Cobblestone Capucine

It's a hat - it's a hood - well, it's both and a friendly alternative to "hat hair" since it doesn't fit tightly on the head. I like the pigtail tassles and there's a tassle on the back as well. Knit from Covington by Cascade Yarns. The pattern was so simple I completed while watching a couple reruns of The Office last night.

Christmas 2010

Family Tradition

My neighbor (across the street) just had a baby. She's a tiny girl and I didn't even know she was pregnant until we got her picture Christmas card so I had to drop everything to make a baby blanket, some knitted hats and booties. The crochet blanket is a family pattern that I had to consult with my Aunt Blondie on how to get it started as there's no written pattern. Grandma M. was always making this shell blanket for every new baby that came along and I guess I'm carrying on the family tradition. This one from Baby Bee in Pink Baby Camo modeled by my childhood china doll (also made by Aunt Blondie).

Loop Cowl (Crochet)

I saw something like this at a shop in KC made out of jersey material. Then this week, a coworker, Pat, came to me describing a woman at church who had a neck full of what looked like knitted or crochet chains. I told her I'd do some checking and wouldn't you know, found a pattern on Ravelry. It couldn't be more simple - crochet a chain from an entire skein of yarn. It can hang around your neck or double over for a cozy cowl. Now I'll have to help Pat to make her very own.

A Very Good Flea

There are some months I walk away empty handed from our flea market but not today. I was loaded down with some crazy bargains like this wrought iron stand for $4 and a $20 Longaberger basket. The other two items I did not haggle on the price since I think they were marked fairly and I have a real use for. Finding something useful and striking a good deal is what it's all about.

KC: Mecum Car Auction

While in Kansas City this weekend for husband's work holiday party and some shopping on the Plaza, we made it to the Mecum muscle car auction. We went last year and it's a ton of fun to walk around and pick out a dream car. I found two: a 1958 Chevy Apache and a 1970 Chevy truck. Corvettes were selling for up to $140K but to me, out of them all, there's nothing cooler than an old, black pickup truck.

Ocean Bracelet

Instead of getting out on Black Friday, I decided to do something creative and relaxing at home. Besides, I spent all my money in Hawaii! I spent the morning with my soldering iron making a bracelet from small shells, stones and coral that I picked up on the beach of Waikiki. I had collected a handful thinking I'd make something special and this idea woke me up early this morning (as most of my ideas do). Some shells have little holes and for the other pieces that didn't I just wrapped with a strip of foil, soldered around and attached a ring. I couldn't have purchased a more special souvenir.

Clockwork LV

Flight to Oahu from Kansas = tons of knitting time. So much time in fact that I finished the majority of my Clockwork gear-inspired scarf designed by Stephen West before landing on the island. So how you coming along, Jackie and Amy?? I chose mine in colors to pay homage to Louis Vuitton in Mirasol Tupa (50/50 merino wool & silk spun in Peru).

Mahalo Hawaii!

I'm so grateful to have been given another opportunity to spend time in Hawaii. Seven days here is so very different from my life in Kansas. There will be no more trips for Kona Honolulu coffee, shopping on Kalakaua Avenue (love you Louis Vuitton!) or breakfast and yoga on the beach. I made the most of every day and have some awesome pictures and memories from our trip to last a lifetime. Thank you, Hawaii, for a wonderful time!

New Friendships

We've had some enjoyable Hawaiian dinners with husband's co-workers and wives (hey Teresa & Tammy!) while in Hawaii as well as time spent together after the conference touring around the island by shuttle and boat. Tammy is my new gal pal and we had a blast shop'n and sun'n together while the guys were tied up in work meetings. We almost felt guilty -- NOT!

Ocean Adventure

Back home I had booked a kayak trip on the other side of the island in Kailua. So, at work before leaving for Hawaii I daydreamed about smooth sailing on a peaceful ocean. You know, a peaceful vacation memory like what was posted on their website. But as things tend to go, my adventure was quite different and full of challenges.



