Dishrag Tag

( I posted this on Whoduknit by mistake so if you read both blogs - no you are not in the wrong place!)


I received my box from Robin of the "Phaster than Phelps" team on Friday when I got home from work.
Inside was a lovely dishrag,
a yummy smelling handmade soap, and the yarn for my dishrag, plus the secret pattern of course.
I knit up the cloth and back in the box it goes along with some hidden goodies.
Back on it's way to Grace in New Jersey!

Run Phelps, Run!!!! (Run?? As Kathy so aptly pointed out that should read)

SWIM PHELPS, SWIM!!!!

Yup swim right down the coast under the GW Bridge and then start running like H***.

Back to Work

My countdown may be showing 5 more days until school starts, but of course the staff goes back long before the kids to get things ready. Today was the annual 'body fluids', and 'sexual harassment' workshop. Even though I have had the body fluids training (how to prevent Hepatitis and HIV) every year for 26 years, I still do not stop to put gloves on before helping a child who is bleeding. I admit I am more careful, but just can't quite get the knack of saying - okay so you're bleeding, just stay right there while I get my gloves! The afternoon was more fun as we had a Maine author, Sanford Phippen as a guest speaker. He grew up here and still (at the age of 66) teaches at the University of Maine. He was funny and inspirational and a good way to start off the new school year. Tomorrow we meet as a staff to discuss what the new year will bring - hope to get some more inspiration and be ready to meet and great the kids on Tuesday! Even after all these years the first day of school is exciting and something I will dearly miss when I retire.
Did you see the photo I posted for "Wordless Wednesday"? That's the type of scenery I have to look at as I drive to work in the morning - tough, huh? Oh, sometimes it's foggy, and sometimes in the winter there is sea smoke rising off the water - but it's always a breathtaking scene!
In the meantime, I'm anxiously awaiting the 'box' for the dishrag tag. I'm hoping to get it tomorrow so I can get it back out by Saturday - otherwise, it's the long weekend, and no mail until Tuesday. I'm also working on my Special Olympics scarf - almost finished with the first one and will have plenty of that good old RH Supersaver to make another.

Wordless Wednesday

Scarf Progress

I finished my Red Scarf Project, frogged most of my Clementine scarf (and I thought it was going so well!), and picked up the yarn for my Special Olympics Scarf which I started in the same pattern as my red one, except in stripes with the Red Heard Supersaver. Mmmmm Yummy yarn LOL. If I have any left over I'm going to make some pot scrubbers out of it - I think they would work better than brillo. The blue color is really pretty though and it's for a good cause.

Special Olympics

A lot of you have been participating in Olympics knitting contests and it's been fun. But here is something much more worthwhile IMHO (in my humble opinion)

You can find it here Or if you are in Ravelry, you can find it here

And, yes it is Red Heart Super Saver Acrylic (which will make some of you say EKKKK!), but that's what it is. I, for one, have no problem knitting with Red Heart Super Saver and the rewards - priceless! Rather crochet - check here

Summer Vacation Expired

Patty sent me this - and yup - it's about to happen!

But..it's not over yet. We spent yesterday at a lobster picnic at a friend's summer house - and this was the view from their deck.

What a perfect day!

Prize Package

My prize package from Scout's contest arrived today.

The yarn is really yummy! With my gift certificate I decided on the Pattern Tamers and the pattern for the Elizabeth Bag. The pattern tamers are really neat and just in time! I have this thing about charts, maps, etc. For directions I need - "turn right, drive for 20 miles, turn left, etc." Maps just don't make any sense to me and my phobia carried over to charts. If I saw a pattern with a chart - and no written directions - forget it - not doing it! But I'm trying to get over that - using a chart now to knit my Branching Out scarf, and just cast on for the Clementine Shawl - another chart project. These tamers are going to help out a lot - I'll be trying them out today.
I'm using Knitpicks Elegance - baby alpaca and silk for my Clementine in Cornflower blue - a much prettier color than it looks in this picture.
The Elizabeth bag pattern is a bigger version of the Sophie bag, which I have made many times, so I thought I'd try out her big sister! The scarf version is really cute.

