Dark Side of the Moon

Hello, ello ello? Anybody hear me?

Saw the lunar eclipse two nights ago, was really cool! Unfortunately, I do not have a camera with a decent zoom lens so this is the best I have to offer you:This was about 9:40PM prior to the full eclipse. The full eclipse was beautiful, kind of orangey-peachy. It was so cold outside that Nature Boy and I would run out and view it for a few moments, then run back in. The clouds surrounded it but did not cover it; neat, huh?

So knitwise, here is a recent shot of my chemise: It's slow going at best. Here is a group shot with my knitting, my tea and my VEGAN BANANA BREAD:Finally, here is the vegan naner bread on it's own. I didn't have any nuts in the house ('cept peanuts) so I threw in some shaved coconut chunks--YUMMMMM!!!
I have today off and my house is alreday clean, hooray!! Off for some fun!

MISSING!!!

Missing: Size 5 double-pointed needle from the Knitsburgh Area.

Last spied on the couch, next to four other DPNs of similar size/build. If anyone has any leads, please contact the authorities immediately. Two suspects have been detained:
Isabella Maria
Quandary Bartholemiuex


Isabella was spied on the couch in the vicinity of the needle prior to it's going missing. Quandary has in the past been observed violently biting the victim.

I am knitting lace and it's hard and it makes my head hurt! I may need to start something I don't have to concentrate on to knit during those times I don't want to concentrate so much, like when I'm watching some crappy TV. I have already had to frog it to the beginning once due to my continual mistakes when not being as thoughtful as I need to be about it.

Not too much new here. The weather is gray and bleak and turning colder and windy. I just wish it would snow and snow a whole lot; if it's got to be this cold, then there should be snow or in my oppinion it should be at least 80 degrees and sunshiney.

I do go about and thrust my oppinions into the world a lot, don't I? Is that a bad thing, to have oppinions? I used to think not but lately, I have been getting the feeling people don't like it. Oh well, they know what they can do...

Happy Valentine's! BONUS-SUPER LONG ENTRY

Hope Eros and Cupid and Venus find their way to your door today!
Here's a lil shot of some homeade gifts for my two sissies:


I made the soap and the heart-motif washcloths, which were made from a pattern I found free on-line. I've been using patterns a lot lately, as I am LAZY right now. I hope to begin designing again in a few weeks.

I should insert a warning here: I am home sick from work today so this may be a long one. And what better to do when home sick than...taxes!!!
The longer this post, the more I get to delay the fun of tax prep. Makes sense, right?

I attended the 4th Annual Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Fest this past weekend. I would love to say how fabulous it was, but something is amiss when you pay $15.00 just to enter the door for the priviledge of buying expensive fibre. I bought one of my FAVES, the 2nd Time Cotton, which is RECYCLED cotton fibres leftover from the textile industry all spun up like new into soft, happy colorful skeins. Here is the bounty:



Here is also Ms. Madison Penelope, who finds work, as some of you know, as a supermodel. Basically, when the camera comes out, she comes running over. I missed the shot of her running up and trying to grab the yarn from behind the chair back slats. She's a crazy lil monkey, that one!

So, what does one intend for all that soft, sexy skeinage, you ask? I happened to get the newest Interweave Knits in the mail right before said Fibre Fest and wouldn't you know it, found a use BEFORE I even purchased it! Here's a peak at what I hope to accomplish.
And here amidst my taxes is the start of the chemise: For those of you trying to keep track, here is my "how many projects do I have going" roundup:
1. Socks on needles--forget the name, driving me crazy in Maizy (which is CORN!)
2. Sweater of my own design (started this fall, yikes!)
3. New Chemise pattern from Interweave
4. A Steeler-scarf somewhere upstairs is still on some needle-age.

Really, not too bad. So here are some future plans:
1. Make a rug out of leftover shirts/jeans whatever cut and tied together to make a giant ball of recycled fibre. This one will take some time...
2. Make curtains for the kitchen and dining room (Hardanger embroidery)--once we get things painted.
3. Knit a pillow for the couch of for the floor with some remnants in the stash.
4. Find a use for the mostly-orange skein of bamboo I got but don't know what to do with. Maybe a hat? Some covers for containers? Anyone need anything orange?
5. Make some cushions for the radiator covers Nature Boy has started but has yet to finish (in his defense, he works in our garage which is not heated and has no electricity. He hooks up a power cord to the inside of the house, runs it through a window or door and then uses the power tools. It's freezing and there is snow and ice and he really can't work more the 10 minutes at a time without the risk of hypothermia).

One more set of pics--here is a shot of the Beachcomber fingerless mitts I made (both are now done and are being put to good use, thanks to the frigid tundra outside, proof as follows):

I will end with the bestest news of all. Nature Boy, in his sweet way, left me a Valentine card this morning before he went to work. I opened it and suprise---he got me a gift card for Knit One! I feel bad cause he wrote inside he got it before he learned of my "feelings" about Knit One (not-so-likey and I am dying to get to a new shop, called Natural Stitches, that I learned of recently--hello, they carry lots of "green" fibres which makes me so happy. Trust me baby, that card will not go unused!

So after I figure my taxes out, I plan to knit away my sick. And dream of taking my tax return moolah and going somewhere warm, with an ocean and a great yarn shop...