Pointers and Pinchers

I'm still intrigued with gloves. I think a broader statement is that I am intrigued by building with small units or modules. I am still pecking away at some domino projects, too. Very similarly satisfying.

I bought two of these today. My idea is that they will serve as excellent storage and display containers for my stash. They are 2-gallon size, about 13 inches tall. Of course I'll need way more than two of them, but that's all they had today, and I wanted to see what it looks like. Right now they are sitting on the floor, one full of koigu, the other full of Goddess yarns in a gorgeous shade of red. Eventually, I'll line them up under the window seat in the bay window, or on a shelving unit that is yet to be built.

I have been struggling with ways to store my stash in such a way that I can look at it often (to keep ideas simmering), is tidy and protects the yarn from dust, etc. I originally thought I'd just build a shelving unit like they have in my LYSs and have a wall-o-yarn. But I realized there's not really any way to dust yarn, and having the yarns on shelves in plastic bags is too unslightly. Thus, the big glass jar idea. I'd post a picture but I'm without a camera tonight. I'll photograph this weekend.

Patience

Blizzard No. 2 is underway. Our portion of it will probably be some snow (tonight), followed by rain tomorrow, then freezing temps, topped up with more snow. While Kady and I took our walk this evening, pellet-like precipitation started coming down. I haven't looked outside in the last two hours . . . I'd sort of rather not know yet.

here's the picture

Snowbound

The blizzard of '07 is winding down, and here's what it looked like this afternoon during a lull.
I'll take some shots tomorrow.

Kady and cousin Sasha got along really well during this last trip. Still, Kady is so eager to get in the truck when we leave. It's odd. I would think she would love being at the marsh and having all that open space in which to siff and wander to her heart's content. I guess she is a city dog. More likely, she is a mama's dog.

Big Foot

This is not a particularly good photo, but it illustrates well the size of Sophie's feet.

Happy Birthday to me

I arrived home from Las Vegas at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17. My birthday. I was supposed to go up to Britt's for a workshop on timber-wolf tracking, but I would have had to drive a beautiful but very monotonous two hours on four hours' sleep. So I slept in, picked up Kady at Aunt B's and drove up to Britt's, but didn't arrive in time for the workshop. Mom and Dad were there (at the workshop) and we all had drinks and silliness for my birthday. Sasha and Kady got along just fine, and Sophie harrassed Kady, but it wasn't so bad.

sweet feet

Sleepy Girl

Isn't it wonderful? It would have been perfect in my loft apartment with the expansive bedroom. I'm not sure where to put it in this tiny house. The trick is to get it in the same room with my bed. But I intend to move that upstairs, and Kady can't do stairs.

Maybe a dumb waiter for the furry girl? I could install it in the void after I take down one of the chimneys. hmmm

February Showers

Busy Bee

I put together Kady's bed tonight. Although it is enormous and I don't know where I will put it, it's really extraordinary. Photos to come.

I am finally getting started on cleaning up my area. I totally rearranged the living room, cleaned and put out the new rug. THe color and design are fine, but it's all rumply. I hope it flattens out. Maybe that's why it was at Marshall's. My big project today was building the window seat in the bay window. I did a totally trash job--only used stuff that was laying around. But once I get the moulding on it and the upholstery, and some pillows, it will be great. It already makes the room look more put together. I stuffed all the books from the dining room under it.

I love my compound miter saw. It's so very useful. I can do all kinds of stuff with it. Angles are fun.

On a cold blustery Saturday, it's lovely to think of how we spend Saturday mornings in the summer.

But it was too cold to even take our winter walk around the square (I have to get Kady some snow boots). So we went to the Knitting Tree this morning to visit Jackie, the proprietress, and Jack, her son, 7. Kady went immediately to a basket of angora yarn and buried her face in it. Kady made friends with some of the shoppers and got some good belly rubs. Jack had fun dropping Lego "bombs" on Kady. I showed my qiviut gloves to Jackie (don't have any pictures yet--they are all fingers so far) and chose a skein of Koigu to pair with the orphan glove. Photos to come. I succumbed to the Koigu and got two skeins of a cornflower blue colorway and two more skeins that match singletons I have in my stash.

What am I thinking?? I have more yarn that I can knit in my lifetime. I justified the purchase with the ole "supporting a friend and the local economy" ploy. It's quite effective.

