More Kitty Pics!!

I didn't get Pumpkin until he was 6 months old but his breeder had this pic of him when he was 4 months old and this was the pic I fell in love with! He was just what I was looking for as far as breed and coloring - I REALLY wanted a red and white tabby Exotic and it had to be a male! (Neutered males are said to make better pets and from my experience, this is true!*)

When I met him in person, the deal was sealed!!

He had a terrible day!!! The breeder, Vicki was coming from Stuart, Florida to see another client in Ft. Lauderdale so she volunteered to bring "Tigger" to meet me. After an hour on the road Vicki's car broke down on I-95! They had to wait almost 2 hours for a tow truck and 2 hours at the auto shop fixing the fan belt that had snapped! Back on the road for another hour and they finally arrived at my home! Now here was "Tigger", having spent 6 hours in a pet carrier with no air conditioning, food, or water!! I took him out of his carrier and he looked nonplussed to say the least! But I let him sniff me a bit and hugged him to my chest where he curled up and began to purr like a motor!! Ah, it was true love!
I had known since losing Jaxon, that when the time was right for the next cat in my life, he would appear...and here he was!! I promptly told Vicki "Pumpkin" was home!!

Now don't you think he looks more like a Pumpkin than a Tigger?



And here is a picture of my beloved Jaxon, acting as the Fearless Sock Avenger!!


Isn't he beautiful? He's the keeper of today's knitting content and was quite the ham whenever I was taking sock pictures. Wow, two pics in the same post...will wonders never cease? See ya....

*no offense intended to female cats, it's just my experience and fairly well documented in cat
breeding circles :)

Drunk with power!!!

I spent most of today learning HTML and my brain totally hurts but I am TOTALLY getting it...and I'm heady with the flush of success, LOL!! Funny how mastering a new task brings on such joy! I wonder if balancing my checkbook would make me feel as good? hehe.....

Of course much thanks go to my personal web design instuctors...A big, jiggly kiss for you, Rob, for getting things started and a HUGE hug and a giggle for you Ada, your help was awesome!! Thank you both!!

And because this really is a *knitting blog* now, here's a knitting post of some socks I recently finished for one of my professors. My grad school knitting is usually socks and I was knitting the Daffodil entrelac socks during her lecture. During the break she asked me "do people actually wear those outside of the house?" She wasn't being nasty, she's just kind of conservative and the Daffodil socks are definately eye catchers! Later on she came back to me to apologize, that she did like the socks, but she would never wear something so "loud". So I asked her what socks she would wear...she said "solid turquoise" but being the rebel that I am I went with solid turquoise alright, but threw in lots of lace! I'll get Dr. G to expand her horizions yet!!

Specs: Brown Sheep Wildfoote fingering weight sock yarn in Temple Turquoise and Evelyn Clark's Leaf Lace sock pattern for Fiber Trends. I didn't love the Wildfoote, it was splitty and twisty but solid turquoise fingering weight yarn was hard to find! I used Wildfoote for my Sockapalooza Pal socks too and once I use what's in my stash, I'm done with Wildfoote...with all the gorgeous sock yarns out there, who needs to wrestle every stitch? Funny because I ADORE Naturespun Sport which is made by Brown Sheep too. Ok, here are the socks, finally!

Always late to the dance but glad I finally came!

Having recently joined the blog world I've had some amazing revelations and experiences!

First of all, I feel like a clueless knuklehead when it comes to this HTML stuff but to quote the author of a blog I love "It's all part of the process" (thanks Margene!) I'm learning and I feel like new parts of my brain are in use! Have no fear, I'm not planning a new career in IT but I'm really enjoying this learning process and isn't that what zen is all about?

Secondly people have been so nice and complimentary! Strangers I don't "know" and have never seen while surfing around the knitting blogs have dropped by and paid me such lovely compliments! I know it sounds corny but I feel a real sense of belonging and companionship and I'm very appreciative. Of course they were all probably sucked in by Pumpkin's dashing good looks :)

I wasn't sure I was the blogging type, but I'm really glad I gave it a try! So thanks for all the offers of help, compliments and camaraderie!

