Triangle bag

Triangle bag 2
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

Garter-stitched bottom.

Triangle bag

Triangle bag 3
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

I like the contrast of the Moda Dea yarn. It's mostly wool, and so will felt a bit, methinks. If time allows, this will be a Christmas giftie.

My favorite model

Scarf
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

This scarf is for a special someone for Christmas...

Christmas scarf!

Scarf
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

I like merino. Hope the recipient will, too!

Fair & Halloween October 2005 029

Fair & Halloween October 2005 029
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

Happy Halloween!

BOO!

Happy All-Hallow's Eve! We carved our pumpkins last night, and I had bowls of seeds to roast. YUMMY. Marion and I did some of the decorating yesterday, and she and Seth finished this afternoon. We set out the jack-o-lanterns just before dark, and then her friends from across the street asked her to trick-or-treat with them, so this was the first year we didn't go along! It's great to have more kids in the neighborhood, but I miss going along.
Maybe she'll let me come next year.

I have finished my skinny scarf--it'll be a Christmas present after I block it. Perhaps a photo will follow....

And for tomorrow, Feliz Dia de Los Muertos! Tim, we're thinking of you with much amor.

Fair & Halloween October 2005 026

Fair & Halloween October 2005 026
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

It's Yorick!

Fair & Halloween October 2005 028

Fair & Halloween October 2005 028
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

Seth's great big scary pumpkin.

YAY White Sox!

We as a family are so glad. The Sox have long been Tim's team, and the win combined with Pinter's Nobel and Tim's 50th birthday in a few weeks make it a special time. Plus, Tim and I share the Halloween-junkie thing. I miss him, I love him, and I know he's grinning away right now.

Working on some Christmas presents with the sticks and string thing. Thanks to the delightful Gale, I have added Branching Out to my list of Christmas cheer. I love leaf patterns, and this one looks eminently do-able. I may even attempt chart navigation! (Tune in next time to see if I survive!)

And now for something NOT completely different...

Got some photos!! Yay for Flickr.

Had a very nice time knitting with Kiki and family and friends at the well-kept secret hideout of City Bakery yesterday. It took all my willpower to sit and knit and not eat everything in the place. Thanks for the invite; I'll be back!

Marion's returned from a trip with my folks to San Diego. Everyone seems to have had fun, and all are exhausted. Back to the regular grind of school tomorrow, but the Arizona Fair looms large for next weekend.....

I'm still in a felting frenzy. My "Felted Knits" book has a great "dresser tray" pattern in it, and I've halved and quartered it and am thinking they'll make great Christmas gifties. So quick to knit!

Looks like my Katia ebay yarn will be in my hands tomorrow, and I'm taking my proper size needles to work so as to start on the mystery Christmas gift at lunch. Hoorah!

My formerly-secret-now-upgraded-to-well-known-British chum, Mandella, writes that I get to assist with her de-stashing program. She's such a sweetie. Sounds like she and many other ladies from across the pond had a blast at the big "Ally Pally" event. Yes, I'm jealous.

It's getting late and I do have work tomorrow, boo-hoo. More later.

Marion's ballet backpack

Marion's ballet backpack
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

Here it is, as promised. It's Janet Scanlon's "Packy Sack" pattern in the medium size. Just right for stashing ballet shoes and dance stuff.

Strap closeup

Strap closeup
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

I love this stitch--it was in "Simple Knits for Creative Living" as a purse strap; and I used it for Marion's top.

Marion's tank top

Marion's tank top
Originally uploaded by kamsarmer.

Based on Kerri's (of MagKnits and Kerri's Place)Mission Tank pattern. Thanks Kerri!

A brief update

Ok, I have FINISHED Marion's backpack! I like the way the Cascade 220 felts, but I still prefer the feel of Brown Sheep whilst knitting. I used Janet Scanlon's "Pack Sack" pattern and made the medium bag. It's designed for her to stow her ballet gear when not in use, and I think it's just the right size. I'm going to wait an take pictures of her in her leotard (if she'll let me) wearing said pack on Saturday. Now I think I should felt up a little bag with lavender impregnated to hold the slippers!

Have not yet gotten around to re-upping my photo program. I used Picasa's "Hello" just because Blogger said I could, but I've signed up with Flickr. Any opinions on this? I like them Flickr badges that act like a gallery of photos.

Barked at my boss today. Man, it felt good.

Have neglected my local knitting groups and hope to rejoin the fold soon, as well as to join the ever-generous Kiki et famile for knitting in whichever tres chic bwat (sp?) they happen to be knitting in. My girlie has given it up in despair as she cannot master the knit stitch in three seconds. Sounds just like me.....poor kid.

