12/22/06: Merry Christmas!!!

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! My Christmas wish comes true today cause my guy arrives at the airport this afternoon, yay! I hope everyone out there has a wonderful day.

12/21/06: Parties!

We have an annual office food and grab bag day. I made the carmel corn for that. And here is a shot of part of the table. Everyone made lots of good stuffs as usual and somehow I volunteered myself to compile the department cookbook from what everyone made. Adding to my extra projects? Yeah I am smart huh?



And here is a photo of the corner of the block my building is on. I love the giant ornaments even if they have been the same every year for some time now. Sorry the photo is a little dark. We were thinking of watching the Rockefellar Tree Lighting ceremony this day cause we never have and I felt festive. But then reality kicked in and the crowds were way too much to deal with, so smartly we got on the train and watched it from the good ol' tv!

12/20/06: Peppermints Galore!

It was a lot of fun to make these babies.

12/19/06: Carmel Corn!

Well I do love to bake and stuff during this time of year. And since my Grandmother is here with us it is even more fun. So we had a carmel corn party one night. She started this a few years back when we would all visit my grandparents over the school holiday break. It was fun as a kid and it is fun now if you ask me. It is the shaking in between microwaving that makes it a party, always a good laugh when watching someone doing the ouch! hot bag! shake it like mad! dance. Although we tried something new this time around, splenda brown sugar for baking. It actually came out crunchier and tastier than ever, so I highly recommend splenda for this one.

12/18/06: Color!

I found a loverly rainbow fluff at Rhinebeck this year and spun it up right quick. Color really pushes me on for some reason. I used the drop spindle for this to make it last longer, and I think I might still have a bit left to go but I started knitting with it anyway. I was trying to make little gloves but the size keeps coming out wrong so I have nothing to show for it. Here is the yarn at least.



I also got a much darker merino to spin up. Still have several ounces to go on this one, been using the wheel since there is a lot. I do love how spongy merino comes out. This is destined to also be gloves, but I think I have enough to also get a hat and scarf out of it. I only have a before photo for you today, but the first hank I spun up surprised me with how subtle the red and blue came out. It really made the overall yarn look a deep purplish which is very good with me.

12/15/06: Since December Isn't Over Yet...

I won't put that month up in the review until it is. So for now in order to try and keep with having something here more often I shall share another pair of socks I knitted this month as a St. Nicholas secret swap. These were knit using Regia Banner Stripes yarn. Probably the fastest thing I knit all year because somehow I managed to get them done in under a week.



I also started knitting the cabled jacket in Debbie Bliss's Cashmerino DK book along with Carolyn. Some super slow going on this baby cause I am no good at remembering cables and memorizing charts but so far I am really liking it. I made the chunky cabled jacket of hers and while I love it, it is a little too warm for most occasions so am hoping this one will be more used in the end. I have only done 2 other projects with Debbie Bliss yarn so far and one was with cashmerino baby, one with cashmerino super chunky, and now of course cashmerino dk. All of these done in the same baby blue color, boring aren't I? Also I am sad to report that at the moment I am a little stalled out on this sweater, but I guess that is mostly due to gift knitting so what can I do?

12/14/06: November

Well my vacation spilled into this month, and then of course it was Thanksgiving. Tried some new things for the meal this year. Well new to me as in I never made it before.



Here is some super yummy squash soup, cranberry sauce, and ginger apple slaw.



Then on to dessert. Pumpkin Cheesecake Icecream. Love that icecream maker!

12/13/06: October

Ok did a little baking again on my new counter!



Shared them with some people at Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool, where I parked next to another lovely mini owner.



Saw some pretty amazing pumpkins near Sleepy Hollow:



And then headed off to Indonesia to be with my guy.



Yeah that is a black cloud from a volcano on our way to Bali. So cool, we even saw a whale from that plane. Ok I have a few more pics of this so click below to see it all. I swear they are pretty so you really ought to click.



Read More!

12/12/06: September

Ok so there was a lot of work going on in the house over the summer. And my part of it came to an end in September. I started with this funky old 70's bar thing:



Then my uncle built me this:



and these along the back wall, serious shelving back there:



Then I went to work grouting and sanding and staining:



And Finally! So much nicer and with a marble top!