And please come back! Hehehe....

Now because he is irresistible I give you the P man....

Pumpkin Sleeps

Getting an early start on holiday knitting!

Here's the scarf I mentioned a few days ago. It's called Caryl's Kerchief.

It uses one skein of Koigu and about 200 size 6 seed beads. It's an easy lace pattern with lots of pizazz! The colors are fairly true on my monitor, perhaps just a little more vibrant and saturated in person.

The pattern is available from www.foxyknits.com as a kit ONLY. If you email Mary and tell her what color scheme you are longing for, she will choose both the perfect yarn and complimentary beads. Of course, you can choose your own Koigu if you like.

This was a fast, fun knit...it took me two evenings. It's a Chanukah gift for my sis-in-law and I can really see it getting a lot of use in her wardrobe.

I also can see me making this scarf again and again! I already have plans for two slightly larger ones using Socks that Rock yarn from Toni at http://www.handspinning.com/thefold/ and I already picked out some really beautiful and interesting beads!


And just because he's so adorable, the next post contains another pic of the Pumpkin man!! ( I haven't figured how to do 2 pics in one post....serenity now!!)

Testing 1,2,3....

I'm testing yet another image posting service. I hope this works!!
Beaded socks

Birch Revisited

As we have discovered, I'm very new to blogging and still have A LOT to learn. So here's my Birch again (instead of the red x below)

sorry!!

Ok, now I can clearly see the font color I chose does not work well with the new template! Please forgive me for making things harder to see than necessary....hope this is better!

Hate those lil red x's!

When I posted the Cammo entrelac sock pic I got a message that the post was successful however when I view the page I get the dreaded little red x instead of my socks so I'm trying again.

By request of my favorite online vendor....

I present Ribby Cardi!! This is a Chanukah gift for Mom. I think she'll love it! Isn't the zipper pretty, Judy?

Specs:

Peruvian Highland Wool from www.Elann.com in Harvest Heather and Coffee Bean.

Pattern from Bonne Marie at www.chicknits.com

Custom length zipper from www.zippersource.com

This took me 2 months from cast on to closet and the pattern was a dream! In fact I loved it so nice I'm making it twice! I plan to make one for Dad for Chanukah too in Redwood Peruvian Highland Wool...I *heart* this yarn, can you tell?

Next up (hi again Judy!!) my "manly" version of the entrelac socks. These are Cammo Lorna's Laces which is actually the color used in the magazine and which originally caught my eye. I made em for my oldest friend, Augie.....he's not the oldest in years, we have just known each other since we were 8! Of course, he wont wear the socks because he doesn't want to "ruin" them but his dysfunction is a whole 'nuther post, heheh...

On the subject of favorite online vendors/enablers/yarn pimps (heheh) Judy from http://www.theknitter.com/ totally ROCKS!! She is wonderful from a professional/business standpoint but she has also become a special friend, especially recently when I lost my precious Jaxon. Go visit her and buy some yarn, it feels so good and shipping is FREE! Her hubby Chris is great too!!

Two posts in one day, who woulda thunk it??

Knit on everyone!!

Whoops!! Still learning it seems....

Here are the socks!!

Getting the hang of it!

I'm finally able to post pics and since the previous pic of Pumpkin was so tiny, here he is again!

Pumpkin is a 9 month old Exotic Shorthair. Exotics are like Persians in every way except they have short hair!

I love the look of the Persian type cats...the round, flat face and huge round eyes, the short "cobby" bodies and the sweet dispositions but having had 4 Persians and Himalayans previously, all that hair can be overwheming! Especially here in Florida! In fact, I would have my boys "shaved" every three months....expensive and traumatic!! And I've had cats (well just one, really) that absolutely HATED being brushed so shaving was the only option!

