wow it's been a long year

I have been super busy this year, but it has been great! I guess I should say last year:)

My daughter has lost her first tooth, pulled by her daddy:) I am halfway through my associate's degree for Medical Assisting, and am currently holding on to a 4.0. Hopefully this semester won't kill that.

My son is just exploring with syllables. Even though he isn't speaking sentences yet, he's still very delightful to be around because he is full of expression, and between him and my daughter, there is never a dull moment.

Overall I'm happy, and though I've been knitting less this year, mostly due to a stab wound and a broken finger, and arthritis from all the note taking.., I've been making a ton of jewelry, and candy!

So go me:)

woe is me.

I know I haven't written in a while, I've been a busy busy bee as far as knitting and jewelry are concerned, however that is not the reason I am here today.

I am formally resigning from doing anything artistic or crafty. All of my stash is for sale. You may view it at www.ravelry.com/faryjane and please email me for pricing.

If you are interested in anything I've knitted off of my projects page please email me for pricing. My email is faryjane@hotmail.com.

Even though I love making jewelry and bookmarks and would love to spend the rest of my life doing this, it is a childish dream and is not paying my bills and is doing nothing but making everyone in my family unhappy that I am spending time doing this instead of focusing on them. It is irresponsible of me to pursue these childish endeavors when I clearly can't pay rent for my family. I have decided to step back down on the totem pole and am crossing my fingers for the acceptance of my application I put in at Hungry Howie's (a low end local pizza joint) since they are the only places that are hiring.

I do apologize for resigning as an artist under such short notice, which is a shame because I already have business cards and was on my way to my own website, but I would rather have my family happy and financially secure than keep living in a stupid fantasy that is meant for people with more patience, who aren't still suffering from major depression and anger disorders, and with children older than the age of one.

Also, I will no longer be available for any social outings with my girls that I used to knit with. I owe you an apology for dumping my drama on you all the time. I am sorry for being such a shitty friend, you deserve more than me and my drama!! Knit me something beautiful!:) I love you girls<3

I don't have much of a reputable stash, but I also have stitch markers that I have made, and needles, and patterns, etc. So, hopefully someone else can love and appreciate these things the same as I did, and will actually be able to use them without the guilt feeling of abandoning your family.

I would also like to give out some advice: Don't ever get married and have kids unless you are mentally healthy first of all with all your childhood shit resolved, and unless you are able to give up everything that makes you happy, that makes you who you are. Because your famly deserves every single second of you, and as a mother and wife it's your responsibility and duty to give that to them. If I sound bitter it's because I am but bitter is my middle name so...

Sincerely,
The woman who couldn't do it all....

X is not an O is not a kosher situation

If you're not talking
I'm assuming the worst.
I thought we had gotten so close...
now I don't know where I stand.
you are clearly your own man.

Full circle comes around and
I'm not ready.
I'm flailing and falling.
I am obviously not who I thought I was
and was wrong over who I thought I was above.

Obviously I just
don't know anything anymore.

As you were, this was my
weepy intermission intended
to fall upon deaf ears.

Season Change

I have had the biggest funk from knitting lately. I don't know what it is... I just can't bring myself to knit even two rows a day.

I have, however, been cleaning my garden out and organizing clothes, toys, and other random what-am-I-going-to-do-with-this-or-when-am-I-ever-going-to-use-this items. Which also includes cleaning these items. Along with that, I'm spring cleaning, so everything is being washed. It's a poor load on the washer... a lot of heat on the dryer, too. They're really being wrung.

My son is at the stage now where being still just isn't good enough for him. He crawls to the nearest peace of furniture and up he goes on his toes. He's used to being supported though and just stops using his legs. That can turn tragic. He is such a big boy now, though. No more holding him like a baby. This man wants to sit up like the rest of us:)

My daughter is getting more and more vocal about everything, to say it the nicest way that I possibly can. What I want for her is to have a wonderful relationship with her and for her to respect me, not out of fear, but because she dreams of growing up and being me one day. What this will take is a major change on my part, because I am an adult in this situation, and what I've learned from this situation so far is that I have met my match. This goes without saying that my daughter has a mind of her own, she hears what she wants to hear, and is completely fearless. She is a very brave and bold little cutie pie who is completely justified in anything wrong she does, including having a very sassy mouth, but like they say, the apple doesn't fall far, so it's me who needs to change.