A shuttle picked me up at my hotel and we drove to Kailua Sailboards and Kayaks where we carried our boats down to the beach for a five mile paddle out to Moku'lua Island. To say it was windy would be an understatement. We were actually paddling against (and sometimes sideways) white-capped waves. We made it halfway out to the island and our guide debated going back. There were about 10 of us and at this point none of us wanted to give up so we dug down deep and made it there. We ate a packed lunch on the beach and the snorkeling turned out to be just as challenging as the waves rocked me around the sharp coral reefs - both my knees were bleeding - but I did see some pretty marine life and a sea turtle. On the way back in a rouge wave came up over me and rolled me out of my kayak. It was a desperate feeling to be scrambling for my boat out in a rough ocean but at the same time it was thrilling to be able to experience it all...counting the blisters on my hands.

Aloha!

The weather is so nice here in Honolulu. Husband has work conferences and I've been free to shop, play and sunbathe on Waikiki beach. My morning routine is to walk down the block to McDonalds for a local favorite platter of spam, eggs and rice then sit on the beach while the sun rises. Who would've thought spam could taste so goood--only here in Hawaii!

Wichita Toy Run

Cotton Update

The combines are out working the fields and leave big rectangular blocks of cotton behind to be delivered to the gins for processing. Today, I stopped and talked to a farmer at Metz Farms and learned a little bit about the process and their goal to be completed by Thanksgiving. The machines leave some cotton behind and he gave me permission to come back and collect whatever I wanted. I'm thinking that big mound in front of the bale is all mine...Just gotta love "The Look, The Feel of Cotton!"

Treat Bags

Come and get it Trick-or-Treaters. There will be gift bags at my house!

Yarn Hop Scarf

I completed the Scrappy Scarf from the free yarn each shop provided us with at last weekend's yarn hop. I had to give the pattern a little thought before starting to accomodate the different weights of yarn and then decided to change yarn at each row. The result is a weave pattern that looks nothing like it was knitted. Kinda cool.
Details on my Ravelry page.

Cotton Picker

It's just about harvest time in Cowley County. All the bolls have opened and the cotton fluffs out in big clusters. Cotton is my favorite fiber to card, spin and dye. It's mesmerizing to stand next to a field of white as I dream about all the things I could make out of it. Soon the machines will be out harvesting and white fuzz will line all of the ditches like a blanket of snow.

2010 Yarn Shop Hop

Lara, Jackie, Becca, Amy and I had a full day (& Friday nite) of yarn adventures driving together to 7 of the 9 yarn shops participating in the fourth annual Central Kansas Yarn Hop. The purpose of the hop is to visit each shop for a stamp to be entered into a drawing for gift baskets with each shop providing a different experience:

Sugar Bunny Boulevard - My spinning extraordinaire friend, Laura, and her new yarn shop in El Dorado. She rolled out the carpet for us Friday for a night of soup and knitting. It's a cozy but spacious shop. She provided the best freebie hand dyed yarn.

Yarn. - Our first stop on Saturday where we received the warmest yarn hop welcome making us feel like knitting celebrities when we walked into the door. Good shop notions for purchase such as buttons, project bags, sticky notes, etc...and my favorite - FUDGE!

Newton Beadery - Saw Connie, Cass & Mimi there. I didn't buy any yarn but did get a crystal rosary bracelet.

Laura May's Cottage - Cute little small town shop next to her home. Saw Jan and Maxine there. We liked the free note pads but it was way too warm in there to linger long.

Yarns Sold & Told - Inspired to make their sample sock yarn leftover blanket. Absolutely gorgeous and such a nice lightweight feel. Knitsters: Seriously, we've got to have a leftover swap and make this!

The Shivering Sheep - Abilene, KS is one of my favorite destinations. This shop is a hidden gem that furnishes my knitting room with all kinds of sheep art. This time, a black and white sheep canvas picture, more cool knitting buttons and a project bag. Other mandatory stops included margaritas at LaFiesta and handmade jewelry from Tracine's.

Twist - Twelve hours later we made it back and stopped into our hometown shop at closing time. I may be biased, but Shelly provided the best freebie - a shop notions holder and pen. I used a gift card (thanks, Aunt Vicki!) to get a couple skeins of Tupa, jumping on the bandwagon to make Clockwork.

