Oh MY!!!

It's been 12 days since my last update. Someone get a wet noodle and flog me! Shame on me!!

So, what's new on the knitting front? I have made a pair of half-finger gloves, a pair of thrummed mittens and a pair of fisherman's mitts, and one thrummed mitten (one more to do still) - they are all Christmas gifts for a family of friends. I've also knit a booga bag for MIL for Christmas; 2 more feet of I cord and I can felt that. And I've knit one sock and started the second sock for my son.

Knitting for kids is so nice. My son gave me a high 5 and a big hug; all for just finishing one sock. He was even thrilled when I started the second one right away. He even told his Dad as soon as he walked in the house that I finished a sock. OH! Knit a pair of socks for hubby in the last little while too.

Now I'm thinking I want to try to knit some Christmas ornaments. Just not sure what I want to make. I don't want it to look "cheap". Perhaps I'll leave this idea for next year, when I have more time.

Besides, Katie needs a new Christmas stocking cap; her's is a tad too tight. Hopefully I'll be able to get the yarn today to start that for her. There's not much for yarn selection in our little town. Two stores that have very small yarn supplies.

I did some Christmas baking on the weekend. Funny that I call it Christmas baking, when I know that none of it will still be around at Christmas time :) I did tomato soup cakes and gum drop cakes. I used my mini loaf pans to bake them in, so they are individual serving size. I think that teachers, bus drivers, etc are going to get cakes for Christmas gifts. I know I'm going to have to make more of them.

I think this Saturday Katie will have 3 friends over to do some crafting. That'll make 4 girls. Gotta have them in even numbers, or there'll be trouble. One of her friends is quite bossy. Another is the "peace keeper". The other one I'm not sure about, she's new to the area, kinda quiet. I think it'll be a good mix. They'll be making door frame sitting snowmen, clothespin Santa, and maybe something else. They'll have times that they need to wait for paint to dry.

Strange things have been happening. Our hair dryer will not work on the "high speed" setting. I have gentle breeze and rustle the wind breeze; but not the gale force wind speed that I like for drying my hair. And on top of that my curling iron has gone missing. So my hair has looked like heck the last few days! I'm not a happy camper! Something else has gone missing on me, but I can't think of what it is right now. (perhaps it was my memory??)

OH! It's official. Our puppy will be born on/around Dec. 23rd :) A border collie. We are getting a male, and we think his name will be Flint. (I wanted Skye, but hubby doesn't like it) We went to the breeders place 2 weeks ago and met him, his dogs, and 2 people who also own 2 of his pups. They were there to do some training with their dogs. They were herding sheep, what fun to watch! The breeder (Roy) has his dogs herd ducks too. We met our pups Mom and Dad too. Mom (Tammy) sat beside Troy and put her head in his lap; I really wish I had remembered the camera!! We are pleased with Roy, his dogs, and how he deals with them. Too bad he's 2 hours away, because you get free training when you get a pup from him!

Well, I guess I've avoided the laundry long enough. Time to go get the housework done... YUCK!!

why do I torture myself???

I have a craft sale to go to on Saturday. I'll be trying to sell stuff my hubby and I have made. Wish me luck!! Wish me luck also in getting the 9 (yes NINE) painted projects that I have on the go on our kitchen table at the moment. Three big snowmen, 2 small snowmen, 3 corner sitting snowmen and a NOEL thing. I really meant to get to work on them sooner, but hubby didn't get the wood for me till last week. Then I had to plane it down to the thickness' that I needed. And then Sunday when I went to start cutting things out the power went out. Same thing on Monday. And Weds! Finally got everything cut out this morning! And I hope to have all the painting done before I go to bed tonight!
Tomorrow morning I go to help set up the tables for the craft sale. It's sponsored by the fire depts ladies aux. group that I'm a member of, so I help with the table set up. Tomorrow night it's back to the fire hall to set up the stuff on the tables. Then Sat 10 - 4 is the sale.

One top of that our Home Hardware store is having an ornament making contest for kids. They have to decorate a paint stirrer to be a Christmas ornament. I don't know what the prize is, but our kids will be trying to win it :) I'll show them pictures of a few painted stir sticks that I found online, then give them a bunch of paint, glue, glitter, feathers, etc. and let them have fun. We'll see what they come up with!

Oh, the power going off so often. Why?? We had a snow storm here on Sun. Well, it really started to snow Sat night. Sunday was rotten weather. Cars off all over the place. Power out throughout most of our end of the province. I think it's still out in some areas. Mind you the kids have been having lots of fun playing in the snow, which is a good thing. (they are sleeping well at night!)