My dog now has more freedom around the house being that we've put her pen in the back of the house. She roams the house now more, and i must say, so far I'm proud of her.

My husband built a garden for my daughter because she was constantly digging up things she and I planted together so they weren't growing. She wanted a place to dig, he made it for her, lined it with rocks. It is adorable, I must say. I painted the rock at the head of it. My husband has also gotten into his music a lot more. It's wonderful because he's talented and it makes him so happy, and I love listening to the beautiful music he's created. I do a lot for him. I email his videos to my friends and my musical friends on both Myspace and Facebook. I'm trying to set him up with places to play, but my schedule conflicts with the owners of bar's so that's something he will have to assist me with. He is going to start playing out more. I will miss him, but I want him to do what makes him happy. Besides, though I would love to go to his shows with him, more than anything else in this world, it's good time while the children are asleep to catch up on housework and studying. You would be surprised how messy we can make our house in just a matter of hours. Between my full time job, parenting, spending time with my husband doing photography and listening to his new songs, or watching his new videos, and looking at his new pictures, I don't hardly have time to clean the house. Here recently by the end of the time I do have left over it's a battle between housework or knitting or whatever it is my hobby is on that week.

I made my first etsy sale. I was really excited because I have had things listed on there for a while now, so seeing my first sale was awesome! My friend advised me to put paypal only, and while I thought I should have, I accepted money orders, too. I was so excited to see my first sale!! But now my etsy is set to paypal only. I still sold the necklace, by good will:)

My job is going great. Still no raise, but happy to be employed. I like my job and am comfortable performing a task that would have had me wired two months ago. I think I've come a long way.

I have reconstructed my backyard. Here's a list of things I've made room for so far: tomatoes, carrots, corn, spinach, sunflowers, strawberries, bell peppers, banana peppers, thyme, sage, cilantro, parsley, Rosemary, Basil, lemon grass, dill, poppys, apple tree, peanuts, morning glory's, moon flowers, roses, garlic. Here's a list of things waiting for sunny weather to be planted: cucumbers, lettuce, brussel sprouts, potatoes, and possibly a lemon tree.

I love this time of year:)

Just to Prove to My Husband

that I am saving up for the apocalypse....



Oh, Yummy!!!

Umm.... I can explain!

Okay, I have been on a knitting frenzy lately (but when am I not.)

I have been so excited over finishing two projects, the Juno Regina and the Double Star Blanket, that I couldn't help but cast on more! I finished the Double Star Blanket and then within the next day finished the Juno Regina. My daughter and I took the Juno to Vulcan Trail for a photo shoot.


After finishing the Juno, I cast on a Barbie Dress with the same yarn because I was at work and had it with me and was itching for the day to go by, and wanting to use the yarn up, and then I realized that I had wanted to use this yarn for the sockettes, and didn't know if I had enough for both, so I have one end knitting the Barbie Dress and one end knitting the sockettes.... so it looks something like this:


Here's my sockettes so far :

I was proud of myself for turning my first heel, even though the whole thing started off with a heel, that I picked up the socks I'm knitting for my husband and turned my second heel on those, which looks like this:
These (both) come to work with me everyday and I work on them in my spare time under my desk, and am cautiously watching through the double doors of my office with my ears perked for a boss's arrival so they can be quickly thrown into my desk drawer and closed. I also make sure to keep a property list up on my computer screen so I can quickly regroup and casually pretend to be "working".

I do frequent ebay and yarn stores during my breaks at work. My latest Ebay purchase is three hanks of Cascade 220 heathers in a purple color. Very beautiful and very satisfying purchase, might I add.... I plan to knit the Aran Cabled Laptop cover with it...

And after much debate over what to spend my $75 LYS(In the Making)gift card from my girlfriends for my birthday I decided to spend it while they're having a sale... Here's my latest purchase of 8 skeins of Berroco Geode in a beautiful colorway:

I brought in one skein and set it on the corner of my desk at work to look at and dream of being off and knitting. I plan to knit a wrap and/or cowl with it. I can't wait! This yarn just makes me so happy in a dorky way:)

I know, I know, don't I have enough yarn already? I was just asked last night by my husband if I was saving up for the apocalypse with all of this yarn... um, yeah! Duh! I mean, if I get caught in the apocalypse, don't I want an unlimited supply of yarn, I'm guessing yarn shops won't be around during that time, and if they are I won't have money for yarn, so I just need to stock pile for that time:)

I started knitting kerchiefs I plan to sell at a local store, and have stitch markers I will sell at my LYS. I have already made jewelry I am selling at a local store for a decent price. I hope it fares well:

I like that they are sets. The chains were tedious to open up and put hoop findings through for the clasps, but I do love the delicacy of the chain.


