Happy Holidays

Have a wonderful holiday season. PC is not my style, I celebrated Dec. 21, Yule but I did't want to exclude the christians.
I still have one sweater to knit tonight for J. She's traveling 'downstate' to visit her Bubba and will be back tomorrow depending on the weather. This is her first holiday away.
Blessings to all--Witchknitter

Long Time, Lot's of Knitting Done

Yea, I know, I know, but I've gotten so much done!
The nieces are getting scarf and mitten sets. These are for Becky, Amy and Nicole.
The boys will be getting something different which can't be shown here yet.
I survived hubby's Xmas party, just him and me and the owners, talk about stressful!!
I'm down to just a few more gifts, one for C, one for J and one for the hubby. Then I can start on the coffee ladies gifts, but those will be for January.
Oh, and almost forgot--Dad loved his vest! And it fit! The antique, one hole, buttons look great. And Mom loved her vest too. Basic black and white is always a hit, especially now that Ruthie lives with them.
I will try to post more often, even with the holidays coming and all the knitting to be done.

Why Am I Not Knitting?

I don't know . . .
I should be
the house is clean
the kitchen is clean
(after Tuesday's blow up)
I should be knitting.
It's not that I don't have anything to knit. I need to make a gift for Saturday; Tony's sweater; JEM's sweater; 3 nieces and 1 nephew gifts; at least 1 for J and 1 for R, something for C, something for ME. The list of spec knits is getting longer, woollie mitts to send out to 2 different places, tags to sew into knits, but noooooo

I think

I'll

take


a nap :)

Snow Update

The snow from the last pics has gone



And then come back!!!
We have about six inches on the ground. Hear tell that the temp is supposed to be around 45F tomorrow and it will all go away again.
It did make for a wonderful 'An Indian River Christmas'. There was snow all around, the temp Friday night was 28ish and beautiful. The parade (new this year) was short and sweet. Santa arrived on dog sled again and was taking orders at the town hall per usual. Soup pots were hot and tasty. Tony sampled potato soup and I had some hamburger soup--mmmmmmmmmm.
Jane and I had a nice walk through town and visited with some nice peeps and pups.
Today, Jane and I visited with Elliot (her boydogfriend) and Jan and went for a walk down the road. The trail is snow covered and it's still firearm hunting season. Without her safety vest, it's best to walk the road now. Don't want to chance her (or me) getting shot at.
Finished two sweaters this week for Yule gifts, and that's the extent of my knitting.
Hope all had a wonderful Turkey day Thursday. It was calm at home. Thank goodness! I now understand why my dad likes to stay at home for the holidays. He's SO SMART!!! hence 'The Wise Old Owl' name.

Color Changes in the Weather

According to my posts, one month ago the colors of the trees were a full spectrum of warm shades, oranges, yellows, reds, browns. Now the spectrum has changed to the coolness of winter, white, grey, black, green, blue. Okay, so there is a brown spot on the right, but she is a lovie:)

I've completed the knitting on the Dakota Rib, now to block it.
Last Friday I attended a workshop on small businesses, sponsored by Michigan State University Product Center.
Last night our Boosters served over 300 at the annual fall sports banquet. We provide the potatoes, ham, rolls, coffee and punch. The families bring a dish to pass and table service. All the fall coaches sing praises to their athletes which include in our smallish school--golf, cross country, girls basketball, cheer team and football; approximatley 100 students and their parents attend. Last year I announced awards for the cheer team since I was the coach. Not my favorite thing to do (public speaking), but I do enjoy helping the Boosters since I'm a do-er, not a delegater.
Today is my day of rest and work at home. The list of things to do includes:
1. clean the garage so the car can sleep in there
2. laundry
3. supper (maybe a roast and potatoes?)
4. KNIT
5. rest my aching back
6. listen to a movie
7. walk to loosen up the aching back
8. don't need #3 since the kids are having a mexican dinner tonight to raise money to go to mexico
9. make a decision whether or not I will let R go to mexico (any advice regarding letting a 16 yr old travel to mexico w/school group would be appreciated)

Flexible? Not Cotton!

