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!

Thank You Manny

And a new "Bay" dawns in Boston!

Thanks for the memories - but it's time to go! May you find your "Mental Peace" in LA.

Contest Winners

"Drum Roll"....... And the winners are:

Wendy Who makes a difference in the lives of children and what can be more important than that?

Nancy at the Jersey Shore who I happen to know makes the world more beautiful because she is a beautiful person!

Georgie who doesn't have to wear a flour sack over her head anymore!

E-mail your address to me (grammieknitsatyahoodotcom) and I will send you your prizes.

And..to the rest of you beautiful people who are doing your best to make the world a more beautiful place, e-mail me your address and I'll send you a 'making the world more beautiful' bookmark.

Branching Out

I CO for the Branching Out Scarf (Knitty Spring 2005) with some very pretty Rowan Summer Tweed that I have had in my stash for a long time. When I saw a photo Branching Out made with Rowan Tweed on Ravelry I knew that was what it was going to become. So far I am loving working with this yarn. It is so light and airy. And I love the color too. Even though the pattern is not going to show up as much as it would with laceweight yarn - The pattern is pretty easy and I like the way it's coming out. Maybe by the time I am finished I will have the confidence to knit it with laceweight!

I also have about 50" done on my Celtic Cable Scarf - I think I'm going to make it at least 60" - I'll still have enough yarn to make a matching hat.

I'll be drawing the names for my contest later today - so stay tuned!

Hug a Tree

Thanks everyone for entering my contest - there is still one more day left to enter. Click on the colorful tree on the sidebar and tell me how you are making the world more beautiful! I'll be drawing three names tomorrow for the three market bags.

Pay It Forward

I received my Pay it Forward from Megan this morning. This cute little bag - just big enough for some credit cards, a cell phone, and I probably could fit my camera in there too - and what more would I need!
Thank you so much Megan. And I have already 'paid it forward'!

July Mystery KAL

I knit this for the Whoduknit July Mystery KAL. It was designed by Aunt Kathy and I love it!

Thanks for all of your encouragement on the Celtic Cable Scarf - it didn't help! LOL Well, actually I cast on but then realized that it called for a DK weight yarn and I was using worsted weight. That shouldn't make too much difference since it's a scarf - but it was so wide, and there is no way to cut that pattern repeat down, and I didn't think I'd have enough yarn....so it is on hold, and I cast on for the Irish Hiking Scarf with the worsted weight yarn. But, I'm not going to give up on the Celtic Cable Scarf (how can I now that you have all challenged me to go for it!) I think I have some DK weight alpaca in blue that would be really pretty. But for now - here is progress on the Irish Hiking Scarf - which is an easy cable pattern and I don't even have to count!

We have had rain and more rain - all the better to knit and read I guess. But it would be nice to see the sun again!

Christmas Knitting

No, I'm not trying to wish the summer away - believe me! But summer is when I usually get most of my Christmas knitting done, and I haven't even started yet....so the banner on top of my blog is to remind me to get going! If you are my friend on Ravelry and you checked your friend's queues this morning, you might have noticed that I added a lot of scarf patterns to my queue - too many too choose from! But I'm going to try starting with this Celtic Cable Scarf by Vanessa Lewis. I'm making it in a vintage Irish Fisherman's wool in a natural off-white color, which was given to me by a friend. I say try because it is a pretty complicated pattern - at least for me because it requires concentration! I won't say who I'm making it for because she just may be reading my blog (and I just may have to frog it!).

The Yarn Harlot's Never Not Knitting

On Monday I received a package from MaryLynn, one of my longtime Whoduknit buddies, with some great yarn and books for the Whoduknit prize locker, and a present just for me! I had to laugh at the coincidence of the title of my last post when I opened this! It's Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's 365 Days of Wit and Wisdom 2009 Calendar and the title..."Never not Knitting". Goes perfectly with the song in my last post.

Don't forget to enter my 400 posts contest (on the sidebar) and the other contests that are there too.

Never Not Knitting

I came across this while browsing on Ravelry - you just never know what you are going to find there! It's the Never Not Knitting Theme Song!

400th Post Contest - Go Hug a Tree!

You may have seen this on Lime & Violet's Daily Chum. It's artist Carol Hummel's tree cozy. Or how about Frances Trombly's garden hose? They are a little extreme - but one way to make the world more

beautiful one stitch at a time!