Saturday Night

I primed all the new drywall upstairs, finished all but one piece of trim (I ran out of quarter-round) and caulked and trimmed the remaining edge of the skylight myself (the carpenter was supposed to do it.) But most exciting, I took my first shower in the new bathroom!! It was FANTASTIC!! I guess I will have to put up a shower curtain, because I got a bit too much water outside the shower. I just LOVE this bathroom.

Let's Review...

Before . . . and after.

Not Knitting, But My Handiwork, Nonetheless

Here is my baseboard installation. I am very please with my selection, even though my skills are still developing. THat's OK, though. I love doing this! I can't wait to get started on the rest of the details!!

My Lovely Lav

Here's the jewelry! I love the sink faucet and how easy it will be to clean. I decided to leave the feet of the tub just raw cast iron. I couldn't come up with a color (paint) that I liked, and I really like the raw look. I suppose I will need to oil it or something.

It's (VERY NEARLY) Finished!

Look how beautiful the new bathroom is!!!!

Birthday Wishes

I found this picture from the wonderful 40th birthday party that my friends in Chicago hosted for me, lo these four years ago. With 44 fast approaching, I thought I'd share this.

Knitting In The New Bathroom

I really think the new bathroom is going to be a lovely room.
I bought a compound miter saw yesterday and did a beginner's job of installing the baseboard trim. I tried to do it with a miter box and hand saw, but it was just a mess. The trim looks so nice, I think I will do the rest of the house. I definitely can do the kitchen, now, and I'll have to do the hallway and the dining room as well. The $200 I spent on the saw would get me about 3 hours of a skilled carpenter, so this way I can eventually do the whole house. The bathroom isn't perfect, but it looks pretty good for an amateur. My thinking is that it can't be any harder than knitting, right? By the time I get through with the hallway and the dining room, I'll be skilled enough to go back and do a better job in the bathroom :)

I have to choose light fixtures today, too. One for the hallway and one for the stairs, and the dining room and the pantry.

I'll take pictures tonight.

Home Again

Boris lives in Den G-5 (I think--that's the address spray painted on the tree). Porkies are not territorial, so they change dens from year to year, and sometimes during the year. They are totally chill little guys.

Buh Bye Boris!

And here he is skedaddling over to his den. I wasn't quite fast enough in the minus-10-degree weather.

Boris goes home

Here's Boris just before he was released. The big pole there is a wand that reads the I.D. chip that Boris has under his skin

Exotic fiber

This is Boris. I met him yesterday at the Sandhill Wildlife Area. He is part of an 11-year study of porcupines at the Sandhill. My sister (Britt) trapped him so we could be sure to see a porky during our porcupine ecology workshop. We released him near his den and then we walked around in the woods and looked at some of the other dens. The porky is very very cool animal.

Britt's Hat

Here is the famous Britt's hat. My task, now that I have a good picture of it, is to write a pattern for it. Apparently lots of people in Colorado really like it. But I designed it as I knit it, and--as usual--didn't write down what I was doing.

I'm staying home tomorrow to finish up my tasks on the bathroom remodel so the plumber can do his thing Tuesday. The tile people haven't finished (they haven't sealed the grout) so I sure hope they are planning to come and do it tomorrow. I suspect I'll also get some knitting done tomorrow :)

Can't resist

Thinking of spring and sitting on the porch with Kady.

Tulip Love

Flowers are so full of good ideas. Maybe a flower book after the vegetable book?

design challenge

Something for spring. I know, wishful thinking. It's going to be the coldest week of the year. Zero and below.
Here are some color and mood ideas for spring knits.

Kady Kady Everywhere

That's a little bit of Kady in the fresh grout in the bathroom.

Christmas Kady

Not a sweater, and not knitting. Not even wool. But an important part of the Red Kitchen.

Old Red Hat

From a felting phase. Or Faze. Or a Phelting Pase? Anyway, several years old. Still wear it from time to time.

The Twins

This photo is about a year old. They only fit in these sweaters for about 10 minutes. They already had the tutus in their closet.

Celery Sweater

I haven't knit this one yet. I have too many ideas for the yarn. There will have to be ribbing, of course, and I think I'll shy away from hairy novelty yarn (I'm pretty tired of that.) I'll probably make the leafy stuff with knitted ruffles.

Gabby's Sweater

Just a few photos from the office computer. Gabby will be 2 in March.