Want to buy me a present?

Or any other Obama loving, knitting person in your life? Well, go here:

http://www.mamaespot.com/eshop/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=246

and clickity-click on this lovely sock yarn. Hurry there are only 3 skiens available. She is giving over half of the sale price to Obama's campaign. Rock on!

Maybe I will knit you a pair of socks from it, you never know. Oh, and one skien should make a normal sized pair of socks. I know that you were wondering.

Peace.

Knitting for The Lord of the Rings

Okay, first it was my elvish slippers. Remember them? Yeah, very elf-like if you look at them from the side. Is it a coincidence that I didn't photograph them from the side? No.

So, today I tackled another one of my 2008 goals...sock knitting. I was knitting like a woman possessed, double pointed needles flying everywhere. They are done! And already in the mail to their recipient (boy isn't she lucky, mwhahaha?!?).
Aren't they beautimus? I think so. I used a bit less than 2 skiens of Knit Picks Swish Superwash in the Bordeaux color, size 3 double pointed needles, and this free pattern.

Now, they look okay for the most part like that, right? Here's the rub (a top down pic for you)...

Who the eff am I knitting for? The cast of The Lord of the Rings? Seriously. Why can't my projects turn out semi-normal?

Deece, I hope that you start showing off the knitting soon! Freakish sock knitters unite!

Namaste.

Rockin' the cabbage

Can you believe that I made it past the 1-year mark with the whole nursing business? Holey moley, I can't. BTH has officially been weaned for just under 2 weeks. And what do I get for my troubles? More pain in the breasticles than I have ever imagined. Between this and the whole frankennipple episode at week 6...ey-yi-yi. Here I am rockin' the cabbage in my bra. It really works. That and ibuprofen. Better than that whole bottle of Gray Goose that I downed in no time flat.

Did anyone hear the girly squee last week? That would have been me. Yeah, my new needles are here! They are so awesome, I can't hardly stand it. Want to see their beauty? Okay.


I immediately put the size 11 tips on the longest cable and switched the tween shawl over. That is when the knitting kicked into high gear.


I only had a few rows of it done, now I have as much done as I can do. I am one row away from being out of yarn. So, I am waiting for a decision to be made by the recipient.

And I am about to start the heel flap of sock # 2, but I don't have any pictures to show of it. Next time. Pinky swear. They might even be done by then.

Okay, back to the Free Tibet dvd that is in. I saw this show back in 1996 (or 97) with a friend. Why didn't I realize then the awesomeness that it was? And I seriously had such a minimal grasp as to the cause that they stood for. Wow. Heavy stuff, that is. Beastie Boys, Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Fugees, Beck, and lots of others that I am forgetting.

The countdown to Japan is on. We are going to Tokyo, Sapporo and Kyoto. Whee!

Namaste.

I've been knitting!

Yay for me! I am working on my first "real" pair of socks. I started these as a KAL with Deece.

Knit Picks Swish Superwash wool in Bordeaux
Size 3 DPN's
The Unique Sheep's free pattern

That, my non-knitting friends is a turned heel and short row shaping! I am learning so much, it is crazy. It is also proof that I don't have a clue as to how to use the macro setting (or where to find it) on my camera. Must learn.

These socks are fun. I am about to start the toe shaping, then I will be done with my first sock. They are nice and thick...actually very very firm. I think that I will go up a needle size or two for my next pair that I make out of worsted weight wool. They would be good for someone with small feet that does stuff outside in the winter. Like ice fishing. : )

I have my first finished non-scarf, non-dishcoth knitted item to share:

Not So Baby Yoda Sweater
made for: BTH
Berocco Touche in Apple green, just about 3 skiens
size 7 straight needles

Yay! I am so happy to be done with this sweater. I started it with the intention of BTH wearing it in Japan, and it fits him pretty well, so we should be good. I don't know that I will be making another one of these anytime soon. I hated the part in the instructions that said "make right side the same as the left, just reverse for shaping". Umm, hello, I need a bit more than that. I was okay until I got to the bind off row. Somehow, I could not get my brain wrapped around how I was supposed to do it so that the shoulder seam side was correct. I ended up adding an extra row to it and it worked out well. I now just have to decide on buttons or ties. No i-cord for me. Oh, I did do 10 extra rows on the arms because BTH is very long limbed. And skinny. He is in the 90th percentile for height and 50th percentile for weight.

I started another Tween Shawl for my cousin's friend.