Off to read a blog or two and vacuum. Tomorrow....installing a new dishwasher! Rapture! Joy! An end to moldy insulation spewing forth from the inner door area of my old dishwasher! Yippee!

Have a fun Wednesday.

Big Jumbo McHuge!!!

First and most importantly, thank you to Nichola and Kiki for your concern. All here are well, but stressed, and posting has been shunted aside for far too long. (Nice to know someone besides me reads my blog, though!)

Here's what's shaking:

I am now working in a new office! Same crazy job, but in a new, larger location! I'll try to get some photos posted next week. Suffice to say, moving a medical office that's been in the same place for 20 years took some doing, and I was one of the main "do-ers" over the last week. All praise, however, to Lynn, my fabulous office manager. I would eat broken glass if she asked me to, but I hope it won't come to that.

I have finished Marion's tank top. It's light blue on the front and darker (but not navy) blue on the back, and it has an unintentional yet fashionable stripe across the front. The straps were bald-facedly stolen from a purse strap featured in Simple Knits for Sophisticated Living, and the pattern itself was adapted from Kerri's beautiful tank top for her small childie, the Mission Tank. Links will follow in the next post, I promise. (You can Google it for now if you really need it)Thanks, Kerri!

Our computer went walkabout for a while and I don't have my photo-posting capabilities going (AGAIN), but I will get that up soon and put the photos on. I really have them, just can't show you right now.

My darling redhead is plotting the overthrow of his idiotic bosses and planning to start his own business. I must finish stressing about my job so that I can stress about his.

Girlie is off at a sleepover with her best friend. She is loving third grade, although we are way more than fed up with the AIMS crapo and Pres. Skippy's "No child left behind" propaganda which is forcing her teachers to be automatons. We are thinking about private schools, yet that combined with starting a business is a somewhat tricky equation....

In short, life continues it's mad, merry pace here in Arizona. It is cooling off, and we have been enjoying the patio and the birds and the 70-degree mornings. We're moving into the season which reminds us of WHY we live here. Yay!

Summer's almost done! Wool coming up! BAAAAAAA!

Hooray for Friday

Do you know The Sweater Song by Weezer?

"If you want to destroy my sweater,
Pull this thread as I walk away,
Watch me unravel, I'll soon be naked,
Lying on the floor, I've come undone..."

I've liked that song since before I became a knitter.

I can't believe that out of 500+ participants, my Secret Pal guessed me! She's amazing! I never did scroll through all the blogs listed, and trying to find out who's gifted me (HELLO, PRINCESS CASPIAN!! IS EVERYTHING OK?) seemed a Herculean task that was beyond my mere mortal capabilities.

I'm zipping along on Marion's cotton tank top, based on and adapted from Kerrie's Mission Tank (Thanks for the helpful hints, Kerrie!) I'm using size 7 needles and the front has taken almost a skein of Cotton-Ease, and I'm nearly ready to start the back. Photos soon.

It's still too hot here.

I frogged the entire tank top I was trying to make for my girlie. My husband innocently queried if it wasn't a tad large for a sprout of a child not yet eight, and I cheerfully pshaw-ed at him and kept circling round and round, pleased with the texture of the Cottonease in it's Popsicle blueness.

Alas, he was right. I could have kept on and tried making it into a top for me (I am a bit stockier than Miss M), but I was annoyed, and frogging seemed the right thing to do. Will try again in a smaller size, maybe on larger needles to speed things up? Hmmmm.

Anyone know of a nice substitute for Trendsetter's Dune that comes in a lively red and won't require me to cash in my IRA for 6-7 skeins? I've a nice pattern for an easy wrap I'm imagining for someone, but neither Dune nor Lion's Moonlight Mohair come in a good, vibrant RED.

In other news, Princess Caspian, are you out there? Everything OK?

Ok, I'm officially confused.

My FSM button is back. Maybe it's just something about the great and mysterious ways in which He works, but I dunno.

Thanks to Angela at the Nashville SNB (she has a marvelous blog, by the way) for letting me swipe the "Knitters Against Bush" button from her site. Someday I will find out how to get links to come up properly when I put buttons in or mention someone in a post. Many thanks, Angela! Love your veggies.

Hmmmmm....

My new button, mentioned in the last post, has disappeared! It was a fab-o logo from The First United Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. More info to be found on the website listed in the last post.

Darn, now I have neither a "Knitters Against Bush" nor a "Flying Spaghetti Monster" button on my blog. I may just curl up in a ball and start whimpering.

Then again, I may just drink some more of this lovely Yellowtail Chardonnay and eat Snapea Crisps until I am immobile. After all, it IS Friday!!

Woo-hoo!

