Raggedy Anne....

Here is a photo of the pincushion I sent to my pincushion swap partner. I make folk dolls, and she mentioned that she likes Raggedy Anne, and, although this pincushion is sewn, not knit, I made it anyway! Well, I DID use yarn for the hair!! Hope she loves it as much as I do! Here are some photos:






Also, I made her a little card with Raggedy Anne and Andy on the front:

I'm getting in the mood for doll making now!!

Pincushion Spoils

I received a swap package from my swap partner in the ravelry pincushion swap! The pincushion is a wonderful little knitted pumpkin! It's so cute! Here is a picture:
It looks a little lopsided in th photo, but it really is cute!!! She even put leaf shaped pins in it!! She also sent some coffee, soap, and a cranberry candle (yum..)
Thanks, Bette!

Got my package off!

I joined a fall pincushion swap on ravelry, and it is so fun! I just mailed my swap partner's package. I just love to make and send cool suprises! Of course I love to receive, too! heh heh.... I am knitting some wrist warmers for my older son. Hope he might possibly like them and wear them in those chilly Indiana winters..... the pattern is "Toasty" and I am knitting them in a beautiful dark gray semi solid superwash wool by Queensland yarns...can't remember the yarn name offhand. Knitting time has diminished lately, as it seems the days are rushing by, almost like in the movies where everything runs into a blur...

Lovely Autumn

Autumn is my favorite time of the year....the weather gets cool and everything seems cool and crisp! Our trip to the mountains in Mew Mexico was wonderful, because we saw so many trees and forest and the weather was soo nice! I am posting some photos of my DH and youngest son on one of our fall hikes:


Soon winter will be here, and that's all right...then beautiful spring, and the hot summer....Fall is definitely my favorite season! It's also a time to get ready for all the holidays coming up and time to getready for all of our family to come home!

Amazing Autumn Coffee and Yarn Swap!

Well, I found another fun coffee swap! To see details and join, go here. Sign ups end October 15th....I participated in Coffee Swap Three last fall and really enjoyed it... here is my questionnaire:

Questionnaire

About Your Yarn Passion
1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? When did you first learn? I knit. First learned in third grade at Junior Girl Scouts (knit some mittens). I re-learned about 3 or 4 years ago..

2. Do you like using a particular type of needle or hook? (wood, metal, straight, circular) Is there something you've been wanting to try, or a particular size you always seem to be short on? The only metal I like so far are addi's... love wood needles. I use both straight and circular, depending on the project.

3. What kind of projects do you enjoy making? Any types you just haven't ever gotten into as much as others? I love knitting socks. I have knit a poncho and a couple of sweaters, scarves and several felted bags. I guess I love socks the most, but bags are second.

4. What's on your needles\hook right now? What's your oldest UFO (unfinished object)?Right now I am finishing a pair of socks. Oldest UFO would be my striped dog hoodie from the book Knitting for Cats and Dogs.

5. If you were going on vacation tomorrow, what project(s) would travel with you? Socks or a bag...maybe wrist warmers...or beaded scarf or bag...or baby stuff...........

6. What are your favorite types of yarns? Any you're allergic too, or just hate working with? Anything in particular you've been dying to try? No allergies, love sock yarn and worsteds, wool, alpaca, merino wool,bamboo, soy, corn...I don't care for 100% acrylics. I want to make lots of socks! Want to try making a Noni felted bag. I have a pattern for the metro bag I've been looking at...

7. What sort of colors do you love in yarns? Brights? Pastels? More muted colors? Variegated? Are there any you can't stand? Hmmm..sock yarn, love variegated and solid. Worsteds...love almost any color but bright yellow or bright green. I love green, but not "neony" green. I love rich colors. Also, colors that contrast and look wonderful together, also like textures, but textures as in different yarns knitted together...I live to make bags, too, felted or not...

Your Coffee Passion
1. Do you prefer caffeinated or not? caffeine, please

2. Whole bean or ground? For what type of pot or press? either. I use a Capresso drip. Want to try french press..

3. What types of roasts do you enjoy? Are you more the light and lively or dark and robust type? dark and robust, definitely!

4. How do you 'take' your coffee? Creamers? Sweetener? Other add ins? Sometimes black, sometimes cream.

5. That first morning cup - is it about the taste, or the caffeine? taste!

6. Do you enjoy going out to coffee shops like Starbucks? What are some of your favorites?Yes, Starbucks. I love nonfat sugar free caramel macchiatos......otherwise I get black coffee..

7. You've just made the perfect cup of coffee - is it in a thick mug, or a thinner cup? Where would you sit to drink it? Regular size mug. I drink while running around. Usually if I sit it would be in the office.