So - thank you again Scout!
If you haven't been to her store you should go on over and browse. the button is on my sidebar. Oh, and the red scarf project that won me this great prize is almost finished and ready to mail out by Sept. 1.

Swatches, Swaps & Sunshine

Did you know that you can send a post to your blog right from Flickr? I didn't know that! The more I learn about blogging the more I find out I don't know anything! So anyway this is my practice swatch for the MS4 KAL (what am I thinking?) One thing I know already is that I bind off too tightly. I'll have to use a bigger needle to bind off (if I ever get that far). I only did two repeats and I was supposed to do 3 I think, and I haven't blocked it, so it looks like a bunch of holes, but the yarn seems to work with the #4 needles I am using. I guess I should try another one and work some beads into it so I can practice doing that and see how they look. I have knit using beads before but never using such thin yarn and such tiny beads.

Have you see this Hat Attack Swap? It looks like a lot of fun. If it had been going on during the summer I would have joined - but September is hard enough without having to worry about being killed by a hat. And the other thing is - and get this - they expect you to get the right gauge when you knit the hat and if you don't it's a 'misfire'. I guess they don't use my technique of knitting a hat and then giving it to whoever it fits. I really can't do it! School will be starting and for the first month I usually stumble in my front door, brain dead, and only able to concentrate on the most mindless of knitting projects. Those little kids can really zap the energy right out of you! And this year's class promises to be especially challenging! However....just because I can't do it, there is nothing to stop YOU from doing it. Then you can tell me how much fun I am missing! Let me know if you sign up. And if you see my name on the list of participants - you can call me crazy! Oh - did I tell you the prize is $500 worth of yarn from South West Trading Co. I think that goes to the last person still alive at the end.

I did join the Inspired to Knit Knitalong and Mood Board - even though I don't have the book I think the mood board is a very interesting concept and would fit in with my other hobby - scrapbooking.

Tori turned 9 this week - very hard to believe my baby gdd is 9 years old!

She had a beach party last Saturday with 7 of her friends at their lake house.

The day began with rain, but that didn't stop the girls from swimming - after all, they were going to get wet anyway. It did clear up and the sun came out, and it was hard to bribe the girls to come out of the water and do the crafts and games we had planned.

The birthday girl. Can you tell that the frosting on the cake was blue?



The sun's so bright we have to wear shades!

I Don't Remember Growing Older

How could my DD possibly be married for 19 years? I've only been married for...well, um - 44 years. Diana was a beautiful bride - and is even more beautiful today. Jayson has a lot less hair these days! And of course you've all seen pictures of their beautiful children (slideshow at the bottom of the page). Happy Anniversary Diana & Jayson!

Rainy Day Meme

The Rules:
Rules are posted at the beginning. At the end of the post, the player tags 6 people and posts their names. Then the player goes to each of the “named” people’s blogs and leaves a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. If you’ve been tagged, you do the same, letting the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer. Your answer, of course, is the answer to the following questions. Here we go!

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

Hmmm - well I was living right here in Maine. At the end of August we would have been planning the twins 5th birthday party and getting ready for school to start. I was teaching in K-1 that year and the twins were starting school and going to be in MY class! I was a little bit nervous about how that would go - but it turned out to be an experience I wouldn't have missed for anything.

2. 5 things on my to-do list today?

1. Get my hair cut
2. Knit My swatch for the MS4 KAL
3. Watch the rain fall
4. Laundry
5. Food shopping

3. Snacks I enjoy:

Everything bad! potato chips, chocolate, ice cream

4. Places I’ve lived:

Clifton, New Jersey
Annandale, Virginia
Kenitra, Morocco
Newport, Rhode Island
Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico
Gouldsboro, Maine

5. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Buy a huge house on the ocean - complete with maid, cook, etc.
Make sure my kids and grandkids were secure for life.
Donate a million or two to our school building fund.
Share some with my sisters.
Share some with my friends.
Donate some to charity.
(I think I'm broke - it wouldn't take long I'm sure!)

