An old favorite – sunset over Dublin Lake, August 2007, taken on my last trip to Harrisville.

Wool blend batts from Extreme Spinning – if I play my cards right, I may finally break out my long-neglected wheel and spin these up this weekend…

This week, I’m thankful for:

• my health – the occasional “blip” aside, I’m grateful that I’m in good health.
• my inner strength – It seems like an odd thing to be thankful for but as someone who took a long, long time to find it, I’m thankful every day that I did.  Earlier this year, I made the most difficult decision I’ve ever made.  I’m thankful that I had the strength to finally do it – its turned out to be the best decision I ever made.
• my mother – of all the amazing women in my life, no one is more a model of inner strength and courage than her.  Thing is, I don’t think she knows it.  I’m thankful that I’ve always had her to look up to.

What are you thankful for this week?

What a productive week!  One full project completed and significant progress made on 2 others.  On Sunday, I got a fresh start on my Crazy Woman socks, this time in Knitspot’s Tidelines pattern.  This time it clicked and I’ve almost completed the cuff on the first one:  The pattern is perfect – easy to memorize, fun to do and it its similar in style to the stitch pattern in the shawl that I did in the same colorway.

The yarn for my niece’s sweater came on Monday and I cast on last night. 

Only a few hours of knitting time in and I’ve already divided for the body and sleeves.  Its another fun, simple knit – just what I need when Christmas is just 44 days away and I have this and one other sweater to knit.

My goals for the week – finish the body of this and at least turn the heel on my sock.  I have lots of knitting time coming up in the next week, with the traveling that I’m doing.  It should be another very productive week.

I’m off – after a very lazy morning, I have a hair appointment, followed by SnB with the grrls.  How I love days off!  Happy Wednesday!

This week’s topic is Ten Favorite Song/Movie Remakes.  Two things come to mind when I see this topic: I can’t think of any off the top of my head and most of the time, I hate remakes.  I’m a sucker for originals.   That said, I came up with my own topic this week.

Ten Random Things That Are Making Me Happy Today:

1. The yarn came for my niece’s sweater yesterday.  Its the color of fruit loops.  My girl has long, dark, curly hair and brown eyes – its going to be perfect on her.  She’s a total girly-girl and will love it.  Pics tomorrow.
2. Yesterday brought some unexpected knitting time.
3. Tomorrow is a holiday.  Mid-week days off rock.
4. I have a hair appointment tomorrow – for a cut and color.  Now that I’ve gone super short, its finally time to do something fun with the color.  I’m thinking a few highlights, maybe in a subtle pink/red tone.  I haven’t colored my hair in years and when I did, I always went blonder.  My hair color has gotten so blah.  I can’t wait to do something different!  Pics to come.
5. My other plans for tomorrow – knitting with the grrls for the first time in weeks, maybe a bit of Christmas shopping for the wee ones if I have the time.
6. I feel better, really better, for the first time in 2 weeks.  Yesterday, I went un-medicated all day.  I don’t miss the taste of Robitussin.
7. My morning started off with some Tigger-time.   Really, what better way to start the day than a few minutes of un-interrupted ear scritches, purring and nose-kisses?
8. The headline of today’s Hartford Courant – “Emotional Rell Says ‘Its Time’ to Leave”.  Sweetheart, some of us knew that 4 years ago.  Even so, the news that CT’s governor is not seeking re-election made my day.
9. All 3 of my inboxes (work, Painted Sheep and personal) have less than 20 emails in them each.  This never happens, especially at work.
10. My plans for next week involve airplanes, an amazing conference, a river walk and quite possibly, cowboys.  Any guesses?

That’s what’s making me smile today.  What about you?

You all know how I love a good bottle of wine.  Ever wonder what to do when you have a great bottle and (shudder) no corkscrew?  Check this out:

Have to admit, part of the reason I love this clip so much is not just that he gets it open, but the shear joy of a great bottle with friends that transcends language.

Happy Monday!

