December

How did it get so late so soon?
It's night before it's afternoon.
December is here before it's June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?  --Dr. Seuss

I agree Dr. Seuss!

I took my mother to see Santa.
When he asked her what she wanted she said, "Everything!"

I made the doorknob decoration in Girl Scouts.

Decorations for the tree.

It is getting late and I am just now catching up.  We have a little tree this year.  Jim cut down a small one and it looks just like the ones we used to get in Germany.  I still have to find the candles and put them in the holders.  NO we don't light them...they're just for show.  It's breakfast for supper tonight--pancakes!
I finished another baby sweater and now they are ready to be sent.

Sweater for a little boy.

I'm dreaming of a...

A bit of snow to set the mood... a peppermint pig to break on Christmas and a little ornament from a trip to Swarovski (Innsbruck, Austria).

16. 12 (morning) I don't have to dream because we have snow and expect a bit more in the next week. It was 0 degrees F and made it up to 5 yesterday. Today we may hit 15!
Cringe...I haven't finished the cards, yet. That may be the project this evening. At least after work today I have the rest of the afternoon and evening with no events to attend. Time to finish laundry and clean up Ben's room before he comes home on Friday. We're so excited to see him. I think Eevee senses his arrival, too.
19.12 (morning) Ben made it home and looked so handsome dressed up in his suit and argyle vest. (He didn't have room for them in his duffel.) Jess was on the same flight. She'll be going to Florida with the women's team. Ben and the guys will be going to Arizona.
I got a note from my niece, Shannon. She loves the scarf and looks so pretty in it. I'm happy she got a computer and we can have conversations quickly! I used to be quite a letter writer, but times are so rushed now. I don't take the time to hand write much of anything anymore. Sigh...I type faster anyway.
My right hand and wrist were getting a bit sore, so I'm taking a break from kitting. I think that's why I prefer large projects rather than little socks. I started some socks with Kristin Nicholas' sock yarn. I love the yarn, but the small tube knitting is hard on my right hand--even when I switch techniques.
I took some photos of the rest of the decorations yesterday. The little town is up and the Santas are gracing the mantle with the nutcrackers. It's time to take out the butter and let it soften for some baking later...I have to decide which ones to bake first...mmmm...

The Boy Scout nutcrackers stand guard on the mantle by the Santas, the little sailor plays a tune near his sailboat, and I think the little Bavarian wants a taste of Guinness!

...a lot like Christmas!

09.12.09 Now the snow is here! It feels more like Christmas. Of course, I have to get out and about today. I have one class and then my time is my own! No meetings tonight. I have some more decorations to put up and I'll be sure to build a fire and take time out for cocoa and knitting. Most of the shopping was done online, and I confess it's nice! The only gifts to send are small knitted items, which can go in padded envelopes!

I'm still knitting the second sleeve of the Rustic cardigan. I've had too many distractions lately to finish it. It's not an attractive photo, but the yarn knits up beautifully.

14.12.09 More snow last night. I got to bed a bit late and it surprised me how light it was outside. I just enjoyed looking out the window at the snow. It was so fine, you couldn't see the flakes and it was beautiful. This is going to be a very busy week. Ben comes home, I need to get the cards out and begin baking. We've really enjoyed going out the past couple of weekends, but I'm ready to spend time with my guys! I mailed out the small gifts and am grateful that's finished!
15.12.09 I thought I'd show some knitted Christmas ornaments and an old favorite sweater. The ornaments adorn my little tree I keep in the kitchen by the phone. There are felted balls, Fimo ornaments, and a knitted mitten garland. The doll and candy cane were made by Joanne and I have another handspun mitten on the other side. The sweater is one I made in 1989 from a Vogue Knitting magazine. We were still in Germany at that time. I know that holiday sweaters aren't supposed to be fashionable, but this one is soft, comfortable, and fun to wear this time of year.

It's beginning to look...

A tour around the tree:

The artists have lots to see from their vantage point, the camping section has some bears in camp (Ben made the tipi for Jim, and the canoe is from a long-ago trip to Algonquin with my family), the dogs are near the bottom for Eevee to enjoy, the shepherd watches his sheep on the European side of the tree.

I finally got the tree decorated, Christmas Vacation was on last night. "Play ball!" There's a light dusting of snow on the ground, and it's cold. The tree is larger than usual...we had to snip off a bit at the top, but it's pretty and I hung the extra ornaments on it this year. The lights were a bit of a challenge, as we didn't use the little fairy lights last year. Jim is in charge of the lights and I don't know where he put all the new ones. I was checking the old ones and only had to replace a few bulbs. Because the tree is bigger, I place the ornaments in sections--the front is from our travels, I have the American side, etc.

