Organizing? Me?

I really am having tons of fun organizing this house. Actually, I feel really good that I have gotten rid of so many things we have kept over the years! Things just seem, well, clearer or something!!!!

Tonight I am taking youngest 11 year old son to his band concert. He plays the sax, and says he is in a duet tonight! Can't wait!...

Haven't had too much time lately to think about knitting, although it lurks in the corners of my mind, sits on my shoulder and waits...

Happy New Year!

Well today our daughter Karin left to go back to Houston... It was nice to have her here for Christmas. Our older son Andres was able to come for a few days, and that was wonderful, too! Today we'll take down the tree and the outside lights when it warms up a little this week. Tomorrow Russell goes back to work and Alex back to school....here we go! Big changes coming as we prepare to move to Connecticut. Lots to do....

Knitting-wise, I am working on a UFO - that Manos Throw I am knitting for oldest son. Next, I'll sew up the Sienna Cardigan I have had done, but not put not sewn together...for a long time... Mine is knit in Malabrigo Worsted Merino Wool in Lettuce. And I do have an unfinished pair of socks which I am thinking of just frogging and start a new pair of socks. Out with the old, in with the new....

Speaking of "out with the old".... I am also embarking on getting rid of tons of scrap-booking supplies which at one time I thought I needed.....(Cough....ahem) we'll go into that later...

Gotta go but will be back soon.

Happy New Year!

My SECRET PAL 16 QUESTIONNAIRE

I am here, back, and posting my Secret Pal 16 Questionnaire! Now, blog of mine, you are an official part of my day planner....

SECRET PAL 16 QUESTIONNAIRE

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely not like? Love Malabrigo Silky Merino, Madeline Tosh anything, Dream in Color, Lornas Laces, many more….I don’t really like cotton s like Peaches and Cream or some acrylics. I don’t like rough wool or acrylic.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? For my circs I have a Namaste Circ bag, for straights I have an old vintage vase, for sock needles, well, I just have them in a plastic bag.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I first learned in Junior Girl Scouts, and made a pair of mittens with my troop. Didn’t knit for a very long time, then relearned as an adult about5 years ago while volunteering at the Senior Center. The rest is self-taught from books or Knittinghelp.com, or You Tube videos. I am an intermediate knitter.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes, Amazon.com, the loopyewe.com, eastsleepknit.com, woolgirl.com

5. What’s your favorite scent? 1. Cinnamon apple harvest type scents, pine, also some fresher scents. Like jasmine too, and sometimes patchouli

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Oh my yes. Favorite candy? See’s chocolates….also Strawberry Twizzlers, Snickers with almonds, chocolate covered espresso beans, chocolate covered dried cherries…Haribo Gummy Bears… Also love any kind of almonds…

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? I sew – aprons, curtains, pj’s, pillows, and I make dolls, folk art dolls. I embroider/cross-stitch, paint, make altered objects and use mixed media (all kinds of vintage sewing trims, old buttons, cool old and odd stuff)

Do you spin? No, I don’t spin … (yet! lol)

8. What kind of music do you like? I love Bruno Mars!! Also Mike Posner, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Corinne Bailey Rae, Michael Buble, Bryan McKnight, Brian Culbertson, Diana Krall, Boney James, Dido, Seal, to name a few. Pop and smooth or contemporary jazz. Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? Yes (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

9. What’s your favorite color(s)? I love almost all colors except neon. I like deep rich colors, purple, reds, blue, greens, including sage but not pea green. Any colors you just can’t stand? Neon, light earthy colors that look non-descript.

10. What is your family situation? Married for almost 27 years (March 17, 1984) have a daughter almost 25 who lives and works in Houston Texas, a son, 23, who lives and works in West Lafayette Indiana, and a son, 11 years old, in 5^th grade. Do you have any pets? Yes, Maya, an 8 year old border collie/English Setter mix from the pound, Lalo, almost 4 year old AKC black and white English springer spaniel, and 7 year old Frankie, domestic brown tabby.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Love mittens and ponchos! Once we move to Connecticut in the spring, I am sure I will wear hats as well. Love hand knit socks.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks! Also lap blankets, some sweaters, hats

13. What are you knitting right now? Finishing a Manos de Uruguay Throw for my oldest son…

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I use both. Love circs and straight sock needles. Sock: bamboo or some type of wood. Circs: I like Addi Turbos or Crystal Palace or a real treat is Lantern Moon…

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes and yes!

17. How old is your oldest UFO? A year or a little more-it’s the Manos throw I am working on...

18. What is your favorite holiday? My favorite holiday is Christmas not only because we celebrate Jesus’ birth, but it is festive and I love to have family come home and gather, and I love to cook and bake and feed people!! What winter holiday do you observe? Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect? Vintage sewing trims and unusual buttons and trims, papers, and cool stamps like from stampington.com.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? At this time, I can’t think of any but I will. What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? none -I love a magazine called “Where Women Create” by stampington.com, and I LOVE almost all of their magazines. I just got the most recent issue of WWC for Christmas!! Regarding Knitting magazines, I like Knitscene, Interweave Knits and Vogue Knitting and as well.