Working on M's tank top in the blue Cotton-ease which I snapped up at Tuesday morning. One of the shops still has some, and I may go back and get more, BECAUSE I CAN!!

Wednesday

My new button comes from here:

http://venganza.org/

Still trying to figure out how to get the buttons to show the address when you pass over them...any advice from you better-informed bloggers?

Truer color on le bag petite. 

The latest

I had leftover yarn from the felted bag, so I used it in this little ditty. Made the strap out of some stash Brown Sheep, and I love the textures so much that I don't want to felt it! Hai-Jung gets the final say, but she sounded enthusiastic about it when I told her what I'd come up with.

Details on the Virginia trip and our short-but-sweet San Diego trip soon, I promise.

Crazy devil-child model. 

What's your bag, baby?

In this case, it's the "Everyday Purse With Flap" from Beverly Galeskas' Felted Knits. Hai Jung, my dear friend, liked my FMB and wanted a bag all her own. She settled on this pattern and chose black yarn with a novelty yarn knitted into it.

Taking her to the yarn shop was a blast! She was the proverbial kid in a candy store with all the sequiny, furry, and fun novelties to sift through. I changed the strap to one from "Sophisticated Knits" and enlarged it a bit, and we are both pleased with the end result.

Marion and I had a great trip to Virginia--more on that when I have photos and a bit more time to post.

Happy new bag, Hai-Jung!

Happy Hai-Jung Choi! 

You can see that the strap has the same wild yarn intertwined--looks great against her raven tresses! 

Hai-Jung decided that it looks good enough to eat! 

Close-up to show off the fun yarn. 

Hai-Jung's bag, pre-felting. 

I love England!

I want to tell every British person that I am sending them a big, warm hug and all my best thoughts and wishes. It's so terribly ugly to see London under siege. Our family loved the time we spent there a few years back, and I've said since then that London is the one big city I've visited in which I'd love to live. I'd still love to give it a go.

Everyone we met there was kind and pleasant and clever. We send sympathy and love to all those who lost a loved one, and wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured.

Special, special thanks to HRH Princess Caspian for the treasures she sent! I could barely stand to unwrap the crinkly brown paper, and when I did, the goodies inside were such a delight. My husband and daughter enjoyed the whole ceremony of opening the gifties.

Love the magazine--makes me crave more time in the UK. I'm reading Bill Bryson's "Notes From a Small Island", so I think the fizzy bath bomb and soap will accompany a good long reading/soaking binge. And what can I possibly say about the lambie/tape measure? I crowed about it and showed it off to eveyone in my office, and they all got a huge smile out of it. It's just the sweetest thing, and I'll love using it and thinking of my secret pal!

Thanks so much, my dear British pal! Please know that I'm thinking of you and sending my best to you, your family, and everyone on your delightful isle.

I'm away to Virginia for a week's visit with my oldest pal--updates as possible or on my return. Bye for now!

What a sweet parcel of goodies!  

Mad dogs and Englishmen....

I was trying to tidy up in the kitchen yesterday when I heard a "peep" that sounded distinctly young. Peering out the kitchen window, I saw a small finch perched on the handles of my garden loppers, obviously taking advntage of the fact that we keep an evaporative cooler going during the day out along the back of the house on the patio.

It was cheeping and preening, and fluffing itself in the somewhat cool breeze. It was joined by another finch, and the two companionably sat, singing and chatting about how clever they were to have discovered this fabulous mystery cooling system.

We originally started leaving the cooler running for the dog. My husband says Spot is a bit daft, and when I saw that two tiny birds had figured out what Spot has been missing for three years, I will say it makes me wonder.

The very bright housefinch who found out that an evaporative cooler is a wonderful thing on a hot Arizona afternoon.

The dog who can no longer be deemed a birdbrain. 

The world's largest pigeon, enjoying the hospitality of our bird bath (made by my fabulous hubby many Christmases ago). 

It was 100 degrees in the shade of our patio yesterday. BLEAAHH! 

Family: VespertilionidaeGenus: Lasiurus Species: xanthinus
Pronunciation:lay-zee-your-us zan-thigh-nuss
Family: VespertilionidaeGenus: Lasiurus Species: xanthinus
Pronunciation:lay-zee-your-us zan-thigh-nuss
Common name:western yellow bat



 

Story time

Once upon a time, there was a family in Mesa, Arizona. The dad didn't like the palm trees in the family's front yard, but the mom and the girlie liked them because many interesting birds lived in them. They convinced the dad not to have the trees trimmed too often so that the bids would have safe places to nest.