Six hours knitting yesterday--heaven? NO, learning experience. After six hours of trying different methods of casting on with some chonchenhocken cotton I finally decided it wasn't being made into the lovely ribbed and lace cardi I wanted to make. Cotton is for simple and plain, cool and comfy. I was mostly frustrated because I wasted six hours of uninterrupted knitting time reminding myself of this fact.
So I started on the Dakota Rib by Jason Wurst at Rocking Horse Farms. I got the pattern last year at the Great Lakes Machine Knitters Seminar. I plan to make a visit to their farm and shop in Minnesota. Jason and his mother Carole are great knitters, designers and people all around!
On Wednesday, I'm getting another aquarium with 3 fishes from me momma. She has decided to be done with the fishes and offered them to me first, I think. Tonight and tomorrow I will need to engage the assistance of the other household members and visitors (AKA JEM and Big Bubba) to move furniture around the living/dining room and kitchen.

Can You See Her??

Friday--Success again with the camera. This is Jane walking in the field across the road (with her vest). Can you see her???? On the right she's posing.
On the left she's sniffing for critters.


And here is a the small but comfy 'Kingdom of Witchknitter and Magic Mechanic'.And here is Jane performing one of her daily duties--
carrying in the mail.
Is she missing something???? Oh goodness, where is the beautiful safety vest?

It seems the vest is akin to the Cinderella story, after a certain amount of time, it just disappears!! Or it's LOST IN THE FIELD!

Saturday--I forced Jane to walk again and look for her vest. No luck, but I don't think she was looking very hard.

Sunday--It rained all night so I don't think we'll walk today. So knitting is in order--ALL DAY!!!

A-HAAA!

I did it! There was a technical difficulty--the computer and the camera didn't like the disks--now the disks are trash! I would have prefered the outside pics, but these will do.

Pictured here is famous model Precious Lady Jane in her hunter orange safety vest. She enjoys walks in the woods, chasing squirrels and snuggling 'tween me and hubby. The pic to the left is her 'why are you making me sit still when we should be going for a walk," pose and below is the dejected, "ok, I'll just wait on the couch until you're ready," pose.


Hunter orange is a fashion color in Northern Michigan particularly popular this time of year. Mostly seen on men, this fashion is dictated by the state during firearm whitetail deer hunting season, Nov. 14-30. Anyone in the woods is advised to wear this fabulous color or risk getting shot, really. This is not an intentional thing, but some of the 'mighty hunters' only hunt during this season and some have been known to get "Buck Fever," a debilitating undiagnosed disease in which the afflicted has lost the ability to distinguish between a whitetail deer and any other critter. (Victim critters being shot at as a result of "Buck Fever" are: cattle, horses, dogs, hunting buddies, elk, duck, turkey, basically anything that moves.)
Moving on--
I've had a few dreams as of late. The first one was about J's Big Bubba (formerly seen here in pics knitting). I dreamt he got fired from his job. The dream was a Friday night. I mentioned this to them on Saturday. On Tuesday--he got fired!
The next dream was of the shop I've been thinking about opening. The dream showed a small shop, doing very well, and me--happy, happy--working in my shop. What was in the shop, knitting and crafting stuff and since it was my shop, I could have Jane there to help me.
(The next dream I had I killed somebody because he was SO ANNOYING. I hope that one doesn't come true.)
So the next step of this business venture is to make some plans. I started those (at my other job) earlier this week. I'm also going to attend a business start-up workshop next week--it met my criteria: 1. Nearby, 2. less than a day long, 3. FREE. It's being offered through Michigan State University.

Bright Orange Jane Safety Vest

And what do you see?
Nothing.
Why?
Because I took a couple great pics of Jane in her new vest after our walk, but technology SUCKS and the disk wouldn't let go of the pics. I will try again tomorrow. She was so pretty and proud in her vest. Now she knows that putting on the vest means going for a walk. She's glad to let me put the vest on her.
I skipped physical therapy in trade for walking with the dog today. I may go back to the chiropractor to relieve this numb thumb. It worked before and this therapy thing has been going on for just too long with little relief. Not only that, battening down for winter is behind schedule--storm windows need to be put up, hoses tucked away, garden winterized and it's already November!