These are handpainted lampwork fillinger beads purchased from Japan from Ebay.


And so are these:



I hope they sell well so I can make and sell more. The owner of the store did tell me that they were the nicest jewelry there and he hoped they would sell well, but we'll see. I guess that's a compliment?

Besides, I need to sell more of my goods for funds to make more goods!!

We'll see!

Now, off to knit more so maybe I'll have a FO soon....

I was verbally tagged.

10 years ago:
I was fifteen. I had just turned fifteen. I was four days shy of meeting my first love, I was innocent, but thought I was badass. I lived in Guntersville, AL and was in the eighth grade. I put on skits at my church with the drama team. I had short hair and was struggling with my identity.

5 years ago:
I had just turned twenty. I worked at Outback Steakhouse and had my own apartment atop Red Mountain. I loved running during the day on Vulcan Trail before work, hanging out at Loco's after work, and Movie nights on Tuesday nights with my friends. I thought I was the coolest person in the world. I had just adopted a cat I named Marley. I was about to break up with my boyfriend of three years.

1 year ago:
My husband and I were fresh newly weds. He started working at the Veranda and I stayed at home with my daughter. I was starting the struggle of pottytraining her. We added a dog to our family named Piper. We were preparing for our son, Guntram, and excited about his arrival in the fall.

Yesterday:
I went to a departure party for my pastor. I went to a birthday party my girlfriends had for me. I received sock yarn, earring sets, and a $75 dollar gift card for In the Making, a lys. My friend made me a delicious three layer German chocolate cake that I can't wait to go home and have more of. I went home and put my children to bed and watched all the Sunday night HBO shows while cuddling with my Husband.

Today:
I took my daughter to school, booked it to work. Went to a craft store for lunch with my friend Bonnie, bought sock knitting needles. I can't wait to go home and knit/ play outside with my kids, and eat cake:)

Tomorrow:
I will go to work, knit, the plumber is coming to fix my sinks. I plan on doing laundry one of these days. I will continue my diet (hopefully).

1 year from now:
I would like to have a career path. I would like to be more profitable with Primerica. My husband will be halfway through school. I don't know if we will be in the same place, but I would like to be more secure financially.

5 years from now:
I would like to own my first home, in a neighborhood where we will stay until our children graduate. My husband and I will be settled in our careers and I would like us to have music made together by then and possibly doing shows a few weekends a month. I also would like to have created a strong part time business with my handmade jewelry and hand knits, and built up enough paintings for regular art shows. Physically my husband and I may discuss options for another child since my IUD expires this year. I want to be healthier and making better decisions as far as intake goes and more active than I am now. I want to have knitted a sweater.

10 years from now:
I will have a teenage daughter. My son will be ten. I would like to be financially able to take a yearly vacation out of the country and either own or searching for a vacation home. I want to start making plans to retire within the next 20 or 25 years for both my husband and me. I want to be in the same home. Physically I do not want to have to struggle with what to eat, and have eating healthy merely an afterthought, as well as getting enough exercise.

5 snacks I enjoy:
cheez-its, cantaloupe, shaved ice, pop ice, m&m's.

5 bands/singers that I know the lyrics of MOST of their songs:
Radiohead, Phish, Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Modest Mouse.

Things I would do with $100,000,000:
Buy homes for my family, buy cars for my family, invest, invest, invest, pay off all debt, college funds, retirement, music equipment, yarn, spinner, ball winder, art equipment, playground for my kids, pay the medical cost for the seizure I would have after realizing how much money I had.... Get insurance for my family.

5 locations I'd like to run away to:
Hawaii, Jamaica, California, Maine, Amsterdam.

5 bad habits I have:
Not taking proper care of my body, drinking, procrastinating, stressing, not walking my dog enough.

5 things I like doing:
Knitting, reading, baths, walking, gardening.

5 things I would never wear:
skinny jeans, stirrup pants, belly shirts, pleather, mini skirt.

5 TV shows I like:
United States of Tara, Big Love, Flight of the Conchords, True Blood, Dexter.

5 movies I like:
Garden State, Old School, Knocked Up, Zak and Miri make a porno, Blades of Glory

5 biggest joys at the moment:
Having a job! Having healthy kids. Being married to my soul mate. Having food in my fridge. Being able to knit.