After a time, the interesting birds moved out and birds like grackles and starlings took over and moved in. The yard got messy and the dad became more disgruntled. Finally, the mom and girlie relented and the dad found some brave, agile people to clean up the trees.

When the yard was FULL of green and brown palm fronds, one of the brave workers came to the family to show them what he'd found. It was a bat! It was a lovely bat, but she was very frightened, as her safe home had just been made unsafe! When she was released, everyone was amazed to see a tiny baby fall from the mama. The mama flew away, and the baby crawled into a shady spot and lay quietly.

Quick as a wink, the mom went to the computer and found the right rescue group to help. She carefully scooped up the little baby bat and then the mom and girlie drove to Paradise Valley to a waiting bat rescuer.

This kind woman explained that the bat was a Western Yellow Bat, a Lasirius Xanthinius. The baby appeared to be a female, so the girlie dubbed her "Sunny". The rescuer said she would care for and feed Sunny and try to release her when she was old enough. She showed them some other bats, Mexican Freetail bats, that she was caring for. She told the mom and girlie about echolocation and showed them the special part in Sunny's ear that would help her find bugs to eat.

The mom and the girlie thanked the kind rescuer and drove home, knowing that Sunny would be well cared-for. Hooray for bug-eating bats! Hooray for kind people who help them! Hooray for Mother Earth and her wild and fantabulous diversity!

The End

Frabanoogle.

Just like the sound of that word. Not much going on here, although I did send the first in a series of mailings to my SP! More to follow. Also had a nice note from the lovely knitter who drew me, the entirely regal Princess Caspian! I will say that I had a sneaking suspicion that you're in England, Your Highness, and I wish I were there with you! I've never been a true city-lover, but I really think I could live in London, and do so happily. I would, of course, travel about and see ALL of the island, as I know that there is oh-so-much more to it than just that jolly city, but ah, to be in England......now that summer's HERE (112 tomorrow--sob!).

Boastful pictures of my loverly ballerina. She had such a good time, and remembered all her steps. Hooray!

Off to have a cookie and perhaps do a row or two before bed.

Night-night!

Happy dancer. 

Post-show. 

Center stage in the Grande Finale. 

Ta-daaah!

No, I didn't knit it, but I have been poking along with this idea for quite a while. Several years ago, I salvaged an entire ocotillo that had been sucker-punched by a monsoon. Much to my husband's chagrin, I brought it home (now that was a job--this is not exactly a small shrub) and have been noodling with the branches and wood off and on. (Note to non-desert dwellers, this baby is covered in sharp spines, but is not a cactus. The wood is incredibly hard.)

I have made a small fence/gate, used it as a trellis, and have heaps of it left. To make the earring holder, I de-spined, peeled, and varnished some of the smaller branches. It's held together with baling wire and copper wire.

I think it's actually prettier in person than here. Yay!

Knitting last night at Coffee Rush was fun. Eva is a hoot, and Pam is a maniac crocheter. It's nice, each time I go to a SNB group, there are different folks there. How wonderful.

I'm off to knit--finished one African-bound scarf and am working on number two. Bon soir!

I think I'm very happy with the way it turned out. 

I love the two-tone color on this piece. 

Mmmmm, ocotillo wood. 

A quick note

Currently knitting a scarf to be sent to Africa! Our SNB group got a request for knitted items which will wend their way to an orphanage in Africa. I figger I can probably get a couple of scarves done, and perhaps even a hat, too. Yay for donations! Good karma, warm fuzzies, global hugs.

Plotting and planning gifties for my SP. Want to get something in the mix soon, as she is geographically NOT my next-door neighbor. Also because I remember how exciting it is to have that mystery envelope/package/whatever pop onto your doorstep. That's it, I WILL have something in the mail by this weekend.

It's heating up here. I'm going to sit out back and see if I can't get my earring hanger put together. Photos soon.

Laugh!

The early bird

I'm trying a morning post today-how unusual! Planning to participate in the Worldwide Knit In Public Day tomorrow in some manner. May well hit my LYS for supplies to make a felted bag for a friend. It also helps that the fab Takhi purple yarn I used for my New Mexico friend's scarf is now on sale--I just bet I could felt it into something fabulous!

Marion is at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden day camp this summer--today they get to go on a (non-white-water) river run! I want to go to camp! They go birdwatching, study plants and animals and do science experiments (not on the animals, thankfully). Yesterday, they went to a pond on the Garden grounds and caught frogs! (Do you hear that, Jackie?) I want to be my own 7-year-old daughter, please.

Off to work now. New building is making progress. Maybe I'll post a photo, if my boss continues to be nice. We'll see, as mom says.

Happy Friday! Go knit tomorrow, everyone!

Ironwood blossoms in early Arizona summer sunset.