Diversions

I want to go, but then again, I need to make the break so I'm hoping for some diversions today. Tonight is the last football game of the season--I coached the cheer team for 7 years and this is my first year as a 'non-coach'. I really would like to go to the game and see what the girls came up with for the season finale, but after the events of last week with the confrontation and crap, and the creeping thought in the back of my mind-- starting a yarn/craft store--I'm hoping for some diversions.
Knitting like crazy today would be a diversion, my list of need to knits is at least 12 items long: socks, wrist warmers, sweaters for the hims, sweaters for the hers, gloves and a Mush Mouth hat (from Fat Albert). I also have a jammys pattern and a mens underwear pattern I'd like to try. Then there's the Knit Picks yarn that I ordered, waiting patiently for, de dum, de dum, de dum.
I finally called for a hair appointment--that's later this morning. It has been 4 months since my last trim, I think I'm due. I also need to go get baked beans for the pot luck tomorrow.

More Beauty

Yea, this is the view out my front door. Vibrant colors raining down in the wind. And again I ask, why live anywhere else than Northern Michigan???? To answer Kerstin, crazydaisy.us question, the tip of the mitten just a bit south of the Mackinaw Bridge.
Yesterday was busy and usual northern MI weather. First I blogged, then did some laundry, went for a walk down Jane's favorite
trail, zipped off to knit club,
then physical therapy. That's when
things turned for the worse--someone had to give me the bad news--I had a flat tire! When and where did that happen, aaahh, I remember a strange noise on my way home from knitting club near the contractors place. At 4 my knight in shining blue truck arrived to air up my tire so I could drive home. He's fixing it today. And no, he's not available for rent or hire, he's my knight.
There is more to add to the New Knitters story--J and Big Bubba are knitting, R is knitting and now so is R's boyfriend JEM is too!!! That's 4 new knitters in less than a week. Big Bubba was asking if it was possible to make a sweater with the Nifty Knitters. Oh, and we had three new knitters at knitting club! That makes 7 new knitters in a week! Knit On!

Will I Ever Learn

I don't deal with confrontation well, in fact I'd rather not deal with it at all. So I'm done--I'm done with that portion of my life. I've moved on. In fact I have no desire to look back at all. And I would like to say to all parents out there--your children are not the same children away from home as they are at home. The messy ones are usually neat; the quiet ones can be mouthy. But that's just my experience after 7 years of coaching and 21 years of raising my 3 children.
Today being the day after the confrontation (in which I was confronted) I'm thinking about what I would like to do with my extra time--KNIT. Now that that is decided I will move toward that goal.

New Knitters

Aren't they just the cutest? J is on the right, her fiance Big Bubba on the left. She's 5'4", he's 6'6", both 19.
I bought the Nifty Knitter kit last Friday at WalMart for me, wanted to try it because I knew it would be mindless Zen work. J's little sister R started Saturday for lack of something better to do, her homework was all done. J asked about it Sunday and picked it up using three strands of baby yarn. On Monday, Big Bubba came to visit and ended up going to work with her. He saw it and wanted to try it. Three feet of knitting later she bought her own set and he bought his own yarn!!!!! Just had to share!!!

Natural Beauty in Northern Michigan

Yes, the leaves are green, red, orange and yellow. This is an oak in my front yard. In Northern Michigan we do get snow in the winter, cold weather, blizzards--but we also get beautiful colors in the fall. Why would I want to live anywhere else?

Just More Words

Returned from the great Grand Rapids trip--Great Lakes Machine Knitters Retreat. More great classes, great instructors and demonstrations including Charlene Schafer of Knit Knack Shop in Peru, IN; Tricia Schafer (her daughter) of Knitter's Edge; Cathie and Frank Sanders of Northtipton Creations and Vicki M. Tylock. Each with their own obsession, each with their own humor. It was a weekend well worth the time and effort to get away.
Next post I should have some pictures to post since the trees are starting to change colors, a wonderful seasonal change in Northern Michigan.

Technology!!?

Technology baffles me sometimes. I THOUGHT I posted pictures of my swatches.
So instead, I will post a picture of my 'Sheeps' afghan. I guess I won't.

