Resonant Frequency

Snow!

We've been up since 3:30.  We're a bit loopy - not in the drunk way, rather in the sleep-deprived fashion!  Dude had some biological needs to meet at 3:30am, so Duane let him out....and for some reason I decided to wander downstairs as well.

This was our undoing.

I stumbled into the laundry room to find Duane doing laundry.  At 3:30am.  While letting our firstborn out.  Ummm...next time I'm grumpy with him, remind me of this, okay?  I grumbled about the insanity of it all and then hung up a pair of pants.  At 3:30 in the morning.  Then, we went back to bed.  And did not sleep.  No no no mom, not for *that* reason!  Just because.  I couldn't sleep.  Poor Duane tried everything - rubbed my back, cuddled, even had me sing to him (yes, it helps sometimes!)....but insomnia is a traitorous wench.  He finally conceded defeat and reconciled himself to the fact that my flailing about would not lead to more sleep for either of us.  So...we chatted.  In that irreverant, random way that you do at 3:30 (probably 4:30 by this time) in the morning. 
Hey - I even made up a word in all the randomness!  Syncophant.  I was trying to say sycophant, but my tired tongue couldn't form around the phonemes.  So we have decided that a scyncophant is one who is sycophantic at certain prescribed times.  I know, total geekazoid geekiness.  But it made us laugh.

And then....it happened.  We heard a loud noise outside, and a gigantic scraping sound.  I wasn't sure what it was (and me a native New Englander!), but my Kiwi hubby leaped out of bed and exclaimed...."it must be snowing!"....having correctly identified the sound of a plow.  We peeked through the blinds like a couple of guilty peeping toms, and sure enough, white powder covered the ground.  So, like the crazy fools (in love - Duane made me write that, even though it sounds so cheesy!) that we are, we took pictures.  I present for your viewing pleasure....first snowfall of 2005 at the home of Doodlebug and SqueeveHead!

Yes, it was dark out.  It wasn't quite 5:30 when I took this photo!  But look!  Falling snow!  Of course now we're too excited to go back to sleep.  You'd think we were a couple of kids expecting a school closing or something!  Logic would tell us that we are adults who actually have to wake up every morning for some reason or another, and that this morning, a holiday, would be a good time to sleep in.  Logic, schmogic, I tells ya!

Cheers, all.  Enjoy.

Say it with me now.....

....awwwww!

Look at this hat. 

I adore it.  It is for Little Miss H, and I simply must knit another one to display in the store.  I found the *free!* pattern here.  I wasn't sure if I would like the end result, but I love love LOVE the final product!  It looks a bit different than the sample shown - more normally proportioned rather than so bulbous.  And the yarn?  Oh.  My.  Heavens.  It's Lorna's Laces Angel in Happy Valley colorway.  It feels like....nothing, really!  It's so soft that it's ethereal to the touch.  I can't say enough good things about this fiber. 

It's 70% angora and 30% lambswool.  These pictures are a pretty accurate capture of the colors....but of course in person it comes alive.  I can't wait to give it to Little Miss H!

*Edited to replace ugly pics with pictures taken in natural light.  :)

Stitch Marker Swap

Here are the finished good for the Stitch Marker Swap before I mail them out tomorrow morning.  Cheers and happy knitting to my 5 recipients!

I had such fun making these....I may make some up to put in the store too!  They present nicely on the hand stamped cardstock. 

Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Pure love....

....is this looking up at me while I snuggle on the couch.  Note the Squeeve-head in the background, cuddled up next to/on top of/underneath us.

This picture is not modified, not posed, and not unusual.  It is indeed a picture of an 84 pound weimaraner stretched out on top of my prone body (his head is on my chest) and his 88 pound brother on top of both of us.  There is some serious cuddling going on tonight!

Secret Pal Spoils!

Oh boy, I love packages.  And packages that say SP in the return address?  Nurse, pass me the scalpel.  I'm cutting this baby open.

After minor surgery which involved removing miscellaneous body parts, we got to the good stuff - I give you.....pressies!!!

This book is amazing.  The photography is clean and crisp, and the instructions are clear.  I'm looking forward to playing with some of the ideas - in fact, the word "swatch" just flashed in my brain, and I HATE swatching!

But wait, there's more!

A plethora of paraphanelia for my pnitting (the P is silent, and is present for artistic (loose use of that word) purposes only) pleasure!  Yeah Audrey - can you say embedded clause?  Oy!  Out out, linguist!

Apologies for that outburst - seems the sinus medication I'm taking releases my inner linguist.  As well as performs exorcisms of said linguist.  In Yiddish, apparently.  We now return you to your regularly scheduled reading.

Thank you secret pal - all treasures shall be enjoyed thoroughly!

Knit Nite Part II

Posting while watching TiVo episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway?....could be dangerous!  Love this show...

I have to post the last few pictures of last Friday's Knit Nite because they make me smile!

This one shows Debbie in action - she explaining something....all I remember is that it goes "spin spin spin" and she's gesturing the spinning action.  Yes, it sounds strange out of context.  If I could remember the context, I would let y'all in on it.  But I can't, so in the spirit of Whose Line....make up your own!

And of course, Dutiful Deuteronomy kept us company throughout the night.  I swear, if that dog had opposable thumbs he'd be knitting with us.

He's thinks he's a person.

