Speak to me of Summer...

I'm one of those people who loves a nice Summer weight yarn... some cotton or linen... maybe even silk or bamboo. When I first started knitting, I knit with cotton. Cotton hats, cotton tee's... it took me a while to venture into wool. Right now, despite the many things I already have going, I've cast on for a light weight wrap sweater, something easy to throw on over a tank top. I'm using a yarn I fell in love with the moment I saw it. Linsey by Berroco. A lovely worsted weight cotton/linen blend. I'm knitting in "Shell" I love the texture of it, the tones in it, the way it drapes and best of all the way it feels while I'm knitting it. It just screams Summer and on a rainy day like today, with this crazy ol' cold I've managed to pick up... I need something, anything that screams... or even whispers Summer.

ChChChanges...

I've never been a big fan of change but sometimes change is GOOD!! And this is one of those times. I have accepted a full time position managing The Knitting Room. I start the middle of May.

I will still be at good old UB on Sundays because I love my manager, he's the most awesome guy in the world and I want to help him out (also he asked me really nicely).

I'm very happy and excited... may be a little nervous too. I have so much retail and service experience and I'm comfortable doing ordering, receiving, inventory... but this will be a challenge. One I'm looking forward to. I do have an honest passion for knitting. I hope to learn and grow in the position and put all my retail and marketing skills to full use to make the store the best it can be. I want it to be welcoming and comfortable... a truly special place. I hope the fantastic community of knitters in Calgary will be happy for me.

In other news... I have some contest winners! They know who they are. Prezzies got delayed but they are on their way.

And did I mention I finished Mara YAY! I have been wearing my "Shawl of Despair" regularly... now that it's done I LOVE it!!

KooKoo for Koigu

We all have our weaknesses... this happens to be one of mine. I have been trying really hard to reduce my stash to a more manageable size but things happen... things like bag upon bag of Koigu at the LYS... what's a girl to do? At least I have found some fantastic patterns that call for Koigu, these cute patterns from Churchmouse. I especially love the beaded beret.

I am afraid to jinx myself by saying I am almost done Mara, what a long haul. Compounded by knitting the border a total of three times! My knitting has become very boring as I am on a finishing bent and trying really hard not to start new things.

Seeing as my last contest did not garner any takers... the answer was "The Hanger" and I call him that because he works at an airport. I shall try again.

Tell me your favorite project that you have made that either was made or could be made with Koigu KPPPM. A link on Ravelry would be nice so I can see them. I will draw on April 1st and send off some sort of fingering weight yarn and assorted fun stuff to 2 lucky winners. Don't forget to tell me your favourite colours.


Also, the reducing diet I put Simba on has only had the effect of making him annoyed, he doesn't appear to have lost any weight. He takes out his annoyance on poor little Ginger. Oh Simba.

I'm not fat... I'm poofy!

Oh Simba... you are not poofy... you are an over weight kitty! I suppose it's the after effects of having been abandoned. Simba eats like there may never be food again and so, he has taken on a distinctly pear shape! So, when I went to get Ginger her special food at the vet, I asked for recommendations to help get Simba's weight under control. The food specialist there assured me that it is not uncommon for abandoned kitties to develop an over-sized appetite... it's self preservation, they starved once so they aren't going to take any chances, if there's food... they eat! With my vet's help, I am hoping Simba will go back to being a more reasonable weight. I'll keep you posted.

Also, I am very excited to be the new Saturday girl at TKR, I hope people will stop by on Saturdays. This past Saturday was my first day on the job, it was fairly busy but the day went by very quickly and I had a great time!

I think it might be time to boost my reader ship by running a little contest for my knitting pals in honor of Anti-Valentines Day. If you know the nick-name I've given to my guy pal* who I love for his wicked ways... but who often drives me totally bonkers... PM me on Ravelry. I'll enter you twice if you can guess why I picked that specific nickname for him. It's Gingersnaps on Ravelry and everyone who PM's me BEFORE Valentines Day will be entered, I'll do the draw on Valentines Day. I'll make it something good. Don't forget to include your favorite colour.

*Hint: We've been pals for over 8 years... and he's still a bad... bad... boy...

What do you do when it's like this?

You knit! After a week of chinook weather, I got up to this. Bluurgh!

