No Love for St. Valentine

If I had to get rid of one Holiday on the calendar it would be Valentines Day. It's not that I don't like Valentines day, it's just the WORK that goes into it. My children always want to MAKE their Valentines, and while it is nice (it's important to keep the crafty gene going) the process of making the Valentines is, in a word: Torture. They did turn out lovely, though!

I stress about the cards, whom do I send one to? Will someone feel bad if they don't get one? How about the preteen and teen and let's face it adult years when you didn't have a Valentine to give? That day stunk many times for me.... how many Valentines Days did you think you were getting engaged, only to feel the crushing blow that evening when you got flowers (that will die) and chocolate (that will make you fat, or break out, or in my case... both)! This year I asked Mr. Fantastic to not get me anything, no card, no gift, nothing..... if he does, then I get to feel guilt (because I am not getting him anything), nice... add that to the list of reasons why I don't really care for the holiday.

OK enough of that, I do have some knitting I can show you! This is going to be for my niece that we are going to see this weekend. I started it on Saturday, made a huge mistake that I noticed at 5:00 yesterday, and started again last night. We shall she if I get it done in time!

Silence on the Blog

You know when you haven't heard from me for a whole week straight I'm usually working pretty close to a deadline, right? I usually start getting calls from my family around Thursday, "everything alright?" I simply have to say deadlines and they pretty much know the design process takes up my entire mind for a while.

I finished my deadline on Saturday, and I just have to show you what my knitting room looked like on Saturday as I was trying to finish.....

I know! It was very distracting! How cute are my children all sitting and knitting with me (in retrospect it was cute, during it wasn't so cute when someone had a problem or question, it was quite irritating - I'm trying to FINISH!!!!!!)

It was so warm yesterday, the boys were out playing during Sunday Dinner:

While the boys were outside, the ladies were knitting. This is my future sister-in-law, she just learned how to knit that afternoon!  She was one of the quickest to learn.... she was a natural!

Yep, that's right..... changing the world, one knitter at a time!

Important Days in History

Do you remember where you were when Kennedy was shot? How about when the space shuttle blew up? How about, Just last week when President Obama was inaugurated? Isn't it interesting how we remember exactly where we were when important events happen. My mother can even tell me what she was wearing when Kennedy was shot...

So, today I will remember that I was in the "knitting room" wearing my fanciest pajamas on this January 30th 2009 when my daughter knit her first real stitch, and than another, and than another!!!!

Look at the concentration (and for those of you that know her, she is silent - no talking). I can only thank the blog for giving me a place to document the historic events of my knitting/crochet/family life.

Speaking of knitting and crochet I have been working on a few designs, but I can't show anything to you yet!

PS I was not born when Kennedy was shot, I was home sick from school when the space shuttle exploded and when President Obama was sworn into office..... I was in a yarn shop!

F is for Fantastic

This weekend the wonderful fit, fabulous, furry, funny, family man Mr. Fantastic turned....... you guessed it, FORTY!

I wanted to throw him a party - I wanted this to be special, he was turning 40 isn't that a big deal? We have been to a million  40th birthday parties from Over the top to a drink (or 20) at a local hangout. About a month before his birthday, I was told that under no circumstances was there to be a party for him..... "I just want it to be you and the kids, K."

What??!! This is a huge day, this is to be celebrated with our family and 500 of our closest friends, right?!  The week up until his birthday I was supremely stressed - I mean, umm... hormonally imbalanced. I cried twice over the "we are doing NOTHING for your birthday" speech given at dinner time. Each time Mr. Fantastic would say to me - you just don't get it, I want to be with you and the kids"

For all the tears and stress his birthday was, well ordinary. We had soccer at 9:30, baseball practice from 2 to 4 and at 5:00 a few friends came to Chez Fantastic for dinner and cake. Mr. Fantastic loved his gifts (even got a little emotional) and we went to bed. I was still unconvinced - it was for sure a regular Saturday, one we have had many, many times in the past.....

Sunday morning I was in Church and to my surprise my childhood priest (who is also a close family friend) was helping out. When I went up for communion, Father Neilson said my name like he did when I was young. When the priest you grow up with (who marries you and baptizes your babies) retires, it takes some getting used to. I miss him, I miss his voice every Sunday, I miss how much he knew me and my family. I enjoy our Priest now - but at times I long for what I am used to. When there is so much change happening around me I like to know that every Sunday church will be the same, every week - I know when to sit, stand, kneel, etc..... I love THE SAME. And then it hits me! On my way back to my pew I was overwhelmed (when will the hormone imbalance leave me!) All I could think of was, I get it, Mac!!! You wanted..... THE SAME - and in my opinion when THE SAME is our life.... your birthday was the most fantastic celebration ever! 