Next Knit Nite is Friday December 2 from 6:30-10:00.  Same Bat Time, same Bat Place!  www.pixie-sticks.com has more details.

Cheers!

I've become an enabler....

...or so I was told at last night's Knit Nite!  Two of the gals were under 10 years old, and smitten with knittin'.  After a bit more thought, though, I suspect these chicks were enabled before setting foot in the shop! 

Last night was such fun.  We had the privilege of playing host to new people and more new people!  It's always a gamble when opening your place of business - and in my case this means also my home - to anyone who happens to take a fancy to the idea of a Knit Nite.  Let me tell you, this 'gamble' paid off to the point where I think I should be paying taxes on the earnings!  We met Debbie and Sue, two of the easiest to like people I've yet met.  Perhaps it was the fact that they both had adorable daughters who were so mannerly and bright.  Perhaps it was some of the decisions they've made that are so in keeping with my philosophy of "the-world-as-it-should-be-run-according-to-the-A-team".  (Yep SCB, you're included in that!)  Or maybe it's just because knitters as a whole - and these two in particular - as so darn nifty!  Whatever it was, the night was delightful and a definite repeat is in store!

When Sue arrived with Miss E in tow, I knew we would get along just beautifully by the way they greeted me and then promptly turned to Dude and Levi and rendered to them their due.  The boys bathed in the attention lavished upon them, and I knew that I might have to bribe my silly monkeybutts with the c-o-o-k-i-e-s just to keep them from going home with Sue and co.

Not only is she cute, she knits!  (By the way, the mom is the one on the right in case you were wondering!)

Debbie and Miss L arrived bearing gifts and food!  It turns out that not only does Debbie knit, she also makes homemade soap.  And lampwork beads.  And her husband operates a bakery from their commercial kitchen.  Yeah, that one's a keeper if only for the fresh bread and other scrumptious baked goods I'm sure they get to test out!

Superchicabonita absconded with one (not really, it just sounds more dramatic!) and these are the three that we shall be using frequently - they smell so good and feel like buttah!

The sweet Miss L has all the makings of a young Elizabeth Zimmerman - here she is pictured knitting with a broken arm, surely the epitome of "Knit on with confidence and hope, through all crises!"  If a broken arm doesn't constitute a knitting crisis, I don't know what does!

More to come soon, but now we're off to Boston to see Celtic Woman.  Cheers!

Gracie and Company

This evening we had the privilege of meeting the founders of Gracie and Company, Michelle and Scott.  Michelle and I have been corresponding for a short time and we knew that we absolutely had to meet - in fact, even our husbands said we had to meet!  If owning our own businesses wasn't enough, the fact that I guessed the name of their soon-to-be-born bairn should tell us we've got something in common!

Gracie and Co. brought a sampling their gorgeous hand crafted knitting needles to display in Pixie Sticks.  I knew from the simple elegance of the packaging that what was inside must be special - and I was right!

Upon opening, oohs and ahhs were heard - and I don't think I was the only one exclaiming, Duane!

Look at those babies - they're super smooth and amazingly light.  We compared them to some of the Daisy needles I carry in the shop, and guess what?  Even the US35's were just as light as the hollow plastic needles.  I don't know how they do it!

And as a special gift for guessing Baby Cady's name, these!

I used the flash in the second picture to try to capture the coloring on these needles.  Gracie and Co. calls it "Vineyard" - it's a proprietary color blend and the final product is stunning.

We're excited about meeting Michelle and Scott, and we look forward to working together with Gracie and Co!

Swift Boys

I have proof - boys play with yarn too!

My hubby is reluctant to admit that yarn is way cool, man.  But he does enjoy playing with the gadgets that any self-respecting yarn shop owner should have.  This of course includes (but in no ways is limited to...ay yi yi!) a swift and ball winder.  Sunday morning we had some friends over and wouldn't you know....we ended up playing with yarn.  We DO have a life, really!

The boys - hubby and Mark (Sarah's hubby) were quite intrigued by the swift.  I brought it out because Sarah and I were knitting and the natives were getting restless.  As soon as I vacated the vicinity of the swift, the boys honed in for the kill.  Even Deuteronomy was part of the action.  Then again, he thinks he IS a boy.  Levi's the only "dog" in our house, apparently.

Duane and Mark had a bit of a time figuring out the right orientation of the yarn and how to attach it to the winder, but once they did they flew!  I think Mark would have liked to try another hank....maybe next time, buddy!

Proof:

Duane, Mark, and Dude's nose investigating the strange contraptions.

Things really took off when they figured out that if you guide the string from the swift, things happen....swiftly!

Sarah and I sat, knit, and giggled.  Often.

Socktoberfest!

I'm a bit behind with Socktoberfest - November just snuck up on me and I'm one sock short!  Don't worry Superchicabonita, you will have your socks.  And soon.

Here's a few shots of the one finished sock.  Poor lonely sock.  I will provide you with a lifelong mate very shortly - in fact, I'm in the process of creating one for you right now.  (God complex much, Audrey???)

And a closeup of the Roman Stitch thrown in there for some personality.  What kind of personality does a Roman Stitch have, I wonder?  Bold and warrior-like?  Hmm.  You will feel very strong in these socks, methinks!

It's a simple variation to work into the normal monotony of stockinette stitch socks, and it doesn't hide the patterning of self-striping yarns.

More shots of the finished couple soon!