Good news, I've started knitting Yule gifts already! Got one nearly done. Now what to do with it? Hide it, wrap it; wrap and hide it??
I think I'll go back to the knitting room :)

Can't Decide--Help Me Choose

The next project is a sweater featured in INKnitter Summer 2005, page 10/11. I've selected a multi-color find from e-bay and want to blend with a solid. These are my swatches thus far.


All in 2x2 rib T6 on Brother 970; top photo--1. Multi-color alone; 2. multi w/bright gold;3. multi w/grey
Bottom--4. multi w/deep green; 5. multi w/black

Thanks for your vote!
I, again, have decided to MAKE all the holiday gifts this year. Now if I could find something to knit for my hubby. He's not a sweater person, even in the dead of winter in northern Michigan he doesn't wear sweaters. He's similar to a polar bear or siberian husky. I swear he would sweat sleeping in a snow bank!!!
As for me, I like the cold weather cuz I get to wear sweaters with sweaters! with socks and mitts to match!
I'm feeling better about evicting the big boy--I realized (and I don't know if he just doesn't understand or doesn't care) that he really hurt me and my family by asking for help but not taking our advice and using us. How stupid could I be? really?!
I don't mind helping others when they need it, but those that take and take, I can't stand. OK, that's enough of that.
I've got knitting, cleaning, sewing and gardening to do, and I may submit to a walk with Jane, the 'shroom dog'.

Nada? and Anniversarys

Geez, I thought with the beautiful pictures of my creative space I would have had 1 comment. Boo hoo, Boo hoo. That's ok, I've seen some of your spaces and I am as much a neat freak as any creative person.
I finally broke down and bought another copy of Socks, Socks, Socks since mine has been MIA for several years. I know it's not in the 'creative space' because that space is new this summer. So I took a nap this afternoon with Socks, Socks, Socks close to my heart. Jane would have been jealous except for the 90 degree weather--Indian Summer has struck.
Today marks the 24th anniversary of our wedding--I took the Mr. to dinner at the local ritzy place and we hob-nobbed with the cream of the town. Next year will be 25 years together--I've been married longer than I was single!!!

Late, But As Promised

Hand knit socks from grandma's 2 Needle Sock pattern from 1955.

First Place








Below is Machine knit summer top that I showed earlier--First Prize.

And also First Prize was the ensemble made for C's wedding in June. The skirts and top are sewn, the corset is my first project in Tunsenian Crochet. The top is the lovely lilac in the upper right corner. BTW, the fabrics were being sold as curtain fabrics.
The green and coral floral underneath is an unfinished suit of mine. The lining is the floral. Someday I'll finish it.


Now this little piece is a 'baby onsie' pattern I've been developing. It buttons or snaps at one shoulder and I usually use the squish on snaps for the crotch so I don't have to make button holes. This one is for C's friend who's baby is due next month.

And the piece-de-resistance is shown here: The Creative space of Denise.

Ommmmm

So I kicked him out, then I cried.
I don't know if he is just playing dumb or doesn't get it.
But, he's a survivor, he's made it this far mooching and so has the rest of his family. I suppose they all will continue on a before.
Yes, I'm feeling calmer now that I made the decision

Moving on--I retrieved my fair entries from my friend. I placed with each entry as follows:
1. Beaudaciously yellow lace pants; 2nd place
2. Cute summer blue top; 1st place
3. R's Bride's maids gown from Con's wedding; 2nd place
4. Machine knit socks; 4th place
5. Hand knit socks; 1st place
6. Baby onsie; 2nd place
7. My pink sweater; 2nd place
8. Mother-of-the-Bride ensemble I made for me; 1st place
netting $111 for my efforts. Next year--more entries!!!!

Monday will mark the 24th anniversary of our wedding. Yes, I'm all of 42 and have been married 24 years. If you're mathmatically challenged that means I married at age 18, just 4 months after my 18th birthday. Why so young? Not what you think, the oldest is 21. I just knew he was 'the one'. I knew the first time I saw him at that Hallow's Eve dance. I was . . . .













13 . . . .














really.