5 favorite toys:
Yarn. Kneedles. Computer. Car. Guitar.

Christmas was over months ago...

But I'm still working on those pesky Christmas gifts.

I started the Juno Regina before Christmas, but chose a sock yarn, so it's taking forever. There are a few places where I've messed up majorly, but I doubt my mother in law will notice. She's not a knitter. I'm not frogging back. I refuse.

I do love the shape and feel of it, though. It is a beautiful pattern. I am using Berroco Comfort Sock in red for it. Lovely.

I started on the Star Blanket last night for my Aunt Betty. I am already ten percent through. The pattern is a nostalgic feeling, considering I was on the pinwheel for six months and this is similar in its own design. I am using Caron Simply Soft Eco in Wine Country for this blanket. I can't wait to see the finished result.

I never did update on the Gryffindor. My neice loved it. The monogram came out perfectly. It was a beautiful scarf, and I was very pleased with myself. I had fun doing the tassles, too. I will knit another scarf in the round for someone as soon as I get some things off of my needles.

I started my first pair of socks for my husband. I am using Red Heart Soft Yarns in dark green. I am knitting the Guitar Socks. They look big so far, but my husband has baseballs for calf muscles so I think I'll be fine:) I am only about fifteen percent through with the first one, but I have to get these Christmas presents out!

As far as knitting anything for myself, the Evangelines are sleeping and the Mosey's are waiting patiently on my eager fingers.

I started a butterfly hat for my daughter, who told me she wanted a pink butterfly hat, mommy, and I imagined I had enough left over of the Bernat Haven in Ballerina to make one for her, wrong. I ran out. And unfortunately, it is now a discontinued yarn that I have to buy on Ebay (just to finish the last twently or so rows on a toddler hat...) Might as well buy enough for a child's scarf, too.

I knit some beautiful Whimsey fingerless gloves for my sister in law's coworker. That is such a lovely pattern, if you've never knit it, I suggest it. You start off with provisional cast on and knit the cuff, which is slip stitched edging and cabled and lace, then you graft it together, and pick up stitches along the opening in the cufflet and continue knitting the glove. It's fun and simple once you learn how to do everything. The designer has made a whole ensemble out of this pattern, hat, scarf, gloves, and maybe something else... Fun knit, and beautiful.

In other news, my son crawls now!! He's new at it so he's still scooting with his head down and pushing with his legs, but I can't knit around him without him crawling/scooting for my yarn and eating at it before I can get to a point to take it away from him:) He chews up everything in his sight, always going for the no no's first i.e. phones, remotes, knitting, bills.... I forgot how grabby babies were. And he never sleeps anymore. Ever.... man. I'm tired:)

My daughter is cute as ever. The other day I told her that whenever I had to discipline her it broke my heart and to please be better for Mommy. I notice her doing something with her fingers, and I'm looking, and she's then handing me whatever it was in her hands, holding it up to me going "I fixed your heart, Mommy."
How can you discipline her after that?? Wow. And her and the baby play together now. My kids are growing up, which is a sign I'm getting old.... Oh well. I'm just happy I have healthy, happy, smart children and that I can provide for them like they need.

My dog is getting better. She has only chewed up one toy in the past week. But she loves stuffed animals. She attacked my son's giraffe. I was so sad I cried. Boo hoo. I'm still crying over that one. But she's a good doggie, and she's good with my daughter. She's a good watch dog, too.

I started working at Tom Murphy Realty by pure chance. My friend Bonnie called me and said that a few people had quit, and she needed some help. I came up here, and kept coming back. She mentioned permenancy and pushed for a position for me from her boss, so now I'm her assistant! And we have so much fun everyday:) It was just in time, too, because my unemployment had just ran out. I have my resume in at the temp agency but haven't gotten a job offer from there, yet.

It is a great balance for me, and I feel like getting out of the house everyday makes me a better person, more balanced.

I haven't been taking my zoloft. I am going to get my prescriptions filled just incase I have another melt down and decide to go back on it, but I haven't been taking it for the past six weeks. It's been a struggle, but it's been okay.