Improvised design: CO 4 st. K2, yo, k to end repeat until it is the desired size.
Lion Brand Baby Soft yarn, held double
Size 11 bamboo circular needles.

We aren't in Japan yet, still have a while to go. Thank you Debi for your info. I will be emailing you this week. I want to go on the Geisha lecture walk while in Kyoto. Trying to convince DH that it will be fun. He isn't buying it methinks.

This week I am anxiously awaiting my new needles to come. I ordered the Knit Picks Options Harmony set and it is about killing me to wait. Plus, I ordered a sweater's worth of wool from Peace Fleece along with a cardigan pattern a few weeks ago, and it should be here any day. Got to love gift certificates and Christmas money!

Namaste.

I *heart* Iowa.

I have been waiting to see what the results of the Iowa Caucuses were...everyone was reporting that it was a virtual dead heat between Barack and Hillary.

According to this site, Barack got 37.5 percent of the vote and Hillary got 29.4 percent.

WooHoo!!!!!!

It is a good day to be a Democrat. Now we just have to see what happens in New Hampshire.

I am so glad that I will be able to vote in November. Registering to vote will be one of the first things I do when we get to Juneau.

I can't believe that it has been over a year since I first blogged about Barack Obama. I still think that he is the bee's knees of politicians.

Go donkeys!

In other news, I should have pictures and fun stuff to report later this weekend. Melissa is joining Deece & I for our knitting session tomorrow! Yay!

Namaste.

On with the sewing (and a knitting plea)

First things first...I am seriously trying to find a copy of Interweave Knits Fall 2007 magazine. It is sold out according to the IK website and it is not a magazine carried at the only bookstore here on island. If anyone has a copy that they no longer want, please email me at mhighfill at gmail.com. I recently subscribed to this magazine (picking up the winter and holiday issues while in Guam), but media mail and magazines take 18 years to arrive. Okay, not 18 years, but I just got my November Martha Stewart Living magazine...yeah sucks.

Okay, on with the sewing goodness...

So, remember when I lamented on and on about my sewing machine and the havoc it was causing me? Good, then I don't need to rehash it. Well (Leah this is for you), as it turns out, I somehow managed to crack and subsequently chip a big hunk of metal off of the thingamajig that the shuttle race fits into. The non-movable, cast metal looking part that holds the shuttle race (but on the top). According to the repair guy, "No fix". English is not his first language. So, I boxed it up and am hoping that there is a Sears around Juneau or another repair person that can fix it for me.

Then, do you remember my obsession with the cutest of the cute Singer sewing machines? Well, when I was at home with Mom in August and September, I scoured eBay, thinking that I would win a little cutie and just load the 80 pound thing into my luggage and bring it home...weight restriction be damned! I have a Silver Elite card for Continental, get out of my way! Anyway, so I won a little cutie. I was over the moon. I could hardly wait. I had visions of setting it up in BFF's basement and sewing my way through insomnia and heartache. It was not meant to be.

I should have known when I saw this as I unwrapped it:


Then I saw this and I was seriously almost in tears:

The machine is not functional and now resides in a closet at my Dad's house. I hope someday to find a good Singer repair person and have them fix it, along with buying a new original green jadeite case. But until then....

Christmas came early! (I got this the week before Christmas)

A Viking Husqvarna Emma!!!

My Aunt in Dallas upgraded to a Viking Husqvarna Designer II SE (the evil one) and sent me her Emma. I am thrilled to bits!

I already love this machine and I haven't even plugged it in yet. I would be lying though if I told you that I wasn't a teensy bit intimidated by it. I have never owned such a nice machine. I am trying to locate a manual for it so I can learn to thread the bobbin. Right now it is threaded with yellow thread (forget something, Aunt Tamie?), so I might just figure out something small to sew up using yellow thread and give her a go. So many projects on the brain...aprons, needle rolls, birthday buntings, quilts...*sigh*

Well, it is New Year's Eve here on Saipan. Baby Tree Hugger is in bed (we are working on weaning and it is going well). DH just brought in a bottle of champagne (maybe to make up for putting in idiotic Nacho Libre in the dvd player?), so I am calling it a night. I will be asleep in prolly 30 minutes. Real exciting around these parts.

I have a few resolutions and reflections, but I will save them for my next post.

Wishing everyone a peaceful, prosperous and happy 2008.

Namaste.

Peace.

First Christmas and knitting goodness

Baby Tree Hugger's First Christmas

"You mean we open these now?"