So, what are you doing to make the world more beautiful? At my house we have started composting, not exactly a beautiful thing - but it may lead to a beautiful garden with more home grown veggies, etc. So...to enter my contest, leave a comment on this post telling me what you are doing to make the world more beautiful - it can be serious, or it can be funny (I like to laugh!). The contest will run until the end of the month. Link my contest on your blog and you will get two chances to win. On July 31 I'll draw three names and each will win one of these hand-crocheted market bags - one more way to make the world more beautiful!

( If Blogger won't let you comment, you can e-mail me (grammieknits@yahoo.com) with your plan to make the world more beautiful.)

Meet Bruno

My newest grandpuppy. He is a 10 month old sheep dog (now all we need are the sheep!) He'll grow to about 70 lbs!

Tiny Memories

When I posted this meme awhile back my neice posted the sweetest comment about her memories of things I knit for her when she was a little girl. She actually still had two of the Barbie outfits I had knit which were mini versions of a sweater and poncho I had made her and she promised to send them. I received them yesterday - I can't believe she kept them all these years - what a great memory! Thanks so much for these tiny treasures Linda!

Scattergories - Something Fun

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Scattergories - something fun
SCATTERGORIES ...it's harder than it looks! Erase my answers, enter yours and post it on to your blog. Let me know when you have done it and I will come check it out!
Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following.
They have to be real places, names, things. Nothing made up!
Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial.
You CAN'T use your name for the boy/girl name question.
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Jane
4 LETTER WORD: junk
VEHICLE: Jeep
TV SHOW: Jeopardy
CITY: Jersey City
GIRL NAME: Jordyn
OCCUPATION: Jeweler
SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Jeans
FOOD: jelly
SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Jergan's lotion
REASON FOR BEING LATE: Just lazy
YOU SHOUT: Jeez!

Mosaic Meme

My creation
Originally uploaded by grammieknits

I found this on Aunt Kathy's blog (I find a lot of stuff there!) This is what you do:

1. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
2. Using only the first page of results, pick one image for each question.
3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Big Huge Lab’s Mosaic Maker to create a mosaic of the picture answers.


Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

Follow the One You Love

This is so cute! Click here: SonnyRadio.com :: The Duck and the Dog.

Do you like the music I added to my blog? I need to add more songs and have them come up randomly so you don't have to listen to the same one every time you visit - but last night "Sweet Caroline" was definitely appropriate as the Sox are now back in 1st place and all is right with the world once again (well, the baseball world anyway).

Saturday Sky

This is actually not today's sky, but a picture taken on another Saturday, which I never posted...It was a storm rolling in, and I though it was awesome! Today's sky is much bluer - we've had such great weather lately that it's getting a little scary!

Did you see my new bookshelf on the sidebar? It's great - I can keep track of the books I've read and those I want to read so I don't get half-way through a book before I remember that I've already read it (you know that CRS syndrome?) You can get your own bookshelf if you click on where it says 'get your own shelf. You don't have to publish it to your blog - you can just keep track of books on that site. The "Hick Flicks" book is a book my son wrote. He's a film critic in Austin, TX.

Would you believe I'm getting very close to my 400th post! Be looking for a contest soon!

Wordy Wednesday

Screen Porch

My new favorite place to knit and read is on the porch at our camp on Upper Middle Branch Lake in Aurora, about an hour from our house. In Maine, a 'camp' is a cottage, usually on a lake, unless it's a hunting camp, which is usually in the middle of the woods. My DH has been adding an addition to this camp for the past couple of years, and finally the porch is screened in so I can actually sit out there and not be eaten alive by blackflies, mosquitoes, whatever pest is in season at the time. That's the original camp (kitchen/living room and two tiny bedrooms) in the top picture - the addition is about twice the size of the original camp!

This is the lake that it looks out over and it is the most peaceful place in the world! There is no electricity, no cell phone service, and so of course no t.v. or computer, so I do start having withdrawal symptoms after a couple of days and have to come home for a 'fix'. It's still a work in progress - be we're getting there!



I returned home from 'camp' on Monday and found my Knitsimple magazine and the new Knitpicks catalog waiting in the mailbox. There are definitely a few things I want to make from Knitsimple like the Mind Over Mittens hat and mitten set, and the Floral Rucksack bag with crocheted flowers, the cabled wrap, pumpkin tea cozy, and maybe even the Staff Pick - Collared Cardigan.

Then, I opened up the Knipicks catalog to find all of their knitting books are on sale for 40% off and while I was browsing that, an e-mail came in from Interweave Knits advertising their 'hurtbook' sale -books that are slightly damaged or overstocked at 50% off. So now I have wish lists in both places trying to make up my mind if I really need more knitting books! Got to hurry though, before they are all gone!