Some days, its feels like the knitting gods have conspired against me.  I had a couple of those days earlier this week.  First came a major glitch in my Christmas knitting.  Way back in May, I bought yarn for my niece’s sweater – 5 skeins of Reynolds Soft Sea Wool, to knit Helena.  At the time, the yarn and pattern seemed perfect.  Several months later, not so much.  When I went to wind the yarn to get started, it hit me how light it was.  Very light – no where near the DK weight it claims to be.  A bit of poking around online confirmed my suspicions – its more like a sport or even a fingering weight.  Worse, I realized its not machine washable.  Scrapped the yarn – into the destash pile it goes.  Digging through the stash found nothing else suitable for Helena.  Combined with the growing realization that the pattern was a bit to baby-ish for an almost 4 year old, back to the drawing board I went.  Rather than casting on as planned, I put it aside and went back to focusing on my Crazy Woman socks.  And again with the project fail – the pattern just wasn’t doing it for me.  Too busy for a dark yarn, too fussy to memorize easily, just not right.  Back I ripped.  Haven’t quite decided what to do with the socks, though there’s a Knitspot pattern that may work.

Thankfully, the new Interweave Knits Weekend brought a solution to one of my dilemmas – Wendy Bernard’s Sailor’s Rib Sweater is perfect for my niece.  A simple pullover in worsted weight yarn – meaning that I can use my beloved Cascade 220 Superwash.  I ordered 3 skeins in the handpainted version from Webs, in colorway just right for my favorite girly-girl.   Hopefully, it will be here early this week.  Christmas is how many days away?  Two kids sweaters to knit?  No pressure!  (why I haven’t started my nephew’s sweater is beyond me – I just really want to do my niece’s first and I’m sticking with my plan)

Left with “nothing” on the needles, what’s a knitter to do?  Cast on something simple, quick and incredibly gratifying:

Jared Flood’s Quincy Hat from the Made in Brooklyn book was just the thing to turn things around.  I started this on Thursday night and finished it this morning.  The yarn, Classic Elite Ariosa, a merino/cashmere blend, was heavenly.  The construction – a garter stitch rectangle with I-cord edges, twisted into a moebius and grafted, then crown stitches picked up – was ingenius.  Just what I needed.

I’m off – trying to sneak in a little spinning on this beautiful fall day.

Derring, New Hampshire, October 2009 – Another one of the lovely scenes I took in while tooling around New Hamsphire for Wool Arts Tour.  I love the muted colors and the changing sky.

Happy Saturday!

Apparently, big kitties like Big Wool.

Tigger has very expensive refined taste in handknit sweaters.

Carole emailed me earlier this week with a lovely suggestion.  Prompted by Kate, who is including three things she is thankful for during each post in November, Carole’s idea was to use Thursdays to do the same.  I think its a perfect way to share in the true spirit of the season.  I hope you’ll join me!

I have much to be thankful for, today and everyday.  What comes to mind today?

• My friends – so often in the last several months, I have been reminded of how lucky I am to have the most amazing, supportive, loving circle of friends, near and far.  They’ve cried with me, laughed with me, held me close, pushed me forward and kept me going through the good and the bad this year.   They’ve been there for me through the big stuff, when I knew I needed them.  Most importantly, they’ve been there in the moments I had no idea I needed them, with an unexpected word of encouragement, a hug or a simple smile.  And they constantly remind me of just how wonderful my life truly is.  I’m lucky to have all you all in it.
• My family – I’m thankful to have my parents, brothers and sister-in-law, niece and nephew so close.  They give me some of my greatest joys, are a huge source of support and comfort and yes, make me crazy sometimes.  I love them through it all, no matter what and always thankful to have them in life.
• My work – between The Painted Sheep and my full time work, I truly get to do what I love every day.  I’ve said it so many times, when I got to WFC, I felt like I had come home.  I work in the most incredible non-profit, surrounded by amazing, dedicated, passionate people who share my vision for the world.  I get to work on issues that are closest to my heart, to effect change in small ways and large.  Little in life makes me happier than walking into my office.  I never thought I’d feel this way about a job.  Its such a blessing.  And then I come home – to my little business, this thing that is all mine, that fulfills me in so many other ways, to pursue my creative passions.  Sometimes, I look around at my office and studio and can’t believe what I’ve done.  I made my dream of a fiber business come true.  Does it get any better than that?
• and something smaller – this morning I am thankful for stunningly beautiful, crisp, clear, cold fall mornings, snuggled up in my bathrobe with a steaming cup of coffee, a purring kitty and a sock on the needles.

Hope you’re day is as beautiful has mine has started out to be!