bunnies, sweaters, and hats oh my!

Easter is on its way, and when your only child is living in another country you have to think early about what to do.  My most recent experience dealing with international mail (and customs, duty & vat taxes) has not been too happy. I digress.

So thinking ahead and now ready to mail are these adorable bunny slippers.  They are made with a pink pacific yarn by cascade yarns and Alpaca Lace in peony pink also by cascade.  Before washing I was able to brush them with a scrubber lift the fluff, and throw them in the washer/dryer to finish it.  then embroidered the eyes and nose.  The bottom has 2 layers so they are quite squishy and come up the back of your heel like a scuff.  She's a dancer, and their house is quite cold so I'm sure that they will get lots of wear.  I considered putting on a bunny cottontail, but decided that it might be a nuisance. 

Here is a quick pick of the sweater I made her for Christmas.  Unfortunately it wasn't quite finished because I ran out of yarn just before she returned to England, so I had to mail it after it was completed.  The pattern was from the Contemporary Crochet 37 European designs  book, and I used  Sublime -Cashmere merino silk dk. It's a beautiful yarn to work with and has such a lovely hand.  The color is kind of a dark  taupe or clay color.  the sweater on the cover is the picture of the sweater I made her.




So I decided to try and knit again.  Having  a strong crochet background, does seem to really help.

I tried many times  years before and never could get the hang of it, the gauge, and the giant spaces on the first row were badddddddddddd.  This time, I decided to make a hat, using circular needles and then having to transfer to the double pointed needles to finish.  It was a bit frustrating- especially those double pointed needles, I would like to know who thought those up. But i did manage to make and adorable pink hat and then crocheted a big loopy flower for the top. I'm pretty impressed with myself.

so much so I thought what the heck lets make a baby sweater.  so I've been working on that now. Its in several pieces and needs to be finished.  Soon, you will see it.  I want to put a crochet edging on it, after its all sewn together.

so this is just a bit of what I've been working on.

phone call surprise.

SO  if you've followed my blog, you know that i spent the last year trying to sell my home.  We took it off the market in September so we could get some relief from the traffic of people tramping in and no offers coming about. Also we wanted to have the holidays with out interruption. We've been comtemplating when to put the house back on the market. It's 3200 sq feet and there are currently only 2 of us living here.  It's just too much space, although I like the luxury of the space, I don't need it.

Out of the blue yesterday I recieved a phone call from a realtor wanting to show our house. Evidently there is little on the market in our area and they went back to listings 6 months ago.  If it sells without having to relist makes it 100% percent a plus.  I'm a bit apprehensive, but on the other side a little excited.  Although trying to get my house back into shape over the next 3 days will be interesting.  If nothing it gets us motivated to put it back onto the market if it doesn't turn into a sale.

I have been working on some big projects for crochet and knitting.  I will post these in separate post.
thinking positively!

its all about the positive

So this year i really want to focus on the positive things in my life.  It's easy to complain, to let others know your unhappy, but it takes alot more work to feel good about lifes happenings, and the positive things we miss seeing in certain situations.
So I'm posting this link
to Dr Suess sayings.  As a child I read all those Dr Suess books and read them again to my daughter.  My favorite book to give to graduates is "Oh the Places You Will Go".  It just reminds them of all the potential they have when they explore the world.

[Via: http://www.mamiverse.com/30-dr-seuss-quotes-to-live-by-4920/" />30 Dr. Seuss Quotes to Live By]                 
   

oh happy day!

I saw this lovely photo and had to share.  I love brightly colored bouquets of roses, as oppossed to one single color. 
Since its been awhile I figure I need to come back with something lovely.  I have been working on several things, and will be posting my own pictures soon.  But wishing you a happy day, whether you celebrate Valentines day, or not.

changing friendships

Today I met with two friends for lunch.  I haven't actually seen either of them since October so I should have been excited.  But it was with a weary heart that I went to meet them.

