My first Swap package has arrived!

This is the package without the mailing stuffing in it. Look at the awesome colors! I hope they show up well. It is from the "Odd Ball Stash busters Swap" on Ravelry.


This is a scarf that is woven by "glitterbear". I absolutely love it. I love the colors of it and I love the fringe! It is just wonderful. I have never received anything like it before and I plan to wear it to work tomorrow.


Also in the package is some 100 % cotton. I have never seen this brand before but I can't wait to try it out. I'll be searching Rav to see what to make. Also included is a circular needle in a size 2.


Then, look at this sox book! Isn't this awesome?! I think it's great and I love to make ankle length socks so this book is right up my alley.

And, a set of stitch markers, which, I don't really have many of so these will come in handy as I am hoping to finally start Clapotis and will need these.

Plus, SugarBabies! I haven't had these in YEARS and they are one of my favorites.

Thank you Glitterbear! This was an awesome first swap for me and I had a great partner. I hope your's has been/will be as good to you!

New Questions

I know there are new questions to answer for the SP12. Mostly they deal with vacation. Where you like to go, what you like to do, where would you like to go.

Considering it has been nearly 10 years since we've done any kind of family vacation, I am not sure how I would answer.

The place I love most in the world is the ocean and the jersey shore. I grew up in the summer at on Barnegat bay in a bungalow. No heat, no air conditioning, no telephone, no tv, no shower, well water and the bay. Dad sold the house nearly 30 years ago and I miss it every summer. I wish that I had been able to help him with it more and being a teen had wanted to go more often. But as a teen I wanted to do "teen" things. Be with friends at home, not at the shore. So he sold and my heart has stayed behind there with all our happy family memories. Memories that I have not been able to give to our son. It makes me truly sad to think about.

Life goes on.

I need to see the ocean every year, preferably for a few days. It is my connection to happiness. I could sit at the bay or the ocean for hours, regardless of the weather and literally feel myself recharge from it's energy. Life energy. I love the colors, the smell of the water, the feel of the sand on my feet, whether hot or cold. The dampness of the air. The smell of the salt and the seaweed. The sight of the water coming in and going out. The sea spray. It breathes life into me, life that I don't get but a few days of the year.

Someplaces I would like to go some day are Savannah, Georgia. I had hoped to go there last year, but it didn't work out. I want to see all those old home and go to the water there. I want to eat at Paula Deen's restuarant.

Really, any coastal place I'd like to go to. I've never seen the Pacific. I'd like to go there someday, perhaps Seattle. Is that near the water?

I have also dreamed of some day seeing Alaska, on land, rail and cruise ship.

This year though, I am working. And I only get four days. I have to follow the guidelines of my employer. So I will have two days and a weekend down the shore with my Aunt and I will drink in as much of the water as I possibly can. I am hoping that Matt and I will be able to fit in one long weekend at Cape May in the fall. It is my other favorite place, because of all the old homes and architecture there.

I finished my socks! Yeah! I got a pair done for July. I am so very, very happy about that.

I have now started a roll brimmed hat for quad riding this fall and winter. I am using the Bartlettyarn that I got from the Cozy Cabin and I am absolutely LOVING it! I love the feel of it and the smell of it. Very natural. I am so pleased also that the yarn is from sheep from America and it is made in Maine and it has a very reasonable pricepoint that makes it extremely affordable. I am so in LOVE with this yarn.

On Thursday night I met Carolyn there and I got some to make a Cabled Hobo bag for myself and some to make a scarf with. Then I picked up some things for my Odd Ball Swap Partner. I am getting her package ready to go out this week. I can't believe how fast this month went by. I also have to get my SP 12 package ready to go out. It's not "THE" biggie, it is just another teaser.

Sorry there aren't any pictures this time.

Knitting has been slow

I'm not starting out this post with knitting. I hope you don't mind.




This is a picture of the butterfly house that R made for me. We put it into the garden area in the back yard. There are bleeding hearts all around it, as well as impatiens. I love flower gardening and I try so hard each year to improve what it was the year before. I was and still am so thrilled that R took the time to make this house for me and I love it.