I am also sad because I have dried up. I think I may still be able to just make it come back, I can still get some milk out, and my son will nurse when he's tired, but if he's awake, you can forget it. He wants to be "crawling." I stopped being able to get anything out with a pump, trying to pump frequently and coming up with nothing but sore nipples... Well, it was a good six months, and six months is better than nothing. I could expect this with starting back to work. He still passifies himself on them sometimes, and that's the only thing that will passify him at times. But, with him being a little boy (and his Daddy's boy at that) that will change soon, too, on my watch, not his.

My husband and I are doing good. We just passed our one year of marriage:) It has been a lot easier since then. We just meld together. I am happy with him in my life, I just wish we had more time together to do things. I work days and he goes to class at night, so it gets hard and we miss each other a lot, but it will be better in a year and a half when he's out of school.

And when I don't have so many unfinished projects I'm constantly working on:)

,,,

I have been so depressed lately.

I have been taking my medicine like prescribed, and I've been trying to get a healthy dose of me time, but, I am so overwhelmed...

i can't even remember how to breathe...

Must calculate in mistakes for a more accurate E.T.C.

If only I had more than a month until Christmas....

I was so excited about the Gryffindor scarf and the Juno Regina. They are special gifts to me for my niece and my MIL. The Gryffindor was requested by my SIL.

I decided to make it special for her. You know, Monogram and all:) Well, I've never made a monogram before, and after thinking it through in my head on "one of those days" I decided I would try it. I did no research, just dove right in.

So, measuring my slack roughly, trying not to pull deep holes in the stitches from the color changing... etc... and after I determinedly finished the letters, I took a step back, and marveled at my creation. I wish I had a picture for such laughs:)

Needless to say I frogged it....

So... after knit night with girlfriends who are more experienced than me, I was given advice by my personal tutor to "carry" the yarn across the back. Sounded cool. So, I went home and readily started "carrying" the yarn across the back.

Lookin good, lookin good.

Now, I'm finished with the first stripe and it looks like I changed needles four gauges too big... oh well, at least I'm just starting the second stripe.

Now.... here are my plans on the matter, let's see if I can follow through with them.

I would like to just cast on the number of stitches I need on straight needles, not joining in the round. With this method, I only have to carry the yarn for the length of the monogram. Where as before it was around the complete round....
It has it's positive points.
1. I won't be using unnecessary large amounts of yarn.
2. I won't have to "Carry" the yarn around the whole round, so quicker knit.
3. It will only looked "bubbled" between the spaces and possibly not noticeable at all to someone who's not over critical bc it's not their work.

My plan is that, and then to join in the round on the beginning of the next stripe, and just seaming up the one side when it's time.

So.... must go get started if I'm going to have this thing finished by Christmas:)
I have confidence in myself now that I have an experienced, or um.. educated plan:)


Wish me luck!

Uh-oh. Mrs. Indecisive Procrastinator, We have another difficult decision to make......

I know I said I'd be done by the 28th... birthday pinwheel for Alayna... but it just wouldn't finish itself. I knitted and knitted but this thing has erupted into too large of a monster to try and complete while rushing around the house haphazardly setting up for a party unbeknownst to the nosiest two year old in the world, all while breastfeeding full time and diapering, and juggling everyone's schedule on top of the never ending sleep deprived state I'm perpetually finding myself in.

But it is over 700 stitches around, increasing ten stitches every two rounds, and then with the lace ruffle I want to add to the edging, that will be over 1600 stitches at the end.

Now that her birthday has come and almost gone I'm trying to decide whether or not to make this thing bigger than it is and making Christmas my new deadline, but that would just be too much. Already the finished project will be (by my ragged calculations) fifty inches across. If I add more stripes to it then it will be over six feet across. I think part of me is sad to watch it end... and this is me stretching it out. It's already so big that I can't really take it out of the house to knit, and I must end it on pink, because it started on pink and I'm just anal that way, and that will be three more stripes or so before it's back on pink, because it's a specific pattern... and well, you know. The way it is now is perfect because of the stripe coloring and it's a palindrome as it is so I'd kinda like to leave it that way because I just like things even like that... that's just how I am.

So I think in a rambling sorta way I just made up my mind!!! Go blogging!!

Okay, so today we had a small (and by small I mean my husband, my son, Birthday Princess, and I) party. Last weekend was the big party, but today, it was small.

I started the day by dressing Alayna for church and scooting her out the door for church with the grandparents, and then kissing Hubby g'bye for work. Finally, just me and Mr. Sleepybaby... time to get this party started.

