Happy Knitty Ewe Year!

So here I sit with a cup of tea wondering what new challenges will come my way in 2011. Not crazy life changing moral dilemma challenges... been there-did that-didn't like it-hurt too much. No... I'm looking for fun creative challenges that will lighten my soul and put a spark in my heart. I'm not looking to change the world... just my little corner of it. So, tie back the hair and get down to it...

I'm relatively new to this knitting world and have so much still to learn. So many techniques... so much yarn... so little time. That may well be the challenge... learn a new technique with each new project. That's doable, don't you think? Not world changing, I know, but the knitting world is small. Learning new techniques requires a circle of like hearts to guide and help along the way. My circle of mentors, both in person and on Ravelry, are very special to me. Might that be another challenge...  help new knitters like those who have guided me along my way.  Well... these hands might well be busy this year... creating, typing, helping... my soul feels lighter already!

Happy Knitty Ewe Year!!!

Hah... Bumhug!

It's amazing how a little thing can turn one into a Ms. Scrooge. Lets just say that work certainly gets in the way of merriment! Life is pretty stressful as it is this time of year but add to it work poop... well, it's all one can do to not start nipping into the eggnog before hitting the shower first thing in the morning!

Top it all off... because work just isn't as fun as it used to be... Boss: Can you review this report? Me: Really? Nothing will come of it anyways... it's all I can do to stay focused outside of work and not get all worked up about knitted projects not yet done! Yup... so need some time away to recharge and stop complaining about, well... everything! You know it's bad when knitting a gift for someone you love turns into another chore! HUMBUG!

I gotta turn this around... have a cup of tea while knitting up Poppa's muff for his always cold hands and enjoy it's cable goodness... sit back and know that work will turn around cuz' (heaven forbid) it might actually just be me in all my crankiness! But, I'll worry about that in the new year. In the mean time... finish my last knitted gift and try to remember to start gift knitting in February! Yup... gotta turn this around... HAH... BUMHUG!

Christmas Crackers... Nuts n' Bolts

Christmas traditions drives me nuts! Don't get me wrong... I love 'em. From the fruitcake (I LOVE fruitcake) to the snacks to those wonderful Christmas Crackers that, with crossed arms and fingers, they 'snap' when they're supposed to and that the hat stays on the head all through the dinner! But no matter how much planning I do in my head... and there is a lot of activity in there... I never seem to learn. Crazy Christmas knitting begins not in June... but in November. Christmas baking begins not in November but in December. My massage therapist has her work cut out for her in attempting to work out the kinks and knots from the lower back to the tips of the fingers...  note to self... finish her gift!

Panic began to set in when I couldn't find my dear friend's recipe for Nut's n' Bolts. I know I have a screw loose but I was becoming unhinged! To make matters worse (in a creative way, mind you) my 'sister' Miss Meagheen has been sending fantastic mini Christmas ornaments to knit but it's the middle of December and there is no time to add to the list. Besides... where is that recipe... ooo, that yarn would work really well with that ornament... SHINY!!

Thank goodness for my dear friend, Marian in re-re-re-sending her recipe (have since saved in 3 different folders and 2 computers). Thank goodness for dear Meagheen's really easy pattern for... CHRISTMAS CRACKERS!!!! Yes... it's a week before The Day and I'm knitting these up that were not on the 'must do' gifts list. You gotta admit... they're adorable and the perfect reusable "wrapping paper". Now to just make them 'snap' and not get all that salty Nuts n' Bolts goodness all through yarny goodness. Planning is for next year. I know... it's just crazy town!!!

We three gals...

No one knows how long it takes to heal a broken heart. For a while there I thought that time had forgotten mine. Good thing my friends hadn't. They carried my hope and held my heart while I struggled through the tears. It's been over 4 years since the ex left me for another. Every so often something triggers the pain and it hurts just a little... then the moment passes as quickly as it came and I smile at all that I have gained since.

Many summers were spent at the log cabin in Jasper National Park... from re-chinking to re-roofing and making that wood stove pretty again... the wee cabin in the mountains was my respite. I don't go there now... someone else enjoys my hard work. But what was worse... I wouldn't go to Jasper because of the memories. Then along came my two gal pals who decided I needed to 'Take Back Jasper'... and boy, did we! That first summer... in a rented cabin by Miette Hot Springs... we laughed, we cried, we ate, we drank and we laughed some more. We agreed to do it again the following year and we have ever since. Now dubbed our 'Jane Austen Weekend', we arrive with the linen table cloth, wine glasses and the Pimm's pitcher in that wee Miette Hot Springs cabin. We end with breakfast in Jasper and a stop over at Stitchin Time... a most delightful yarn shop.

Trish and Co are very special chosen sisters and I wanted to give them something for Christmas and from my heart as they were part of that small handful who helped heal it. Something warm and soft and cuddly... much like they are! We three gals are most blessed to have each other... and our Jane Austen weekend!

No small feet!

Count down to Christmas continues as does the panic. Three scarves and one ear flap toque done. One more scarf, two more toques, muff and a felted bag to go. I'm positive there's more on my list but I just can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that there are only 21 days left to knit! And if I didn't have to work... I really would have 21 days to knit! I've been so busy with big yarn and stix for the scarves that my fingers need to re-adjust to toothpix knitting!

Yup, time again to get back to wee knitting and my fingers are rebelling. The wee knitting is for a gift exchange. Oh, I could go to a store and purchase an ornament to exchange... but what's the fun in that? I mean... it's just a tree ornament we're to give and how hard is that? Yikes.... famous last words... Took an hour to cast on 3 stitches, make an i-cord and cast on a further 15 stitches for a mini-mitten! Dropped the 'toothpix' a couple of times... dropped the stitches a couple more times... did I say it took ONE HOUR to complete a 2 inch i-cord, cast on 15 more stitches and knit one round!!! Why, oh why was this taking so long? Jeese... the mini sock was done with no real issues (only had to frog back once) but this mini-mitten was nearly the death of me. My fingers needed to work just little bit differently.

The techniques were all the same... maybe that's the learning... sometimes we need to 'stray' from our usual way of doing things for the outcomes to be brilliant. The tools are the same... maybe a little smaller... maybe a little fancier... but the tools are essentially the same. As in all things new or different... the foundation is there. It's how we accomplish the final outcome that, at times, is the real challenge. Nope, not going to buy an ordinary ornament... I'd rather have frenzied panic and learn a little more about myself while creating something special for a friend. Besides... the friendship will be that much stronger!