Ok so we did have a little fun too. Went to Limerock to check out some other minis and some older cars too!

12/11/06: August

Ok so in August it got hot at last! The sister and I made the most of it and continued the camera play, this time under water!



Then it was time to celebrate a 1 year anniversary, no more newlyweds here! We went to Saratoga to reminisce and relax and visit some old friends.



And well there was of course my Birthday, check out the purty cake my sister made me and my Aunt, yup we share the big day!

12/10/06: July

Ok so I took more photos starting this month, hmm could it have been the new camera that inspired this move?

There was a golf tournament:



And a family reunion full of games:



I even started bowling twice my average due to a visiting Uncle:

12/09/06: June

On a freaky date (060606) Winnie joined the family. She is still lovely.

12/08/06: May

This was the end of a trusty ol' car. Silver bullet just couldn't keep going, she was just too tired and then finally collapsed. It might be a little difficult to tell in this photo but her front wheel broke right off and she is just laying on it.

12/07/06: I Will be Knitting for Christmas

And I am way behind as usual! So here are some older Finished items for you to peruse in the meantime.

There are a couple baby hats I made for my cousin. They are very funny I think and she is due any day!



And these are the socks I made her mom to keep her feet warm. Hope they are working. I used Koigu yarn for these, which reminds me that I really need to make myself another koigu pair since it is the best yarn on the feet!



I had another pair of socks I recently finished for a secret santa gift, but I do not seem to have the photo uploaded yet, so they shall appear at a later time.

But yeah as for the christmas knitting, I keep starting stuff and having to rip, not cool. So cross your fingers that I can get at least some of it done. How many things am I making you ask? Um, let me see here, 8 items plus one for a wee bit after the deadline. And none are finished, and really what was I thinking? Um, yeah I think the same thing every year now that I knit. I think it is possible and no problem, and most of the time I get pretty close but at the moment count me nervous and behind!

12/07/06: April

Kept the eggs simple this year. Just some crayon dunking.

12/06/06: March

Ah yes the beginning of the wall of yarn, and this website too!

12/05/06: February

There were birthdays and of course there was Valentines Day. But, who can skip the annual family trip to Orlando?

12/04/06: January

Thought I would do a little review of the year here since I have been so bad at putting up photos. So each day will be a new month.

And the year was off to a strong start with our favorite jello champagne!

12/03/06: Holiday Meme

Figured since Nikol and Carolyn did it here I would just put my answers up too.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
At the moment it is Starbucks Peppermint Mocha, yes that means hot chocolate :)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
They are all wrapped in santa paper (paper that has santas on it). And as my Mom said he has his own font? handwriting :)

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Colored and white.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
I put up my piano decorations the day after thanksgiving, the rest we shall see.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
Goodness me I am going to go with desserts, especially gingerbread cookies, I love to bake 'em and eat 'em

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
My Grandpa coming in dressed as Santa and giving us little cousins all these Orphan Annie coloring gizmos that looked like etch a sketches. I loved that thing :)

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Not sure when, but I was older than most and was handed a book to read that told the truth. And it mentioned something about not ruining it for others. After that I was even more excited to get to stay up late and wrap the santa gifts and got to help surprise the rest of the siblings. Only to find out later they already knew but didn't want the presents to dwindle! So now we all play santa for eachother.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Yes, one gift.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Bulbs first, heavy ones to the middle of the strong branches, and sparkly glass ones by the lights, and we rarely get rid of an ornament handmade or given so it is a full tree alrighty.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Like it for sledding and skiing. Don't like it for bringing cold with it, but if it is cold anyway I say it better snow or else what is the point?

12. Can you ice skate?
Yuppers. Love it!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
I'm going to go with the... no it was the... gosh I have no idea.

14. What's your favorite thing about the holidays?
Walking around the city and seeing all the decorations. I end up humming myself all the way to the train.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Yes dessert is my favorite, and again I especially favor the gingerbread.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Getting home from church christmas eve and everyone running around putting their presents under the tree. It is just so fun for some reason everyone trying to hide little surprises. More fun than the opening I think. And baking nutroll with my Baba is my other favorite.

17. What tops your tree?
A star.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Little drummer boy.

20. Candy canes yuck or yum?
Cherry flavored are good.

21. What's number one on your Christmas list this year?
Alvin