I though, what better way than to start a pot of coffee, that will make my two hour deadline more productive. So while the coffee is broiling I go clean up the backyard, and then the bathroom, and while I"m cleaning the bathroom all I can think is "wow, that coffee smells wonderful. I love Irish Creme!" So, off to the kitchen to make a cup. Somehow I didn't close the top and there was coffee and coffee grounds all over the counter... Let's try this again.

Finally, got my coffee in me, and in two hours I had successfully cleaned the living room, front porch, kitchen, Alayna's room, and cooked brownie cupcakes (which seemed like a better idea in my head) and a chicken and shrimp white wine alfredo sauce spaghetti bake. Which was delicious. Oh, and wrapped and ribboned presents. I was rattling off whole conversations with everything I touched. Coffee is great... I can see how people become addicted to this stuff!!!

We had a wonderful day, though. Alayna had a blast, the food was good, and the house isn't a wreck quite yet... neither am I, so I guess it was great:)

Now... off to work on the everlasting pinwheel blanket:)

birthday pinwheel

I started on my daughter's pinwheel blanket over a month ago. June 29th to be exact.
I am only 25 percent into it.
I want to make it big enough for her because she's three, but I fear there aren't big enough circular needles to do so with, so off to ebay I go....
I have to have it finished by her birthday which is at the end of this month. And even though I want to work on my Mosey's I've started, and start another Clapotis, and a shrug for my daughter, and a flirty skirty for me...... I must put those aside and finish this one project.
I used to be a one at a time kinda knitter, but I don't know what happened. Maybe it was Ravelry and the unlimited access to all these wonderful patterns that I just cannot resist! Maybe it's the stir crazy stay at home mom in me, maybe it's the need to finish fifty projects by the end of this year... who knows.
All I know is, if I would've waited on the Evangelines, the Pinwheel Baby Hat, the Mug Cozy, the mittens, the bolero, the Clapotis, the Calorimetry, the Christmas Eve Mitts, the three cabled hats, and all three bookmarks, then maybe I would have this darn blanket at least seventy five percent through....
Or maybe I'd be exactly where I am now and just plain bored with it.

All i know is I've knitted fourteen things and can't seem to get half way through this, and this has a deadline.
If I finished the diaper bag that I don't foresee myself using, have even contemplated giving it to my daughter for her dolls, then I can finish the beautiful pinwheel blanket that is taking me forever.
I cannot wait to show it off when it is done. The colors are so vibrant and eye popping, and the striping is lovely.
I just hope that when I do finish it, it will be big enough for her to enjoy for at least two full years:)
And after that one, it's off to one for my son....

The cycle continues. There will always be one massive project in the background, I suppose.

Purple Mystery Yarn

Funny story.

Yesterday I was going stir crazy from being in the house for almost two weeks with a new baby and just wanted to get some sunshine. If I didn't get out of the house I was going to go mad!!
So, I put on the Baby Bjorn, put my daughter's shoes on, leashed the dog, and said, "let's go!"
We walked around our usual way, and I wasn't sure if I needed to go home yet, or if it was okay for me to take the route that would mark a full mile.
I opted to go the mile.

One point five blocks into the mile I come across a random skein of purple yarn on the sidewalk. Just lying there. No other's, no label, no needles. Just yarn.


It's like it just fell from heaven and was like, Here you go! One more for your overloaded stash!

I'm going to make something for my daughter with it since she carried it the rest of the way home;)

My husband says "see, all you need to do is go for a walk if you want new yarn."
haha, right.

slowly finding my groove

I'm going to start with the brightest news.
My son, Guntram Christian Anderlik was born Wednesday morning August 6, 2008 at 10:33 am. He was 6lbs, 19.5 inches long. head full of black hair, no problems nursing, bundle of joy!!


the really great thing about it is that my almost three year old daughter has adapted very well. She loves him sooo much and isn't jealous or regressing.
I thought judging by this picture she would...

That's her in her little brother's clothes before he was born... that's a 0-3 mo. sleeper:)

but here she is afterwards...

They seem to get along well with each other.
She says things like, "oh, sweet baby brother" and asks for me to help her express milk from her chest when she sees me pump.... "mommy, help me please" while grabbing her nonexistent chest:)
She will run from room to room looking for her brother while going "uh-oh, baby gone" until she finds him.

Since I've had him, I haven't hardly knit. I've done about four rounds of a pinwheel blanket and one cable pattern repeat on the evangelines.

