway, together with a mini skein of "Pretty Pink".

I've only ever tried DDD's worsted yarn but totally fell in love with the Tropical Twist colourway that Michelle put out with a sock club during the summer. It's a great blend of yellow and blue and looks fabulous in a pair of socks! Michelle had a 'second' leftover skein and sent it with my Monster Mania pack. Big Love and ♥♥♥ to Michelle for the yarn! I can't wait for Xmas knitting to get through so I can make myself a pair of great socks with this. There's also enough on that skein to fit in a few hexipuffs, too!

Been working on a pair of Veyla, fingerless mittens (pattern by Ysolda Teague). They are made of Elann Peruvian Baby Cashmere (Alpaca, Merino, Cashmere) in the Tapestry Blue colourway. These will probably be a part of my Xmas swap package for the Tiny Owl Knits group on ravelry.

I'm waffling between the Veyla's or a set of White Rabbit Wristees for the swap but my partner has some wool issues so I'm not sure I should make her something made of mohair --- since alot of people can't wear that.

 

(This photo copyright to Tiny Owl Knits)

Yarn arrived this week for these!

(This photo copyright to Tiny Owl Knits)

They are the Hopsalot bunny slipper super adorable pattern, also by Tiny Owl Knits. I really really really want a pair of these for myself but for now, these will also be for my Tiny Owl Knits Xmas swap partner. I'll finish them this week for sure.

I picked Blue Sky Alpaca yarn in a light grey for this. It is so super soft and will felt very nicely.

Ok! Lastly for this monstrous post --- another work in progress for a fellow Raveler's babe. This is the Kira hooded vest by Yumiko Sakurai. It's really a cute vest good for a boy or a girl. I'm using Diamond Yarns' Luxury collection superwash merino in a lilac and white for this. The yarn is incredibly soft and nice to knit with. I'm almost finished. Just a couple more rows to go then bind off.

I've got alot of knitting going on right now plus I also have about 7 stuffies I started this summer that I am committed to finishing before the end of the year. I just need to have them done so I can start the new year fresh .... or relatively fresh, with a minimum of wips.

I dropped out of the DDD and Dangercrafts xmas swaps. It was alright since partners haven't been assigned yet. I just won't have time with the other commitments and well, we bought a new house too! Yeah, we did! So, packing and moving right before Xmas won't leave me too much time for other stuff.

Anyhow -- that's it from me for this week!

I'll leave you with a couple shots from the cabin this morning --- we took a drive and had a cup of tea on the hill.

Catch you next week! Happy knitting.

 (Holy MEGA post, batman! I promise to try brevity next week! )

♥