So I made a big pot of coffee and called it a home day. I'm going to browse my latest copy of Knitscene and drink coffee and knit my darn socks.

I had a 2 week fight with the flu (the flu won). My body hurt SO MUCH I couldn't hold my needles to knit. I actually cried. I sat on my sofa wearing: slippers, socks, pjs, a sweater, a full length house coat and two fleecy blankets shaking and shivering from fever and sobbed my heart out. The dog sat on my lap and absorbed the tears. That kind of wallowing, while it sure isn't pretty, can be healing. You can't be happy, happy, joy, joy all the time (at least I can't)... eventually something has to give. I feel better now. I'm still shaking off the last of the flu, a nagging cough but I got rid of a huge pile of built up sad. On the upside, I was too sick to eat for a week so I lost a bunch of weight and my stomach shrunk. I'm still not eating very much.


If I don't work on my roundy rounds, I'm going to work on this: basic feather and fan. A scarf, easy to knit.

Not the kind of knitting to impress anyone but perfect for with a cold snowy day and a hot cup of coffee.

Time Flies...

Wow, so it was June last time I posted... what happened there?

I think it was a phase where I was processing a lot of things... lots to think about but not a lot to write about. My old computer went Kaput so there was that. My camera wasn't working properly, took a while to figure out my son had borrowed it and messed up the settings. You know... stuff.

Oh well, new year, new start... onward ho!

So what's new? Well... lets see... I had a birthday, I'm getting to the point where I choose not to mention my actual age, ever. Twice recently, I've mentioned that I have a 16 year-old & got the response," Your son is HOW OLD??" I'll take that as a complement. I'm more than old enough to have a 16-year-old son, several friends in my age range are Grandparents (hopefully not me any time soon).


Ginger and Simba are both doing well.Ginger turned 12 in November, she's getting to be an old lady with her little gray paws and snout.


Simba is fitting in well with our little family, he's in remarkably good shape for an older cat. He's a bit of a clutz though, constantly knocking things over... he is a big guy. He is a social guy too, loves attention... they both do. I don't know what I would do without the pair of them, they make me laugh every day. Im really glad I bought light colour chairs...Simba loves them!

Speaking of big guys, the boy is closing in on 6'3" and size 13 extra wide feet... no socks in his future, nope. He dwarfs me. When did that happen?


Still loving the knitting... knitting, reading and coffee... the three things I can't live without. I was so sad when Calgary Farmer's Market closed at the Currie Barracks... it was such a great location and going there was a part of my weekly routine. I look forward to checking out the new market when it opens.

My stash is under control... for now. Budgetary constraints forced me to scale back. I finished some projects... nothing spectacular... a cowl for a friend and a shawl for me. Both from the same yarn, Fleece Artist Big Merino. I love the yarn and these were both quick and satisfying projects.

Cherry Garcia Cowl

Mistaken Rib Shawl

I do finish things once in a while.

And that's it for now... I will try to be a better blogger.

It's Raining Again...

If I wanted to live in Vancouver... I'd move back there. What I love most about Calgary is the sun. That gorgeous, endless clear blue sky. And where the heck is it I'd like to know!?

It's time to be outside canoing and biking and I'm doing neither, I'm still doing winter activities (aka:knitting and reading) not a bad thing but honestly.

I got a lovely present to brighten my week last week. This terrific little package showed up on my doorstep. Made my day! In this package (covered by Ginger's long flapping ear and pointy little snout) is a tin of Ginger flavoured Altoids. Those who know me know I love ginger, in cookies, cakes, tea, candied or pickled, in marinades you name it... I even love it in nosy weiner dog form :-D. These mints are addictive! I can't get enough. So strong and gingery... Yum!

A while ago I mentioned The Happiness Project. Gretchen Rubin talks about writing your 12 Personal Commandments for Happiness. Here are mine.

1: Be Me

2: Embrace the Joy of Now

3: Sing Every Day

4: Do Nice Things for Others

5: Laugh

6: Be Polite and Be Fair

7: Just Do It

8: Don't be Afraid to Fail

9: Be Nice... to Everyone

10: Leave the Past in the Past

11: Never Pass Up the Opportunity to do Something New

12: Be Unapologetically Green

It's a good book,... heck it's a good blog too... check it out!