Oh, and before I end my 'wordy Wednesday', don't forget to go over to Aunt Kathy's Blog and get in on her contest going on every day this month.

Sunday Morning Visitors

Gobble, gobble, gobble- look who is visiting my yard this morning? These three wild turkeys have made themselves quite at home in my backyard.
I guess they must know that Thanksgiving is a long way off!

Happy 4th of July

What a gorgeous day at the lake.
great food - friends & family - great kids - great weather. (and, oh, yeah, the Red Sox beat the Yankees today!)

My grandkids do have a few toys!
A little tubing, anyone?

And Casper, their loyal Maltese, waiting patiently at the dock for them to return safely......priceless!
And the next day - a little baseball. That's Jacob pitching and they won their game 13-11.

Happy Birthday Linda Lee

Have a wonderful Day!

Contest Swatch

Aunt Kathy is running a contest from July 1 to August 31 with 9 chances to win. Every day there is a themed contest assignment and for every comment you get one entry in that week's contest. Yesterday was a pattern to try out. Here is mine:

The photo is a bit blurry - but it's a pretty stitch. I'll keep going and make a washcloth since I'm using S&C cotton.

Betcha Can't Make Just One.....

Well - I can't anyway! I made another with the Bernat cotton - this one shorter and fatter (like me!) The Yellow on is based on the Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Market Bag with a few extra rows at the bottom and top, is made with some cotton yarn I had in my stash, I think it's CottonEase, and the pink is from some Sugar & Cream stripes.
This one was also made with Sugar n' Cream -a little bit bigger, It took just a little more than one ball of each color. I have it filled with yarn here - and could stuff it even more if I tried.

Next I'm going to try the June - Go Green Market Bag from Suzies Stuff.

She uses a CD in the bottom of the bag to make it sturdier.
What am I going to do with all of these market bags???? I promised I would do a table for the church craft fair coming up in two weeks. I thought these might sell well since they can be used for beach bags as well as market bags. And, if the Sox keep playing as badly as they have been, I'll probably have a dozen of them made by then.

To Market to Market

To buy some more yarn??? I made this crochet market bag yesterday. I haven't crocheted in quite a while and have forgotten how much I enjoy it. It's fast, easy, and I can watch a ballgame while I do it too! The pattern is basically Turtlegirl's Beginner Crochet Market Bag A Ravelry download. Cristi's felted bag pattern has been a favorite of mine for a long time and I've made many versions of it. I think this one will be a favorite too. I changed the beginning round and the handles a little bit. As you can see, it holds quite a lot of groceries. Imagine how much yarn it could hold!!! I'm working on another one - this time I'm making the bottom bigger and the sides shorter. I used Bernat Handicrafter cotton naturals in a natural tweed and think I can get two bags from one of these (680 yard) skeins.

Back from Vacation

We stayed here, at Mineral Springs Resort in Vernon, NJ for a few days. It has 5 pools - this one (a view from our balcony) was a hot 90 degrees! A little vigorous exercise LOL
And then of course I had to rest for quite a long time. I knit washcloths - very mindless knitting and read Vanishing Act by Jodi Picoult and Trap Door by Sarah Graves and Tears of The Giraffe ( No.1 Ladies Detective Agency series) by Alexander McCall Smith.

Then I jumped off a cliff well - okay - that's not me, it's my 8 year-old granddaughter who finally got up the nerve to do it and was very proud of herself. That's her brother in the water encouraging (daring) her to do it, and then swimming back with her to make sure she was okay.

Click to view video
We also spent a few days at my sister's house on Lake Hopatcong, visiting with friends and family, a day in NYC, and lots of relaxing!

Bags are Packed

And ready to go! Hope you all have a great week . I'll be back next week with pictures!

Meme

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be anything you want -- good or bad. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people remember about you.

Summer Vacation!!!

See that timeline ticker up on top of my blog? Whoo Hoo! We have a tradition at our school. On the last day (which ended at noon for the kids today) we always go out and stand around the flagpole and wave to the kids as the buses go by on their way out the dooryard. As soon as they buses are gone, we whoop and holler just like the kids. Summer vacation has officially begun!
On Sunday I'm driving down to New Jersey with my daughter and grandkids. We'll be staying at Crystal Springs in Vernon for a couple of days and then at My sister's house on Lake Hopatcong. We hope to visit with lots of friends and relatives while we are there. I may even bring my knitting along LOL.

Wordless Wednesday