Happy Holidays!!!!!!

Am off to San Diego tomorrow for my cousins wedding. Wish I were staying at home with my husband Christmas day, but the things we do for family.....lol

I hope each and everyone of you have a wonderfully fabulous Christmas full of holiday cheer and love. Here is a cute video that a dear friend sent me the other day...............

Merry Christmas!!!! And have a great rest of the year ;)

What have I been up to..

With the holiday season fast approaching, things are hectic around here as always.  Thankfully, today was Granny's last Doctor's appointment until the new year.  Lately we have been very fortunate that the Dr's Offices seem to have a pretty darn good flow and the wait time has been minimal.  Today was a 2 hour wait.....  Not at all fun.....

I did get all of my Christmas shopping done today with Granny in tow.  And picked up the over priced, ill-fitted dress I will be wearing in my cousins wedding on the 27th (yes, she picked 2 days after x-mas and it's across country, so I'll not even go there..grrr).  Dropped off two packages at the post office.  Took Granny for lunch and to the book store.

Went to pick up Ace from the Vet's home (my bro & sis in law).  He was snip-snipped today (neutered) and also had his front claws laser-ed out.  I know, it sounds cruel, but you haven't had the joy of an air-born kitten take a flying leap latching on with very sharp claws to the center of your back either.  Nor have you had the joy of seeing the scratch marks upon, my legs, arms, hands, chest and luckily not face.  Really it's not that he is mean or wild.  In fact, he is very sweet and affectionate, unless he is in play mode.  And lets face it, that is all the time.  When we are sitting in the basement, the ground floor sounds like the Kentucky Derby is being run or a herd of elephants is running through.  He has become rather fond of climbing the curtains and pushing as many buttons as he can.

Bill and I went for sushi.  This of course reminds me that we have left overs in the fridge!  .....yum.....late night snack..........  Then we went and picked out a guitar chair for his x-mas pressie and an inexpensive (costs less than the damn dress) elliptical machine for my x-mas pressie.  It took stopping at 3 different places to find one that was reasonably priced.

Below is the swatch I knit up for a pair of gloves I have been commissioned to knit in handspun superwash merino, silk, firestar and glitz.  Have to say the colors and blend is to die for.  Was done last night.  Really, there is only so much I can do in one day....lol

Above, is another project I have been working on. This was commissioned to be spun and made into a hat and matching accessory. I am almost done with the hat which, will then be embellished. I will make sure to post a pic after it is done;)

Now, I'm tired and ready to dig into a fresh pint of lager before I nod off to the land of the zzzz's.  Oh, and if you are wondering, Bill has been told not to wake me in the morning upon penalty of death!

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Tomorrow, Granny needs to go to the grocery and restock her daily pill organizer for this coming week.  I need to get her an extra pill organizer that Dad can swap out for the one I fill up tomorrow because I will be in San Diego for my cousins wedding that day.   I'm going to try(key word) and run the sweeper and do a bit of dusting at Granny's.  AFter that....  I am going home and going back to bed for the rest of the week end......................  

I did a Bad, Bad, thing......

Some people are addicted to drugs, some people are addicted to booze, and the select few like me are addicted to all things fiber.....................

I was trying so hard to be good. I searched and searched and finally found an intact minors head for some one who was interested in buying a local antique walking wheel. I thought I might be able to find another one some where so I just started browsing online through all things spinning.

Then, I saw it! All pretty and blue and cute. But the price just was not quite right, so I sent an offer. Imagine my shock when the offer was accepted!

My new wheel sporting a bit of blue on it's way to me all the way from Lithuania.

Shhhhhssss...........

Don't tell Bill!

The wheel is home finally.....

After waiting a while for Don to finish the wheel, it is finally home! Yippee!!!! Apparently the wheel went on a wee little trip to the East Coast where Don used it to demonstrate making historically accurate parts. I had told him to take his time...lol


The wheel set up in the living room:) Yes, that's an old trundle bed in the living room. It makes for a great couch or resting place if you want to read a book or fall asleep watching telly...lol


New leg. Lighter one on left

Hand made brads to replace old worn ones.
Leather straps to hold the spindle on the maiden-head.
Wooden washer to save original wood from damage by original nut and bolt.

Steel Pin and upcycled laminate to hold wheel in place.

Freaky Kitty

Ace has done this for some time, I just did not want to post about it with out proof....lol

These are pictures of Ace doing the dirty deed. Ok, so it's really not dirty, but it sure is odd. Guess we can chalk this up to how we found the little guy and his bro on the side of the road.  You know, that little lost kitty syndrome that we are attributing to his being dumped at too young an age in the middle of no where............


Ace Sucking his toe...


Proof that, YES, he does suck his toe.

Oh, he also had his first sip of beer tonight and erm...... Well, he doesn't really like it at all....hahahaha See, it goes like this. I was watching 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'. Next thing I know, I look up and there he is licking the rim of my brewskie! He stepped back, shook his head, went in for a second round, shook his head, and tried it a third time and took leave of my lap....lol Silly kitty! Beer if for Big Kiddies!

Left overs (Wanted and Un-wanted;)

It always happens, whether you want it to or not, whether you are careful or not..... The dye package in your steamer somehow manages to bleed dye which congeals and heats in the bottom of your pot. All the colors converging into a muddy melting pot of a sort.

There is just something in me that cringes with the idea of throwing that luscious mix of muddy colors away. It comes from my little Granny who lived in England during WWII, I just can't bear the thought of pouring it down the sink! Sure, I don't know what color it will turn into, but it can be tweeked just smidge by adding other colors to give a deeper shade of say a green or blue or purple or red or you get where this is going.

Lets say it's late at night and you just don't have time to do anything with it. Well, you know those left over jars from p-nut butter, jelly and other consumables you have cleaned out and crammed under you sink thinking....well, I'll use it for something some day............. Ladies and Gents today is the day to dust off your neglected empty jar taking up space and fill it with left over dye to be used another day.....lol

If you are a dyer, you know what this is. If you aren't, I was a tad careless and got some of my dye on the kitchen counter top. Here is a quick tip on how to clean off the dye that you think has stained your laminate counter top till the end of time.......

1. Locate dye spots

2. Get some of the cheap'o'la brand of bathroom foaming cleaner. Spray on and scrub w/ a scrubbie.

3. Admire your nice, once again clean counter top.

Guess I have to add a disclaimer here. This method is not recommended for marble countertops only laminate. This method works well for me, I am not saying you should go out and scrub your counter tops down w/ foaming cleaners to get rid of stains. Nor am I guaranteeing it will work for you. I will not be held responsible for any damages you cause by using this method. I'm just saying I like it and it works for me.......

Damn shame we live in a society where one feels the need of adding a disclaimer.

Don't you think?

Shop Updates

A few of the new offerings now on Lunabudknits:

Tickled Pink - Superwash Sock Yarn

Huntsman - Merino Roving

Midnight - Wool/Tussah Silk Lace Yarn

Custom Blending of Alpaca, Rambouillet, Firstar and Bamboo

There are many more bright and cheery offerings posted to break up the monotony of your winter blues. So, come on by and take a gander:)

Lunabudknits

Winner......

There were so many good names this go round! And let me tell you, it was a dang hard decision! Some made me laugh, some made me think, but in the end, there was one that just stuck in my head.........

The winner is ..... Crochetgurl with " Sour Apple Bubblegum".

I want to thank everyone who participated. All of your suggestions and ideas were much appreciated:) Thank you one and all for helping to make this contest a success!