Little People

I love to make things for little people..... quick and very satisfying to make, almost instant gratification. I love when little people ask me to make things for them - it is such a thrill when a little one says, "will you make me a sweater?" or "I hope I get a sweater this year from Aunt Kimberly". Parents, if you know a knitter/crochet diva, make sure if your children ask for a hand knit, you TELL the knitter in your life!

A few posts back, you all can see that I forgot my niece's birthday (a few more back and you will see that I forgot her brother's birthday this year also!) I hope to make up for it with this beautiful sweater made in Lobsterpot whale of a skein in, I think, Cape sky (I can't find the label). The pattern is Girlfriend's Swing Coat Sweater by Wendy Bernard - I love all things Wendy!! It was easy to do, very quick and I love the end results as does Dumplin'  - I think you can tell by the photos she was having fun (and promptly asked for a pink one!)

The button is from my button jars - it was the only one of it's kind and I love that Miss M will have it for her sweater. Oh, did I tell you that my Mom gave me 3 button jars for Christmas?!!! I think I have a picture of that morning, hang on..... nope it's on the other computer, drat. Anyway it was snowing this weekend and Son #2 and Dumplin and I got all the jars out and looked in each one to find just the right button - I think we did a great job.

Here is Dumplin's Stupa, as I was finishing it last night watching Idol (don't you so want that blind guy to win - i secretly want to see his guide more- he was Hot!) and during a commercial Son #2 leaned over and said.... "Mom, I'd like mine in red please".... I am only to happy to oblige!

Yarn Snobbery

I LOVE yarn... all types of yarn. When I first started knitting and crocheting in earnest, my favorite place to go was Michael's. It was close to my house and I could buy, and buy and buy (and usually spend about 35 to 40 dollars). It was fantastic.

I had some questions about knitting and I found a local yarn store in the town next to mine.... It was great, and my yarn pallet began to change... I remember making a shawl for one of my nieces for her First Communion and spending $40.00 on the yarn for the entire project.... it was very gradual, I didn't notice what was happening.

I now design a lot for another yarn store in my area, and the yarns in this store are one of a kind, unbelievable, and unique.... I am completely smitten, I have no words to describe the sensory overload that comes over me when I walk into that shop (not to mention the unbelievable work opportunities that have come my way!). Well, I have been known to spend $40.00 (OK, yesterday) on ONE skein of yarn. I used my Christmas gift certificate from Mr. Fantastic and I love it. It made perfect sense to me to buy it..... and I made the most beautiful sweater from it. It is as pretty to look at as it is to touch. The sweater took 2 days to make and I can't wait to make something else with the yarn. The yarn is called Maiden Hair and I can't get enough of it!

The pattern is called Chevron Lace Cardigan by Milobo and I am enchanted by the ease of the construction and speed of the project. I will be wearing it soon!

As you have seen from some of my previous posts, we are in a Stupa Bella craze here at Chez Fantastic, and Dumplin' has hopped right on the bandwagon wanting one for herself. I brought her to the yarn shop yesterday (I needed more Maiden Hair for another project! hehe) and I let her pick out her yarn (kind of a BIG mistake) It took her exactly 1 1/2 hours to pick out the perfect yarn (well she did find the perfect yarn but it was cashmere - not too shabby!). Here are her finds, I will post the finished product when it is done.... I have a few deadlines lurking! 

I have to say, for all tense and purposes, I am a yarn snob.... I can't help it, I love expensive, unique and one of a kind yarn - I did not realize it, but I am also raising one too

Holiday 08 Top 10

Happy New Year!!! Here are some of my observations over the last 2 weeks:

1. Fun, food, and Fat all begin with the letter F, usually one follows the other and F also is the first letter of the word I have said lately after getting off the bathroom scale.

2. When given the opportunity, children can make it to midnight (the next day stinks, though..)

3. Saying Hello to family and friends is so wonderful and saying Goodbye is not my favorite.

4. Giving woolly gifts makes my heart smile.

Pictured are 2 versions of Doris Chan's All shawl and Stupa Bella by Alchemy yarns.

5. It takes a week to decorate our house for Christmas and 3 hours to pack it all up (with the help of Mr. Fantastic)

6. When children break expensive gifts given to them by Santa, it causes my face to turn bright red because I have to hold in the speech that begins, "Do you know how hard your father has to work to pay for that!"

7. The game Bananagrams is REALLY fun and Mr. Fantastic wins every time!

8. The movie Despero is dark and scary for a 4 year old girl, and the movie Bedtime Stories is fun for the whole family

9. Being invited to share in another Holiday with dinner included was one of the nicest gifts in many ways.

10. Back to School are 3 of my favorite words!