So, I had heard of the Exotic breed but in truth, Pumpkin was the first Exotic I ever saw in the flesh (or should I say fur?) And he's just the perfect lil boy! He has all the wonderful traits of Persians and his coat is thick and dense and mat free!! God bless Mendel and those drosophlia!! But of course, Murphy's Law being what it is, Pumpkin who really doesn't *need* brushing, LOVES to be brushed!And obviously, he's quite the handsome lad, n'est ce pas? He's really sweet and mellow and very affectionate too!

I miss my beloved Jaxon every single day like a physical ache but Pumpkin does make my heart smile!

And because this is a knitting blog and the previously posted sock pics were equally miniscule and crappy, here's a repost of Mom's entrelac socks. The pattern is from Knitter's Fall 2004 I believe. I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Daffodil and this was my first attempt at entrelac....this pattern is REALLY FUN!! I did make a few changes: I made 2 less tiers on both the leg and the foot but otherwise the pattern was great and I just love how these turned out!

I think I finally got it!!!!

So, to prove it, here's a pic of my recently finished Birch for my neice Nicole for her Sweet 16...this ones for you Claudia!! I used Kid Silk Haze in Wicked and blocked it with wires.....It's my second Birch, I just LOVE the pattern!

So let's see if this actually posts to my blog <fingers crossed>

Gratutitous Cat Pic!! My lil Pumpkin

I'm trying again!

I'm trying to post a pic with text via IE instead of AOL. Let's see....

Beaded Socks!

Beaded socks

Still no word from Blogger but....

YAY!! My first comment! Thanks Claudia....as soon as I work out this picture thing, I'll show off my Birch!

But for now, a post of another favorite pair of knitted socks to follow....These went to Mom too, she really LOVES my socks!

Hopefully, pics with text soon!!

Finished but no pics :(

I finished putting the Ribby Cardi together, the zipper came out wonderfully!! I'm really happy with the finished product and I think Mom will be too. I hope it's a good fit because it's very stretchy.

I did re-wash the sweater again once it was completely assembled with collar, front facings and zipper, it's drying on my blocking board now!

Unfortunately there seems to be some sort of FUBAR between Blogger and AOL. I keep getting an error message when I try to post a pic with text. I sent a help ticket to Blogger asking for guidance so I'll wait to hear from them before I post pics of the Ribby.

I started Caryl's kerchief...what a fun knit!! I got the kit from Foxy Knits in Beverly Hills and the koigu Mary picked for me is so pretty!! Very autumn-y with greens, burnt oranges and reds with gold beads for the border. This is gonna be a gift for my SIL and I think she'll love it! I can see many more of these scarves in my future, both with koigu and other sock type yarn......I already plan to use the single skeins of Socks that Rock that Toni from The Fold sent me, I just have to pick some beads that will match the Pebbles and the Heartstone colorways. Lucky me, a new beading store just opened on University Drive **this close** to my house!! Or maybe unlucky me, hehe....

I have some Xmas gift socks on the needles as well but they will be a secret because I know the recipient will be reading this :)

Next up: Start the Ribby Cardi for Dad for Chanukah and start the Father's Day socks in Regia Jubilee....so many knitting dreams, not enough time!!

entrelac socks in Lorna's Laces Daffodil

Still Zippering....

Putting in the zipper on Mom's Ribby Cardi isn't so bad afterall. Just a bit fussy.

I should finish tonight and have some pics tomorrow!!

But for now, as my first pic, I give you one of the favorite socks I ever knit. They are A Step Above Entrelac Socks from Knitter's Magazine done in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Daffodil. I loved making them and Mom loves wearing them! It was the first time I ever tried entrelac and it's FUN!! I plan to make these socks again and again. Hope you like em!!

My Very First Post!

Well the blog bug has finally hit!! I'm not sure how much I'll be able to keep up with it but for now it seems like a good idea....we shall see :) Stay tuned.

I'm working on finishing up Ribby Cardi #1 (for mom) and my first hand sewn zipper awaits me. Hopefully it will be my first blog pic!!

'til the morrow....