Also on this trip, each shop provided a free small skein of yarn to make this shop hop scrappy scarf. Lara is our two-time undisputed Fastest Knitter. She represented well on our trip by almost getting her scarf completed. She inspired me to make it to the other two shops tomorrow. So much yarn...so little time!

Breaking in New Skates

I have some new figure ice skates. The rink made me quite a deal with 15% off and a free bag, blade covers and socks with purchase of skates. For Lesson II, we worked on swizzles and it was bound to happen -- I fell during open skate time. It wasn't just a stumble or trip, I was going forward pretty fast and my toe pick vaulted me into a full belly flop that just about knocked my glasses off (Note to self: wear contacts next time-geek) and everyone on the rink said a collective OOOH! In fact, everyone (me included) involuntarily gasps when someone falls. I've been very apprehensive about falling and crippling myself so I guess it was good to know I could bite it hard, get up, brush myself off and keep on skating. Then there's the blisters that comes with breaking in new leather skates...OUCH!

Oklahoma!

I always look forward to a relaxing weekend in Oklahoma! It's our annual fall family reunion at Osage Hills State Park where together as a family we camp, cook, hike and lounge around. Time passes by slowly and I cherish simple things like listening to acorns and walnuts falling from the trees and knitting on the rocks by Sand Creek. We take long hikes in the woods and laugh over a guitar being played over a crackling campfire. You are in our hearts and thoughts, Grandma & Grandpa M.

Fall Noro for Ice Skating

I finished a pair of Noro (Silk Garden) mitts and cowl just in time for my first ice skating lesson. It's cold on the rink and they did the trick in keeping me warm. There were 5 adults in my class and we learned some basic moves. The ice is smooth and slick which makes gliding across the ice seem almost effortless. It has the feeling of rollerblading yet much easier to turn, pivot and spin and I didn't fall down once which is a very good thing. I can even skate backwards so watch out -- I feel a jump coming on!

Fall Finds

It's that time to find a perfect pumpkin. I like mine with a flat side to fit up against a wall. My pumpkin find is displayed on the front porch along with a cornucopia I purchased at a work craft sale. My porch is now festive but I still need to get a couple yellow mum plants to add a little pop.

Firefly Fringed Scarf IV

You could say I love this scarf. So much that it's the 4th one I've knitted so far. Someone special really liked mine so this one is now blocking and will be mailed out soon. This time from Hempathy in white beach.

2010 Blues, Bikes & BBQ

It was another good Blues, Bikes & BBQ motorcycle rally in Fayetteville, Arkansas. This year we had many guests in our group for a total of 21 motorcycles. It was a beautiful thing to see so many cycles in our pack riding side by side through the curves and hills of Arkansas. We took in a night in Eureka Springs, the rally and some back roads in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Live to Ride...Ride to Live!

Noro Kureyon Shawl

I really haven't been knitting much this summer until recently. Just finished another Spring is in the Air lace shawl like what I made for Aunt Janine except this one was knitted from Noro Kureyon Sock yarn with greenish beads. Love the beautiful colorways of Noro yarn.

Rainier Alpacas

Aunt Rita dropped me off at the train station and I rode the Amtrak back to Tacoma where Laura and Dan picked me up. We had the entire day to spend together before I took a red eye flight from Seattle back home. We stopped at one more REI in Tacoma and then headed back to the house. On the way there are several alpaca farms and we stopped at Rainier Alpacas for a look see. Laura gifted me with a full bag of alpaca fiber to take back to Wichita. Now I'll have to get my Spin ON!

Congratulations Aunt Janine

It's been a busy week hanging out with my Aunt Janine in preparation for her wedding. We've been able to run all kinds of errands and have family fun at the same time right up to today - her wedding day at their home in Vancouver, Washington. Everything was handmade with love from the fresh flowers we arranged from garden roses and dahlias to the dress she sewed and the beaded shawl I knitted. Aunt Rita made the cakes - banana cake and chocolate with marionberry. The rain didn't spoil the outdoor ceremony as the guests sat under a tent filled with china table settings and satin tablecloths. It was a beautiful wedding with the rain falling softly around us followed by a wedding dance that moved into the dining room. Congratulations my dear Aunt Janine and your new husband, Dave.