I don't play by the rules so if you are reading this - you are tagged! And if you decide to do this, leave me a comment so that I can read your answers.

Lucky Me!

Whoo Hoo! I won Scout's Red Scarf Project Contest! I won this beautiful handpainted yarn - Glorious Morning Glories. And, that's not all - I also won a $25.00 gift certificate to Scout's Swag Shop. Why don't you go on over there and help me pick something out! I think I must have been sending out lucky vibes because I was knitting on my Red Scarf when she chose the winner!

Thanks Scout - your yarn is beautiful!!

Love the Mailman

Look what he brought today! My lace yarn for my MS4 . It's Knitpicks Shadow in Snorkel, and the Beads arrived from EarthFaire - they are size 08 Seafoam (Snorkel and Seafoam have to go together, don't they?) I love the yarn and love the beads and think they look just great the way they are. The yarn has just a bit of heather in it and the beads pick up the subtle colors beautifully. I'm not sure I want to mess them up by knitting with them!

I started my scarf for the Red Scarf Project - I'm using some red superwash worsted weight wool that I had in my stash and Stephanie Pearl -McPhee's pattern. It's a simple pattern, but I think it looks good -
CO 26 sts. K2, K2 through the back, P1, repeat to the last two sts. and K2
That's it - just repeat that row until your scarf is as long as you want it to be (or you run out of yarn.) I'm hoping to get a 60" scarf out of my yarn - I'm about half way there now.

Five Squares for a Gold

I finished 5 squares for

Close Knit Hugs to put Maine on their Olympic map. These squares will not only earn me a gold medal but also 10 entries in Shelly's contest! I'll be mailing out these 5 squares to Close Knit Hugs, but during the year I'll be knitting more, hopefully enough for a whole blanket, for this group.

Challenges

The Dish Rag Tag has begun! My team is Phaster than Phelps, so you better watch out! Emily mailed the boxes out on Friday so the race is on! There is a little Dish Rag Tag Widget on my sidebar that will show the progress of our team. I've been training for a week now (with my Ravelympic projects), and have my needles sharpened and ready to go!

It's time for the Red Scarf Project - details are here and to give you a little more incentive Scout is running a contest on her blog for anyone who spreads the word! So I'm spreading the word Scout, knitting at least one scarf, and challenging my friends to do the same!

I received my Medal for the bag-n-tote backstroke. What a proud moment that was, standing up on the Podium receiving my medal from Bob! (see the video of the race below!)

The Thrill of Victory......

The finals for the Ravelympic Bag-n-Tote Backstroke Event - Team Red Sox Nation

ON YOUR MARK.......

GET READY......

GET SET.....

GO - CLICK TO WATCH THE RACE

THE FINISH LINE................

Rainy Day Fun

Tori came over and spent the day with me yesterday while her mom, and brother & sister went out on the twins lobster boat to haul their traps.

My DD likes to call herself Jacob's "Sternmom" (the helpers on lobster boats are called Sternmen). So while they got soaked, Tori and I crafted our way though the day. It's been way too long since we have done this.

From my very short-lived basket weaving days, I still have a box full of materials, and Tori made these cute little baskets.

She brought a jar full of sea glass that she had collected when they went on an island picnic last weekend - with that we made gorgeous jewelry! We wrapped the glass pieces with wire and made necklaces, earrings, and pins for everyone!

Here is some of the gorgeous jewelry!

Then we got into my scrapbooking supplies and made cards with stamps, markers, etc.


A fun way to spend a rainy day!

I'm Swimming as fast as I can

Progress on the Shawl Relay -not too much!













Hug Knits Square - working on it.


Bag & Tote backstroke - getting there!


These Olympic athletes just don't know what we are going through!

Enablers (don't you just love 'em!)

Thanks to some of my enabling friends, (you know who you are!) I have, for some mysterious reason, joined Mystery Stole 4. Why is this so strange? This involves laceweight yarn, tiny beads, and small needles. I've only knit with laceweight yarn once, and that was a very small scarf that I frogged many times before completing. I not only joined Mystery Shawl 4 but I ordered my yarn and beads.