  A few months ago, I found how little my friendship meant to them, and that any driving had to be on my part if  I wanted to get together.  I live 30 miles from them.  For Seattle that can be your commute on a daily basis. Regardless, every time it required driving to my home there were many reasons why they couldn't.  Once I quit traveling into their town, they quit calling.

One of them has taken a job out of state and wanted to share that information and that she would be leaving town on Sunday, while her son who is 12 and her husband remain here.  I think I was supposed to feel more sad, or shocked, but since I've only heard from her twice via text message, since the last time she cancelled on me earlier this fall, it was like the the sadness had already happened back then, so it was just now there would be a legitimate reason for her not contacting me.

  I'm happy that she thinks she's found something she wants to do, and I hope it all works out for her. She kept asking if I would come visit her, and I had to be honest probably not. Why would I pay to fly to another state, when she couldn't even make the effort to come to my home 30 miles away?

 Ultimately the last time they cancelled on me, upset me because it was one the gals birthdays, and I was planning & had started preparing a tea luncheon.  One other person was invited- she was the only who could attend. When I get and email saying " its my birthday I've decided to do something else with someone else", I was pretty pissed. And then the other said she couldn't make arrangements for her son to get home although presumably they had been made earlier.  After a couple hours I called the one with the son, and she proceeded to tell me she had plans to go out with another friend. OK Fine, I get it. I'm good to be around if I will travel, but not the other way around. So I figure this will be the demise of our friendship since I have no plans to travel to see her.

 As for traveling if I have a spare dime to travel, it will be to see my daughter in England.

I wish them both well. Although we had some things in common, I don't think they are strong enough to keep the threads of friendship from unravleing.

I don't get why clothing manufactures ignore the overweight.

This is a personal gripe, that I've had for years and years.

When I was little, my grandmother wore the most hideous clothing, awful fabrics and prints. I didn't realize then she had little choice.  She was a short woman but she had and extremely large bust (it scared me when I was young that I might inherit it-shudder). Her clothing in her later years really didn't match her personality.
I teach fitness classes, and I attend fitness classes, but I have a terrible time finding things to wear.  I am in the 16-18 size group.  This varies from manufacturer to manufacturer- god forbid that we could actually come to some kind of standard.  I've been going to hot yoga, and believe, regardless of size or ability you want to be able to wear shorts and some type of built in bra tank top that has wicking fabric.  Can I find one? heavens no! So frustrated I'm going to have to make my own. 

After all the bitching that people do about overweight people being lazy- did you ever think its because they can't find appropriate clothing to wear to participate? and if they do, they have to pay twice what the size m pays?  Believe the cost isn't that much more.  I used to be a designer and production person for dance costumes so I have the experience of making from wee little ones to adults.
Well that's what I have to share today- sorry for the gripe.

The cards are signed

Oh Christmas Cards, oh Christmas cards, how can it be Christmas without you?  I love Cards, whether they are Christmas, birthday, hi how are you, I just love getting those pieces of card stock that someone took the time to make or buy and send.  I haven't been such a good sender these past couple years of Christmas cards, but I always think of them.  A lot of people on my card list I might only hear from once a year at Christmas, and if i don't get a card, I wonder about them.  Are they OK? did they move, what's going on?  sometimes I only sign names, but I usually try to write something personal.  Even if I put the "standard" letter with the card, I still try to personalize it. Sending true greetings is fading in our society.
Not so many years ago, I used to sell supplies for making cards and scrapbook pages.  I taught lots of little classes on making extra things as well- gift boxes, gift items, some of my favorites were the handles for marshmallow roasters. Regardless, fewer people make cards, and even fewer people seem to send greeting cards. I know because my mailbox is empty but my email has electronic cards in it.  These are OK for when you forget and want someone to know your thinking of them. But it will never be equal to a real card.
So in time for the holidays, I've got my my letters written and cards signed. Tomorrow its off to the post office for stamps and mailing a 2 packages.  I love that these packages will be a surprise to the recipients.  Isn't that great? Not expecting anything and a little surprise will great them in a few days. May you get your holiday greetings out soon, however you like to do them.