Now that the cardigan is almost done, I've been searching for the perfect buttons. It's very frustrating to go to Joann's and Hancock because they sell buttons by the card--four here, six there...I need nine! Time to dig through the stash. I doubt I have nine of any. Checking online wasn't any better. I still have time because when I finish the sleeve today the sweater still has to be blocked.
Later that day...I did my errands today. It was one of those days where I accomplished a lot, but it didn't seem as though I got anything done! I did some online shopping, gift card buying, banking, grocery shopping, ordering necessaries for Mom, Dutch oven baking for Round Table tonight (monkey bread--the boys call it monkey brains), and the night is young! By the way, it was really good and it was almost gone!
I was taking photos the other day and thought I'd include some gems I have. The little teapot is from the same shop I found the church. When I sit by the fire and knit, I'll have to make some spinning wheel tea. In my office are some paintings I did some years ago. The teddy bear and Raggety Ann are from my childhood. Little Sister was a Christmas gift and my favorite bear. She's well-worn and very well-loved. Raggety Ann was the doll I chose when Mom took me downtown to the doll shop to pick out any doll for my success at ending thumb-sucking. I remember it very clearly. It was a wondrous place and I can remember the sales lady smiling down at me (I was not able to see over the counter) and she seemed so tall! I looked at all the dolls, but fell in love with Raggety Ann. Her hair has been re-attached, and like Little Sister she's been well-loved. Dicky bear modeled for me as part of a painting demonstration in Arizona. I chose items in primary and secondary colors, as it was for Art Night at Ben's school. Artists, sculptors, musicians, docents from the museum in Phoenix, vocalists, and performers took part and it was amazing! The halls and classrooms were filled with demos, hands-on projects, and performances. It was fun and the painting is a nice memory from the event.

Knit knit knit...spin spin spin

Baktus scarf, Shape-It scarf, and Baba's Bed Socks

I'm working on all kinds of projects right now. I'd say I'm finishing up the WW sweaters, but those cones are large. I've gone to three-strand knitting! The yarn is just awful, but it's all for a good cause, which is important. I caved and traded in two skeins of Noro from the She-Knits Mystery Bag KAL #2 (now frogged) and got seven hanks of Cascade Rustic (color 17) in a gorgeous, warm brown for a simple cardigan. It's a blend of wool and linen (one of my fave fabrics!) with lovely drape and hand. Roxanne made a pullover with the dark indigo and it's just gorgeous! I need to sit with my back to that wall of yarn when I teach, but then I can see all the other yarn in the shop! I'm narrowing down patterns for the Donnegal yarn. The one in the photo is really pretty, too. I like the Fair Isle color work on the yoke. I have enough green to make either of the vests in Folk Vests by Cheryl Oberle. The O X vest is a button front and the Stone Walls is a pullover (they're both really nice). As for the bulk of the yarn, I'm thinking of something from Alice Starmore. Her cable work is amazing!
Last Saturday, I did a spinning demo at Sharefest (church bazaar). I always love to do that and chit chat with everyone. The beautiful tube of fiber Carol gave me was so fun to work with, and Louie Louet was going great guns until the wheel had a flat. The footman to treadle connector broke, so I pulled out my drop spindle. It was a nice time. I got a few things from the international table. Judy held back a candelabra from Germany. It's really cool and I'd not seen one made of metal before. Along with that I got two dolls, one from Holland and one from Austria that will join the little Hungarian doll on the Christmas tree this year. The Dutch doll wears the costume from Volendam, the same one I'm wearing in a portrait I painted in college of Jim and myself. The funny part of that is the original photo had a spinning wheel in it, and I thought it made the composition cluttered! Too funny! The month is flying by too quickly! Ben will be home for Thanksgiving soon. I have some of my knitting done for Christmas. I don't knit for everyone on the list. I knit for the ones that specifically request something and for my fiber-loving friends. On the work front I've picked up a class on Wednesday during the day and there are plans for other classes to be offered. I'm hoping to push some of the more experienced knitters to more advanced techniques, and add another spinning class. That's fun for me to teach. Trying to build a spinning community in the NW 'burbs is a challenge.

Holiday decorations--another look

Before the decorations come down after the new year, I thought I'd take a few photos and share them. I walked around the house and looked at the details. The handkerchief box has such a pretty design. The little cupboard was made by my father for my sister the year I was born. The sheep and the mustard color cupboard were my sister's, also. I knitted the Santa hat when we lived in Texas. It's come in handy this winter! The little cardinals are perched on my chandelier all year.

The sheep may want to stay out until Easter...we'll see. The papier mache Santa hangs from my Great-Grandmother's cupboard.
Tonight I finished the cable neckband for St. Brigid. Now I can block the larger pieces and begin to sew. It's going to be just beautiful and I cannot wait to finally wear it!
Thanks to Margie for the Holiday Spirit Award. I had much more this year than I thought. My sister must be looking out for me--there are touches of her everywhere!