Now on to the knitting. This is my wonderful sock. It is made from Opal Cotton and the yarn has been a dream to work with. I just love the colors and the feel is so soft. I have managed to complete one sock and I am at the gusset of the second sock.

Sorry this next one is a bit blurry, but it is for my SP 12 pal. It took two tries at this pattern to get it right, but I finally did it and I think it came out good. I had hoped to have it in the mail on Saturday, but with visiting dad it just didn't happen.

I am in several swaps now and I am so excited. First, I joined the SP12 swap. This one is really cool. I have enjoyed getting to know my downstream. She is a busy mom also, and she updates her blog as she can. I am having so much fun knitting for her and I can't wait until the big reveal. She is just going to LOVE what I've chosen for her.

My SP, my upline as they say, has been very busy traveling for work and I don't hear much from her, but she keeps telling me she's putting together a package. I have to be patient, but it's so hard, when you read the other's blogs and they are being spoiled already.

I also joined the Odd ball swap, Hi Lois! and I have already got her knitted item done and I am going shopping this week. I had hoped to have it out for her birthday, but it's not going to make it, but she said that was fine.

Then, I joined the Dish Cloth Swap. I have those done and I have to get them into the mail this weekend.

Now on to life. How do you keep the stress in your life low? Someone needs to explain this to me. I just can't do it all. Going back to work full time has been nothing but frustration for me. I am not happy with how the house is or isn't being kept. But I am so tired when I get home, getting dinner on the table is about all I can manage. I don't even get to knit most nights, because when I do, I usually screw it up and rip it back the next day.

I have been a worrier most of my life and I try not to be, really I do. But my health is really being affected.

A visit to the COZY CABIN

After work yesterday, and a quick dinner with dh, I took a run over to the "cozy cabin" our new LYS and met Toni the owner. The shop deals with quilting supplies and with yarn. She is offering a few classes beginning in September, that will be taught by Carolyn from our Thursday night knit group. Anyway, the shop is really very cute and the perfect size. She offers lovely choices in Wildfoote, which I have never used before and picked up two skeins to make a pair of socks with. It is in the colorway "mums". Then after much "touching and feeling" I decided on one skein of Bartlett yarn in 3 ply, 145 yards of Md. Sheeps gray. I'll be using this for a pull over cowl, and a skein of Bartlett yarn in 2 ply, 210 yards in Dark Sheeps Gray, for a hat. Both of which are for myself and for winter when we go quad riding. I like the color, as it is not really a gray, but more of a brown. I like it alot.

As a matter of fact, I liked a lot of the colors she offered. There was also some other yarns, but I had to be good and I went with the hat and cowl in mind and perhaps a pair of socks. So I stuck well to my budget and to my list. Though I would have loved to have purchased more! And probably will in the future.

I have also signed up for Carolyn's class that she will offer in October. It is making a gorgeous colorwork christmas stocking. I can't wait.

I heard from my SP12 spoilee, she got the goodies that I sent along. I can't really mention what at the moment, just in case she happens along this blog. Which, hardly anyone reads my blog, so I don't know why I worry or wonder, but I have been looking at everyones blog who has one listed on the website trying to think who could be my SP. My upline as they say. She must travel an awful lot for work. I have not heard from her this week and last week she told me that she had been to Mexico on business so that was why I hadn't heard from her. That must be hard to be away from family.

I find it very interesting reading other peoples blogs. It is so much fun when they are from another country and they talk about their home and the pictures! It's just great. I have always lead such a boring life, I just love being able to see what other peoples lives are like.

I had some "ripping" yesterday. Well, the cabled hobo bag had a noticeable mistake about 5 repeats back, so RIP. And continue on. Then, I had all the decreases done on my toe of sock one, and it would have been just a tad too tight, so RIP. All the way back and put in five more rows and then began the decreases.

I have to work tomorrow, but I promise to get some pictures on here. It's been too long since I've taken any. I want to show the yarn I got.

SP Question #4

1) What yarn (that you don’t have/haven’t used) would make your stash “complete”?

Let's see, I would have to say some of the garnstudioEskimo or Silke alpaca. I have never tried it and would love to.


2) What yarn do you never want to be without?**

For this one, I would say cascade 220. I love all the different colors. I would also add Elsabeth Lavold Silky wool