8. You're enjoying that perfect cup, and have a magic cabinet in your kitchen - when you open it, magically, your favorite treats will appear to enjoy alongside the coffee - what are they? Are they sweet? Crunchy? Soft and flaky? ooo,biscotti or cookies, so crunchy and sweet.

All about YOU!
1. Do you have other hobbies like spinning or scrapbooking? Yes! Scrapbooking, painting, writing,sewing, making art dolls and altered art

2. Do you collect anything? Not really. Used to collect unusual pigs or little sheep... ha ha ! now I collect yarn!!! ;). I love gel pens or pens that write well..also like vintage buttons, photos, pictures, sewing scraps, fabrics and trim.....love Amy Butler type fabric--I also sew and like to make cool stuff...purses etc..

3. What is your favorite part of Autumn? Weather, leaves in the Midwest, smell of apples and pumpkins, decorating, having everyone home for Thanksgiving...

4. What sort of scents do you enjoy? Any difference in what you like for your house versus what you like for your body? Yes, for home I like harvest, spice, apple, pumpkin, linen,warm homey scents. For body I like Philosphy's Amazing Grace body wash.

5. Are you allergic to anything? no

6. Are you on Ravelry? What's your ID? Yes! MariaE

7. How would you spend an ideal fall afternoon/day? Like I did last week in the mountains watching the trees and beautiful sky

Renewed....

There is so much to say about the outdoors. We hiked and hiked and and enjoyed the woods and the mountains. The drives were spectacular....Oh I love this country. We stayed in The Palace Hotel in Silver City, taught Alex about Billy the Kid (he had a billion questions), we stayed in a rather (kind of) remote cabin in Pinos Altos...we went the the Gila Cliff dwellings, the Catwalk, and just hung out in the perfect weather and outdoors. Ahhhhh. I would love to live somewhere there in a little cabin with my knitting!!! Oh, and my family, of course!!! I took loads of photos and will post them soon....
Well, meanwhile I won a prize in the Carefree (or not) Holiday KAL!!!! Yes! ME! Won a prize!! Can you believe it???!! (GRINNING) I won some Merino5 from Crystal Palace Yarns and I chose Red Cinnamon...going to make some Genome Socks without the frilly edge.... I saw a photo on ravelry of the exact sock I want to make!!! ooo, thanks Carefree (or not) KAL!!! for picking MY name from that huge container of names!! :D

Also, I was TAGGED by Corrine, of Craftyloca's Sanctuary: She has a great blog, I like to go there because I feel so at home there!


So here are the rules:

list six details about myself
tag six fellow bloggers
leave them a comment so they know they’ve been tagged.

Six details about myself:

1) Hmmmm.. I wear contact lenses AND reading glasses....when knitting, creating art, reading or writing. I don't want to have lasik surgery. I have worn glasses since I was 5 or 6 and have always been far-sighted.
2) I love to change rooms around and move all the furniture around when I get in the mood
3) I love to paint things like furniture and walls
4) I always seem to get into trouble in one way or another
5) I love people and my DH wonders at the way I can converse at length with a perfect stranger
6) I can't stand to eat any kind of bbq ribs...don't know why but they make me feel sick...

Okay, now it's my turn to tag six fellow bloggers:

Kathy at Aunt Kathy's Place
Lori at With Six You Get.....
Monica at Rubys N Purls
Lorri at Let's Talk Over Coffee
Adrienne at knitting in the bellybutton of california
Liberty at My Words Come Tumbling Out

Knitting Hopes and Dreams

OK, so no takers on the carefree knitting holiday thing... well, I thought it was a great idea, and furthermore, I am going to do it. I even have some things picked out: Toast and Toasty wrist warmers, Seafoam Towels, socks, Fourteen Cowl and Ridged Lace Cowl, and maybe a scarf.

Coming up next week we are going to New Mexico for some hiking and exploring in the Gila Wilderness:




and then we'll travel north to Albuquerque to visit Oma and Opa (my parents). Little guy has fall break so we are going. We are looking forward to this trip. The little guy will miss a soccer game and 2 practices, but it'll be ok. I am bringing him plenty of nightly reading and even some math facts for those evenings!! ha ha - don't tell him....

Well, I guess I'll even post a picture of a half done tesserae sock:

Done in Sanguine Gryphon's Eidos sock yarn in Phaedo colorway. Kind of a gray- green. Great yarn, by the way!

Hmm, I started thinking that I am going to start writing again...my writing is so rusty - downright normal anymore...

Well I'm off.