I have found myself bluesy. I don't know why and it's not fun to talk about because I sound like a poor pathetic girl with low self esteem who's always fishing for compliments and attention. It's hard to explain.

I can't wait to get into a groove with my new life. A scheduled day... I can't wait until I can go on walks again. It's hard to find time to shower, I can barely walk around the house unless I'm medicated. It's depressing.

And women who just gave birth should never ever pick up a mirror, especially in the bathroom. That would bring Chuck Norris to tears:(

I don't know what normal is anymore, so my perception of normal is far fetched. I can't say "I just want to be normal" because I haven't been with two kids before... so I have to find a new normal for myself. Something comfortable to me.

I wish I could find a way to tell my husband that I want more attention without sounding clingy or needy. It's not like i can make love to him or anything at the moment.

I just can't wait to feel healed enough to get out of the house. I'm ripped so bad I can't even drive. And I'm going stir crazy lately. My husband is working doubles, and when he's home he watches tv and just wants to relax because he works so hard, so it's hard to say "watch the kids while I take a shower" or "baby, pay attention to me"

I just want to curl up into a ball until I feel right again....

The Neverending Project.....

I have been working on this diaper bag for three weeks now. I haven't worked that long on anything since I first started knitting!!

There were a lot of firsts on it. There was the twisted stitch, the double strand, things I had never done before.

at first I got discouraged because my gauge was extremely too tight, but after the fiftieth row, I started on a flow.

Then there was the precipice of seaming, which involved three pockets, and two straps that extend all the way to the bottom of the bag..... very tiring. I was going to do it through a movie, but ended up doing it through two movies, an episode of Monk, and about two hours of silence on the couch, and finally, I was through!!

Twenty four hours of seaming!!

I am not that pleased with it. I am because it took me soooooo long, it was made by me, and I love the colors, but I wish I would've put more thought into the pattern.

It was a pattern free on label. Carons Simply Soft Brites Diaper Bag. I followed the pattern to a T, except for the extra side pocket I made, because, well, what's a diaper bag with only one side pocket??

I would've made the side wider, i.e. knit 8 before the slip to create side gusset, and made the bottom wider, i.e. knit two inches then binding off instead of the one inch it called for.

I should've thought about these things before just jumping into it and saying "well it looks pretty usable in the picture."

Now I have two side pockets that are only good for sticking thermometers in, because you can't get your hand to the bottom of the pocket to pull out a binky, and they are clearly too small for a bottle.

Hopefully after I wash and block it it will loosen up! It doesn't call for that, but I don't really like the way the bag leans to one side, due to the whole thick twisted stitch, I'm guessing? Like I said, never done twisted stitch before, but none of my other projects lean, so I'm assuming.

I think it will make a splendid bag for toys and extra clothes. I love it, and even though I would do things differently next time, I have to take this time with a grain of salt because there will never be a next time!!! That bag took up so much time!

I guess it's a good thing, though. It's out of the way now!!

I am now currently into a pinwheel blanket. I just started it, and can't wait to get it on circs. It was crazy starting out, but I am grooving on it now. I am not working on it that steadily being that I was finishing the freaking bag, but now that's out of the way!!

I am also working on the third bookmark for my three nieces, so they are almost finished. I am just really ready to have these things out of the way!!

I love knitting............ even when it's not so fun!

On the road to Contentment.

My double pointed needle problem has been solved for the moment.

I now hold in my stash twelve brand new pairs of double pointed needles ranging from sizes 1 to 10 1/2. Seven inches long five needles per pair and bamboo.

This is the first time I've ever knit with bamboo. Now I want to go replace my needles with bamboo needles, they're so smooth!

Now all I have to work on is my circular set. I want the harmony wood set. If my husband will ever give in and just let me order it.

I did a few quick projects that only took a day or so to do a piece, finished off some gifts to my nephews, still have two more nephews to knit hats for.

I found a quick, simple cabled hat pattern that are quick knits for my nephews, so I know all their heads will be cozy this winter. It was a great thing to start on, and really really easy! Now I want to try my needles at something a little more pattern studying. Or maybe just make some fingerless cabled gloves on my new double pointed needles so I can practice with that, and working cables with it... a new challenge for me! (keep in mind, I haven't been knitting that long.)