"And I have to wear this thing?"

"Blocks. Mmm, I love blocks."
"Mom! You aren't going to blog this are you?!"
"I love presents from The Land of Nod."

"And I really love my new scoot around."

So, remember that post earlier in the month about the socks of doom? The ones that I didn't really have a pattern for, let alone have any experience in sock knitting? Yeah, they got frogged. Instead, I knit some slippers for said hard to buy for lady. I used this free pattern. 2 skeins of Knit Picks Main Line yarn, a couple of buttons and voila! Slippers. I dare not show you a side view...they really look elvish (as in elf-like, not Elvis-like), but I am hoping that they fit the lady's smaller feet. I can get them on my size 9 clod-hoppers, so we should be good. Lesson learned: How to M1 increase and I suck at making pom-poms. Hence the buttons.

Another present was this crocheted granny square throw. Made from 4 cones of Peaches N Cream cotton yarn. 2 in Ecru, 2 in Peppercorn ombre. I am embarrassed to admit it, but I started the granny squares 2 years ago, then started seaming them together and got thoroughly fed up with the seaming and put it aside. I decided that this would be the year that it got finished.
Simple granny squares, with a single crochet border (twice around). Easy peasy. Anyone want some left over granny squares? I have a handful of them and nothing planned for them. Let me know.
Another day, another Ball Band Dishcloth. This is for the knit along on Ravelry. I need to make a pile of these things by April.

As if that weren't enough, I started a sweater for Baby Tree Hugger. It is from the Not So Baby Yoda free pattern. I am using Berocco Touche in a green apple color. I actually did a gauge swatch on this and am crossing my fingers that it fits him for a few months since we will need in for our trip to Japan in a few months.

The back is complete in one day. I started on the left front side now and a bit nervous when it comes to the right front...it just says to reverse for shaping. Keep your fingers crossed that I do it right!
Peace.

Losing my mind...(or) Only 21 days until Christmas!

I love Christmas. I love the whole plan-like-there-is-no-tomorrow-thinking-you-can-turn-into-SuperWoman-and-get-everything-done-deal.
That is what I do every year (except last year). The other day I was making out the Christmas card list...I know, I know, "real" tree huggers don't send out Christmas cards. I married a tree hugger, I never claimed to be the tree hugger of the family. Anyway, I came to the monumental decision that I am going to whittle the Christmas card list down next year. Those that haven't sent us a card in two years are off of the list. Does anyone else do this? Why continue to send a card to someone that isn't going to reciprocate? Our cards are done, stamped and ready to go out. Have you seen the new Christmas stamps "Holiday Knits"? Love them! I bought 3 books today.

This year's Christmas cards are a mish-mosh of the past 5 years worth of cards. I usually end up with 10 or so leftover cards every year, and when Mom died, I found 5 or 6 boxes of cards that she had bought on sale. So, the ones going out this year are being cleared out so we don't have to schlep them around anymore.

I went through the received cards from the past couple of years. I had a purpose. I was looking for Mom's last Christmas card that she sent to us. I found it and it is now on my nightstand where I can see it everyday.

As I was having my Christmas card list epiphany, I also decided that my gift list was too ambitious. I adore the idea of a hand-made Christmas, but I should have started long ago. Like February. We have a few people on our list that are near impossible to buy for and I always feel like the present that we select isn't quite *it*. This year, I wanted to make something for everyone and that is just crazy at this point not going to work.

So, what would any sane woman do? Why, she would start knitting a pair of socks for a gift. Mind you, said mentally sound woman has never knit a pair of socks before, but that didn't intimidate her. No siree. And is she following a specific pattern? Nah, she is winging it...borrowing from here and there. This is a recipe for disaster, y'all. Plus, she looks like she is wrestling a porcupine with all of those needles ready to fly out at any moment. The cable scarf is sitting in the bag, neglected *sob*. I love the cable scarf, but it isn't intended for a Christmas present. These socks are going to someone that is very hard to buy for. I say "socks"...plural. If nothing else, I am optimistic.

This is what it looks like when set down while knitting...

But at least she is still knitting dishcloths! This is another ball band cloth, only I modified it to be a bit smaller in width. I hate big cloths. It is about 6x6, which is perfect in my opinion. Only 2 more to go, then the rest will just be bonuses!


MIL arrives in 5 days from now!!!! Yay!

Peace.

Knitting, Baby and Houses.