21. Are there any new techniques you’d like to learn? More intarsia, I suppose.

22. Are you a sock knitter? YES! What are your foot measurements? I wear size 7 to 7 1/2 shoe, wide feet

23. When is your birthday? November 27

24. Are you on Ravelry? Yes! If so, what’s your ID? MariaE

Sunday

Happy Sunday.....our dear niece Kristen and her husband Daniel are expecting their first child October 30, 2010! Wish I could go to her showers...just sent a gift to my sister Anna...and now to see what I can knit for that little guy! They named him Mason.

Missed You

Missing my blog. Admit I kind of forgot about it with life happening. Getting back to it and to my painting and knitting and general artistic endeavors. So, if anyone is still around, lookout! Will post my adventures. Hugs to you!

I'm Back!

Well, I was gone for a long time.......last summer my mom got really sick from a back surgery and she passed away to be with Our Lord on December 1, 2009. She had been really sick since her surgery in July so I was going back and forth to Albuquerque to help. We got through Christmas, then my dad came and stayed with us for 6 weeks in the early spring, and went home a little stronger. Then, among others things happening around here, my dear mother-in-law Vicky passed away this last April 23, 2010 and is also with Our Lord . So, that's the story.
Other than that, time has been passing by very quickly and I cannot believe I haven't written here in almost 9 months! Whew! I am glad to be back....

La La's Simple Shawl

Oh, I forgot..
I have been knitting a Manos of Uruguay Four Seasons fall throw, and I have one strip done of 3. I haven't taken a picture yet, but will. Also, I have been knitting La La's Simple Shawl out of Malabrigo Silky Merino, and I have to say this yarn is a dream to knit with my addis.... I already frogged twice, and the first time I had about 18 inches done!!%#@)*&^&$%$, yes, the life of a novice knitter.... but here is a picture of the third try above:

Doggie Treats

This is my latest batch of "Maya and Lalo's Yummy Doggie Treats".... I was going to frost them, but decided not to. For the next batch I am going to use a different cookie recipe that uses fresh orange juice and I will frost those.... so, if you have a dog, they are easy to make... and fun. Of course I love to bake....the recipe is simple, I have several that are very simple and dogs love em!!!

Wow, it's been FOREVER

Well, I have many times sat down and said, "Oh, geez, I really should post something here on my blog..." but failed to accomplish that... So much has happened this summer that I just dropped the ball. I really do love this little blog, but STUFF was on my mind so , anyways, blah, blah, blah......
That reminds me. The other day I took Alex to the eye doctor for a check up before school starts. We found that he needs glasses just to see the board, not always....we were in the exam room laughing and talking with the doctor, and we came out and sat down, and when I told him we'd try on some frames, he didn't quite get it...I asked him "Didn't you hear us talking about you needing glasses to see the board?" and he replied, "No! All I heard was 'blah blah blah blah blah...'" I said, "Oh, so you just heard 'adultspeak' language and not what we were talking about?" "Yeah." He was thankful that he doesn't have to wear them all the time. He was so shocked when I asked him to try on frames!! lol.
Well Karin starts teaching reading and writing to fourth graders in Houston in a few weeks! How exciting. I am excited for her! She will be a great teacher. Andres is working hard in Indiana, and Alex starts fourth grade this coming Monday! He and Russell are going on a Father-Son camping trip with our church. Russell is the speaker there.
My mom and dad and sister Marta need your prayers, please. My mom has now had her 3rd lower back surgery since June. They really need to figure out what is going wrong here, this just isn't right. Marta is there holding down the fort and staying with my mom and keeping my dad company. It's tough, Marta is a miracle. She has been there since the 2nd surgery on July 8 all the way from Michigan. I was there (in Albuquerque) a couple of times but my stays have been limited because I have to be here, too. Thanks for your prayers. Much appreciated.
This weekend when the boys go up to the mountains camping, I plan on painting and organizing my studio (craft room) downstairs. I don't like to really call it a craft room because that is too generic. I am not making stuff for a bazaar, but I create original works of art--hence--I call it a studio. Capiche? Well, if I get that done this weekend then I deserve a pat on the back, because we have lived here a year now and the room looks like a storage room. (Dare I take before and after pictures???)
On the other hand, depending on how my mom and dad and sis are doing, I may jump on a plane for Albuquerque. Depending.
Peace to you, my friends.

Whew!

Oldest dd has graduated officially from U of AZ and has a job with Teach for America!!! She is so excited I can hardly stand it!!! Oh, the excitement! Oh the praises we sing! Oh, I am tired........... we now are moving her back to Scottsdale, then in July to Houston.... she is buying herself a new car, and will be on her way....what more..... we are proud of her! More to come......