Shadow from Knitpicks in Snorkel and beads from Earthfaire.

I liked this excerpt from a post on the MS4 Yahoo Group -

"Re: Lace is scary! And preparing for lace is hard.
Patience, a quiet, undisturbed place to knit with something> relaxing, and non-alchoholic- -wine and lace knitting do not mix until> you are way more experienced with it."

I know that lace is just knit, purl, and YO, but it's the "patience' part that I have trouble with!

Another enabler, has challenged me to put Maine on the map on Close Knit Hugs ,

They are running an Olympics Contest over there to see which State can knit the most squares for their project during the Olympics. Shelly is running her own contest in conjunction with this one. So, besides my Ravelympics projects, I'll be knitting squares and that's something I can do with a glass of wine!

I hope I've 'enabled' a few of you today!

CAST ON!

Let the games begin! I cast on for the bag and tote backstroke event and chained I don't know how many for the Shawl Relay - just measured an arms width plus some. I know I can get the bag done before the closing ceremonies.

The shawl, I'm not so sure of.

In case you don't recognize me over on Ravelry - I've temporarily changed my adavar in honor of my Ravelympics team.

MAMMA MIA

I spent the day in Bar Harbor (an hour's drive) yesterday with my sister who is visiting from New Jersey. After lunch at the Parkside, where we enjoyed crabmeat melts and watching the hustle and bustle of shoppers walking by, we browsed the stores, and then met up with my DD and two granddaughters and went to the 6 o'clock show at Reel Pizza, where you can watch a movie while you eat gourmet pizza. We split the 'special' of the night, goat cheese, fresh basil, & tomato - yummy! They actually have couches and recliners in the front of the theater with t.v. trays! We saw Mamma Mia which was great! Meryl Streep, my favorite actress was amazing! I didn't know that she could sing like that. My DD and my sister had both seen the play on Broadway and loved it, they enjoyed the movie equally as well.

This post does have a knitting content! Since this movie was very popular, we had to go early to get seats and luckily I had my 'emergency' knitting with me. The cabled headband I'm making to match the Irish Hiking Scarf is a perfect small project to carry along.

I couldn't find a pattern I liked so I'm just making a garter border and one cable in the middle, making it narrower at each end and wider in the middle.

Tomorrow I have to CO for my two Ravelympic events and I'm beginning to realize that I overextended myself!

Swaps

I've been taking a break from swaps except for the Whoduknit swaps but I couldn't resist this dish rag tag swap.
It sounds like a lot of fun, and there is still time to enter if you hurry!

Swap Package and an FO

I received my Whoduknit Summer yard sale swap package from Norway today! We had $10.00 to spend on whatever bargains we could find. Annie sent some Norwegian superwash sock yarn and some interesting Tutti Frutti yarn which I think will make a great scarf.

I finished my Irish Hiking Scarf but it still needs to be blocked. It was an easy knit and is about 60" long. I'm going to make a matching headband and maybe some fingerless gloves to go with it.

What dreary weather we are having this week!

It stormed over the weekend, torrential rains, thunder storms, power outages and floods, and it looks like more of the same today. Oh well, guess I will have to settle for knitting and reading again today!

Ravelympics

I temporarily changed my countdown banner to the Olympics to help
me remember when to cast on for the Ravelympics. Are you competing? I'm entering the Bag 'n Backstroke event and the Shawl Relay. I'll be making Turtle Girl's It Felt Random Bag. Yes, I've made it many times before, but I think if you are competing in the Olympics you should do something you know you are good at! For the Shawl Relay I'm leaning towards the My Blue Jeans crochet shawl by Knottie by Nature. That will probably be more of a challenge. The real challenge will be finishing both projects by the end of the games!
There is a new on line knitting magazine called Twist Collective ? It looks pretty interesting. I think I am spending more time reading on-line knitting magazines than I am actually knitting.
Hope you all had a great weekend - Monday morning comes all too soon!