Since I missed WIP Wednesday, FO Thursday and today is Family Friday, I am combining them into today's post.

WIP Wednesday would have been:

The shawl. It is endless garter stitch right now. I do a few rows and feel like I am making zero progress. I put it around my shoulders one day and it is too small, so I put it around Connor and it was ginormous, so I think that I have about a dozen or so more rows to go before it is "tween" sized.

I started a new scarf. Mom gave this yarn to me in March when we were home to have Connor baptized. I have 3 cakes of it. I have no idea what it is made of, how much there is, I only have a vague idea that the 3 strands together make it a light-ish worsted weight. Just a simple pattern, really. And it is free! I have an idea of the recipient, but I am not 100% set on her. We will see when it is all done, then I will know for sure.

Did I say that I started a new scarf? Well, I lied, I actually started two new scarves. This one is one that I have been obsessing about (it is free too!). I have been so anxious to cast on for it. Truthfully, I casted on for it when I met Deece last Saturday for coffee. But with all of the yakking and coffee drinking, I didn't get but two rows done. And I figured that somehow messed them up, so I ripped them out and restarted.

I am so proud of myself, I am cable-ing!!! I never thought that I would be able to do it, they always looked so intimidating, but with the awesome cable video tutorials at Knittinghelp.com, I got it down! I am cable-ing, y'all! This one is using Knit Picks Andean Silk (Wool, Alpaca and Silk) in Navy. I adore this yarn. I would love to have more eventually.

**********

FO Thursday would have been...

I finished two more dishcloths this week. I did another Palm Tree cloth. I need to make more of these, but green cotton is hard to find here. I guess that some people will be getting different colors of palm trees.

I also did a Grid Pattern dishcloth. It was easy for the most part. Kind of boring. I have decided that I really enjoy doing the picture dishcloths the most. I found a free pattern for a Coast Guard cloth (other military branches available as well) on this site.

*******

Family Friday

Connor is taking a few hesitant steps on his own!!! I can't hardly believe it. He has been walking while holding on to one of our hands for quite a few weeks now, but in the last couple of days, he will be holding on to the furniture and take a couple of steps on his own without holding anything. It is so cute. And so nerve racking! I am watching him like a hawk because I don't want him to face plant on the tile floor.

This is from Thanksgiving, when we were down at the Ranch.

Back to the housing in Juneau. It all boils down to a few things that are scaring me shitless about buying such an expensive house. It isn't that we can't afford it, because we can. But what if DH makes Chief and we have to move in 2 years? I don't want to be stuck with two house payments and end up having to go back to work and put the kids in daycare. The second thing is that I hate debt. Hate hate hate it. I enjoy not having credit card debt, car loan debt, etc. We do have our timeshare debt and my paltry student loan (why don't I just pay it off already?), but that is it. And a giant mortgage is a huge step. House prices are crazy. Where we are from, you can get a pretty nice house for 100-150k. So, to me 250k for 2 or 3 bedrooms on a subdivision lot is a stretch.

FO Thursday

One week down, three to go. This NaBloPoMo thing is kicking my tuchus. I am having a hard time keeping up with emails, let alone time to waste browse on Ravelry. And I do so *heart* Ravelry.

Today's theme is FO's (Finished Objects). I don't have much to show, I just finished the Ball Band Dishcloth a little while ago and haven't taken a picture. So you will have to wait until next Thursday to see it. I keep calling it "Grinch Vomit". Seriously, this thing looks like it was made at the House of Fug. I think that I will try a different color combo next time around. But it is "festive".

To tide you over, may I present....the orphan dishcloths waiting to find their new homes on Christmas:

With the Ball Band dishcloth, that makes 11 done. I was hoping to give 3 per family/house but my knitting skills are s-l-o-w. I might only be able to do 2 per family/house. If the latter is correct, then I am half way done. I could always kick it into gear and just crochet them...I can do one a day hooking it. Decisions, decisions.

Little Grey Cat, you wondered about the two colors on the Ball Band dishcloth. And the Knifty Knitter. Well, this was my first time working with two colors and not cutting and knotting. Evidently tying knots to secure the thread is a big no-no in the knitting world (not sure what the punishment would be). I was totally intimidated by the dishcloth without ever seeing the pattern, but once I did and saw how easy it is...well. I just carried the color that I wasn't using up the side as I was knitting. It was a mess while knitting, but I didn't feel like weaving in eleventy thousand ends for one stupid dishcloth. Now, the Knifty Knitter...basically it is a loom (or set of looms) that you use to knit with. You wrap the yarn around the pegs and use this thing that looks like a torture dental device and knit away. I haven't used it yet, but am chomping at the bit.