Just remembered I still have a purse to finish off before Saturday too. So much to do, so little time!

And if I stop typing I'll have more time, right???

Rememberance Day

I didn't get to go to the service this morning; I had to work. When you're providing meals for an elderly couple, you have to go. Neither of them realized it was Rememberance Day. I did sit quietly for my minute at 11:00.

Katie and I played with Christmas ornaments this afternoon. I have some of the clear glass/plastic ornaments, so we squirted paint inside of them and let it "swirl" around. That process took too long, so I shook them. We're happier with them now. We did 3. We think the rest we will put feathers and Christmas glitter (If I can find some) in.

I got 5 projects cut out on the scroll saw this afternoon; they are ready to be sanded now. Then painted, put together and packed away for a craft sale next weekend. No, it's not quite the last minute yet :) I have more to cut out, but need to find wide enough wood. We have lots of wood around here; but none the width I need.

Now I think it's time to go and knit for a while. My back is feeling a bit sore.

Whatcha doing?

Don't you hate that question?? People call me and ask me what I'm doing; and I usually say "nothing" or "not much". Who wants to hear that I'm knitting, or doing laundry, or whatever??? Do they really care?

But, just incase you really are interested, here goes :) I've got a cross stitch dolphin on the go; it's for my niece for Christmas ... hopefully I'll get it done in time! I have a pair of half finger gloves that just need the pinky and thumb done on one of them, and it's one Christmas present done. And another pair to do for the brother of the guy who is getting the first pair. I have a pair of socks on the go for hubby. I've got a long cardigan that's been on the go since July, and will be for a long time yet I'm afraid. Perhaps that'll be my major project for after Christmas? I also just started a pair of felted clogs. I joined a "clog along" on a knitting list I belong to. Size 8mm needles!!

Those needles; had to make them myself! I got a 3/8" wooden dowel, cut it into pieces, and sanded the ends like knitting needles. Turned out quite good if I may say so myself. I'm thinking they need to be stained a color and then have a slicker finished put on them; gotta dress them up a bit :)

I'm trying to come up with Christmas gift ideas. I'm not sure what to make (or buy) for folks this year. I do hope to get some wooden items made for a craft sale in a couple of weeks; if they dont' sell then they will be gifts.

And, in a fit of temporary insanity - or at least more insane than usual - I decided that Katie should have some friends come over to make Christmas decoartions. I'm thinking of a wooden Santa doorframe sitter. http://www.freecraftz.com/cornersanta.html Gee, glad I went to look at that, forgot I need to get fabric for his beard!! Anyway, that won't happen until after my ornament party on the 26th.

Well, time to go knit some more. Not doing housework today; I'm on strike. More fun to knit anyway!!

New use for old CD's

It's Tuesday. Every Tuesday I go to work at the school, then volunteer in the school library for the afternoon. My son's class comes down to the library on Tuesday afternoons :)

The librarians teenaged son usually shows up at the library at some point in the afternoon; waiting for a ride home. He's a tall guy, long hair, doesn't say much. Friendly guy though when he does talk. Well, today he talked. And got me thinking of doing some creating. Curious??

Can't remember how the topic came up, but he told me about making CD coasters. I asked him how to make CD coasters, cause I had an idea in my head; wondering if he knew the same idea. NOPE! His way was to put the CD in a little bit of water in the microwave. Being skeptical like I am I had to check into this more. Rather than call the guy who had told him about doing this, I went online. And YES, you can microwave a CD!! http://www.prairienet.org/~tatwell/cd_burning.html

You put your CD face down on a sheet of paper towel. Microwave it for 3 seconds - no longer. At about 2 seconds you'll see a little fireworks display and here a snap, crackle and a pop; maybe even a sizzle. Open the microwave, and there you have it, a cool coaster. And a stinky microwave. (Don't do this immediately before you plan to use your microwave, it takes a few minutes to air out) Honest! I did it 4 times.

On one CD the face stuff peeled off some. I'm thinking that 2 of them glued together will make a neat suncatcher.

On the knitting front I have another purse almost ready to felt. Just need to knit a few more feet of I cord. That's the last one I'm making for the craft sale. Next I have to start working on some other items for the sale.

OH, Knittgirl.... you're not going to get the info out of me by whining :) If I can ignore my kids whining, I can ignore yours!! I really have to figure out how to put pictures in my blog, so I can show you the beautiful scarf she knit for me!

And now its time to go and get some supper ready for the kids. I've played with the microwave, not to really use it :)