I know I said I was tired of time consuming projects, but I've now found myself full fledged in a diaper bag. Twisted stitch (new to me) double stranded (new to me) picking up stitches (new to me) so it should be fun. So far, the first side of the bag took me a long time because my gauge was soooooo tight, but I've fixed that. Got that finished, got two side pockets finished (even though it calls for one.., I felt a diaper bag would look naked with only one side pocket.) I'm working on the other end, then the front pocket, then the straps, then I'll pick up all those stitches and knit borders. Hopefully I'll have it all done by August!! jk.

After that I want to make a pinwheel blanket for my daughter. I've already bought the yarn for it and tested out a couple of color variations with color pencils, I think I've found the one I want.

I just can't wait to get this diaper bag knitted. Between that and the pinwheel blanket I think I may have enough time to knit a hat and a sleeper bag before he's here. I hope!

Oodles of needles

It seems I've run into a slight problem.

My stash just isn't big enough anymore.

My husband can't fathom how one person can have twenty pairs of straight needles and ten circulars, one set of dp's and not have anything to knit with!
Fifty balls of yarn, and nothing to knit with!

It's every girl's delima.... thirty pairs of jeans, fifty sweaters, one hundred pairs of shoes, and nothing to wear.

I am coming across this same problem recently. I'm in search for the most perfect cabled hat. I have never cabled a thing in my life, have new cable needles, thought I'd give it a go.... and the most perfect patterns just aren't at my access right now:(
I also want a quick knit that won't take more than a day or so being that my last two were blankets that seemed to take forever.
So I found the cutest cabled wrist warmer patters, (I know, off subject from the hat, but could later knit hat that matched) and it calls for double pointed needles that I don't have.
I have a very poor needle collection. I wish I had every needle in every size, straight, circular, double pointed, all inches, you get it! And access to any yarn store at all hours of the night with all patterns at my fingertips, just waiting for me to make them!
Oh well, until then, I'm still in search of the perfect fill me up quick knit fun and easy floppy cabled with the needles I do have on hand. The yarn, however, I believe I have a big enough variety to not yearn there. That's just pure selfishness:)

coasting coasters....

I knitted coasters today. I was happy with how they turned out, and the pattern turned out to be easier than I had expected. I got to try out a few stitches I had never done before. I learned how to increase using k1inc1, where you knit into the front and the back of the same stitch. It seemed confusing at first, then once I figured out what was happening it was difficult until I figured out that I could release the tension and give myself a little more slack. I'm just glad I have fingernails, I couldn't imagine doing it without them!
I also learned the bind off using three needles. I enjoyed not having to seem anything up at the end. I hate seeming. But I didn't enjoy the whole having to swap the stitches around on needles before positioning them into proper places. If anyone has any suggestions on an easier way to do that, please let me know!! That was tedious! The first two coasters it was hell, but as I got the hang of it, the only tedious part became swapping the stitches around on needles, the knitting the two at once was fairly easy.

About six months ago I knitted a fairly good sized swatch to try out a new pattern I had seen. I haven't been knitting that long so there's a lot that is still new with me. I have used it on my end table for my wrought iron coasters to sit on and to gather the moisture that falls off the coasters. I used the same yarn for my coasters I knitted, so it's a nice little thing I have going on.
I was pleased with everything. I really love the colors in this yarn. I knitted an entire bag with this yarn. The color change becomes hypnotic. I really wish it were another material, though, instead of just worsted weight but I like it just the same.
I still have a whole skein to use up!! I'm thinking of making dish cloths or a pinwheel blanket with the rest... not sure yet.

This is my first entry.

I haven't been much of a writer lately. I usually have words pouring out of me, being that I am a writer and all... but not so much the past few weeks.

It's weird, I don't have anything to write about. I could write about everything, like the topsy turvey tail I saw today that reminded me of broccoli bangs, my two year old daughter who is getting more and more verbal, which with that comes more rebellion, my up and coming pregnancy complete with braxton hicks contractions daily, and the nearing completion of my second baby blanket I'm knitting, on top of the frustration my husband gives off whenever I'm knitting away. I'm not sure if he's frustrated because I knit so much, or that I'm not currently knitting anything for him... not sure on that one. Either way, he'd never really admit it.

But, there's not much to say about me. I'm happily married, I knit, I have a two year old little princess who will be three at the end of September. My first son will be born in August. I have a puppy named Piper, and I like to talk a lot. When I say a lot, I mean a lot. A real lot!

So, maybe my writer's block will cease soon so I can put this blog to good use....