Learn more here, see patterns online here (although there are many more sites out there).

I am off like a Prom dress, I have this week's KAL dishcloth to cast on. We are doing the Darrel Waltrip dishlcoth

And I found the motherlode of dishcloth resources... Dish and Washcloth Mania. *nirvana*

One more picture (because posts are so much more fun with pictures). I love these:

Cupcakes AND Knitting? *swoon* These were made for a stitching night at a LYS (Local Yarn Store) (picture stolen from Ravelry).

Peace.

WIP Wednesday

Another day, another post. Wednesdays will be the day where I show my WIP's (Works in Progress). Today it is all about knitting. I have the knitting bug something fierce. I can't stop myself, I spend time daydreaming about patterns, books, yarns, needles...it is a sickness! I even dream about yarn. I can't turn my brain off while sleeping it seems.

I recently won an awesome eBay auction of Knit Picks yarns...seriously, this auction was worth over $85 and I got it for $19 something without shipping. I just need to stalk DH and ask him every day if he checked the mail.

Anyhoo, on with the show, er, pictures...


You remember me yapping on and on about how I love to knit dishcloths, right? Well, here is another one...

The Ballband Dishcloth
(because DH is too cheap to buy me it isn't Christmas yet and I have yet to receive the Mason Dixon Knitting Book)

I never realized how ugly this thing is on the backside. Thank goodness it is just a dishrag.

Next up, a darling Christmas present for a young lady that is very girly...

Just a simple shawl (cast on 4 stitches, knit 2, yarn over, knit to end, repeat)
Soft acrylic yarn (from Mom's stash)
Bamboo circular's 7.0 mm

Just so you can see the nice edging that the yarn over makes:
That's it. That is the extent of my knitting madness. I desperately want to cast on for a few other things, but I am trying to be a responsible knitter. I don't want projects languishing away in the basket, feeling totally unloved (like some of my cross stitch projects do).

In other eBay news, when we went to Guam recently, I hit up the Ben Franklin store. Yes, the Ben Franklin still exists. In Guam. I was severely tempted to buy the Knifty Knitter set...so much so that I even mentioned it to DH, and to my complete shock, he didn't give me the look. You know the look, the one where they are thinking, "Just how much more craft (or insert current fave hobby) crap are you going to need to acquire? Don't you have enough?" The thing was, the Knifty Knitter set at Ben Franklin was $27. And it was me that was hesitating. Me, people! I knew I could probably get it cheaper on eBay.

And I did!!! For just over $5 without shipping ($14 something including shipping), the Knifty Knitter is mine! Plus it came with a couple of pattern books! Whee!

As if that weren't enough...I also bought a Yellow Brick Road quilt kit off of eBay. I *heart* this fabric. Pink ribbons everywhere. This is one for me. (Yeah, I say that now)


**************
So, as I was knitting today, watching Connor play with his toys, I heard an old school Michael Jackson song come on the radio. Fast forward 3 minutes and you see me crying like a baby. The song really made me think of my Mom. I miss her so much. The song is "You Are Not Alone".

The lyrics:

Another day has gone
I'm still all alone
How could this be
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay

You are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
You are not alone

All alone
Why, oh

Just the other night
I thought I heard you cry
Asking me to come
And hold you in my arms
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your hand
So forever can begin

Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Then something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
And you are not alone

Whisper three words and I'll come runnin'
And girl you know that I'll be there
I'll be there

You are not alone
I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
You are not alone
I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

You are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart

For you are not alone

Peace.

Mmm, Mondays are domestic

Continuing on with the theme days for NaBloPoMo, I have decided that Monday's theme is "domestic". I enjoy having a home of our own, that we can furnish and decorate however we want. I especially enjoy being a little like Martha Stewart, and a little like MaryJane Butters...but with a tree hugging twist.

Mondays are the days when I do linens. I love to do linens. Changing all of the sheets on the beds, swapping out towels, washcloths, dishcloths, etc. For some reason, it is such a simple act that makes a big impact. Plus, there hardly isn't anything better than crisp Egyptian cotton sheets that have been hung on the clothes line to dry.

I spent a few minutes picking flowers from our yard. I am not so hot at the arranging, but I wanted to bring their beauty indoors. I believe that they are Heliconia & Ginger Lily.
And the candle is a pretty (new to me) fragrance, Cranberry Chutney by Yankee Candle. Every time a trip to Guam is made, I always request a couple of these big jar candles. I also got a pumpkin one, but the cranberry is divine.

We also made Magic Cookie Bars today. Using fresh grated coconut from our tree. Yum! I put a half of a bag of butterscotch pieces in with the chocolate chips (reducing the amount of chocolate chips) and boy is it tasty! I remember eating these as a kid, Granny always made them. And they are so easy, perfect for kids to help out in the kitchen and "cook" (with adult supervision of course). For the nuts, we usually use walnuts, although I do have a few bags of pecan halves in the pantry...and more coconut...and more chocolate chips. Hmm. And since I can't hardly stand it...Adventures in Knitting!!! So, y'all know that I am completely crazy obsessed...about knitting that is. I belong to a group on Ravelry that does dishcloth KAL (knit-a-longs) every week. I.Love.Dishcloths!!! I really do. They are quick to knit, a portable project, perfect for trying new techniques and stitches, instant gratification, durable, soft, and just plain fabulous. This past week's dishcloth was a palm tree cloth. How apropos, eh? I finally finished mine tonight.
This pic is kinda blurry, but you get a better idea of the palm tree:

I used Bernat Cotton, almost a whole ball. #6 needles. It took me about 5 or 6 hours, only because this was the most technical pattern I have ever done. This made me step outside of my garter stitch box...I had to knit and purl alternately, a technique that has made me lose sleep in the past. But, I finally figured it out (without adding stitches like I used to). I just need to work on tension, but we are taking baby steps. I got this week's pattern today and I can't wait to cast on, too bad it is 10 pm.

Peace.

Wrap up

Wow, I have been quite neglectful of the blog lately. Time seems to just slip right past me most days. Plus, DH was dinking around with the new computer the other night and the screen went black. Hrrrrm...that's not supposed to happen. He was messing around trying to get the info off of the old hard drive onto the new one and has some kind of external thingamajig hooked up. Poor darlin, he really tries hard. So now we are back to the laptop, which I am not too fond of. Oh well. When I win the lottery, I can buy my own little puter ( a Mac ) and do what I want. Guess I should start buying tickets.

The biggest downside is that I try to comment on blogs and I can't. The comment page just keeps reloading. Frustrating. Friends in blogland, know that I am reading and wanting to comment!

A pretty hibiscus on a very clear day. We have a big hibiscus bush in front.

***********

We took Connor to the beach for the first time on Friday. He had a good time, I think. He only cried a couple of times. We bought him a cheapy floaty tube and when he got to where he could touch the bottom, he would take off. The beach is now Connor's aqua walker.

This little girl decided that she wanted to take her puppy swimming. I watched her for a while to make sure she didn't drown it. So cute!

**********

Last weekend, we did some beautifying of the CNMI with Angelo's group, Beautify CNMI! There was even a little write up in the paper.

Click here to read a good post from Cinta and to see a cute family shot at the end. We plan on doing more volunteering with this group in the near future.

**********

Since only one person *technically* signed up for my PIF challenge, I decided to choose 4 others. I started working on one of the projects this week. Here is a sneak peek:

Where have I been that I have not used circular knitting needles before now? Holy moley, I am a woman obsessed now. Since I took this picture, I finished knitting it (and no, it isn't a hat). I immediately casted on for another similar style, only using a smaller needle and they are bamboo, not metal. Wow, bamboo rocks! Someday, I will be able to try out the Cadillac of knitting needles, the Addi Turbos...until then, I will be obsessing with my one pair of bamboo circulars.

By the way, if you ever see a copy of this book (in picture above) at a garage sale (where I got mine) or a thrift shop, I highly recommend you pick it up...it is full of great info on every kind of stitching and has awesome diagrams. If I had to pick only one book to have in my library for needlework, this would win. It is Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlework. I think that mine was $2.

************

The sewing machine is officially DOA according to Sam's Electronics. They can't repair it because it seems that I broke off a big piece of metal that holds the shuttle race in. I am bummed that I am without a sewing machine for a while, but to be honest...I kinda hated that one anyway! Too many bells and whistles. I bid on a vintage Singer machine on ebay...only has 5 stitches! Just my speed. But, I have been outbid. So, the search is on again. Got to keep it under $75 including shipping.

And, we dyed more of Connor's diapers. I *love* them!

Peace.