It's A SNOW DAY!!!!!

HELL FREEZES OVER: Minnesota schools announces 2 hour late start.

 No.  That is not really Minnesota.  It's a photo from the NYTimes of the Colorado snowpack from last year.  My hubby told me about a demotivational poster but I couldn't find it, so I just improvised and made it myself.   If you're from around here . . . or anywhere north of here, for that matter, you'll appreciate that.

 I need to start out this post with some fiber stuff, so here is a little ditty called "Phannie" that is a great stash buster.  I used a plain old worsted weight wool and an f or g hook - can't remember. . .  It has yet to be blocked but my little goofball "Phannie" could care less.  Guinifer got me going on this tam kick. 

 We were in a hurry to take these photos - so they're a bit blurry.

Every kid growing up here says a little prayer each night for a "snow day".  That means that the roads or the cold are so severe that they either postpone the start of the school day until the roads are clear or they cancel school altogether.   

One would think that Minnesota would be the front runner for snow days, but because we are so hardy and well-prepared, it is highly unusual for our "Supes" to cancel school.  It goes a little something like this:

 

Today we were lucky to get a two hour late start.  Great joy abounded in our house this morning as alarm clocks went off and then were promptly turned off and ignored.  Oddly enough, the kids got right up out of bed and were as peppy as Christmas morning.  Hmm. 

Wildcat Canyon Scarf

 Here is a sweet scarf called "Wildcat Canyon Scarf" by Stacy Mar.  (Pattern will be available soon!) It is knit lengthwise and knits up surprisingly fast.  This took two skeins of Plymouth Select Merino Superwash Worsted on US 7.  I skipped a repeat in the center but I have some yarn leftover, so I may have had enough.  Oh well.  It is still really pretty.

 I learned a clever new stitch called "Cluster Stitch" which made a beautiful, smooshy fabric with a nice texture and feel. 

Hahahaaaaa.  Look how I'm standing.  D.O.R.K.  But how else can you capture a picture when you have no one home to help you out. 

Darn it, red is hard to photograph.   Can you see where I tried to edit out the yarn tails that I have yet to sew in?  I was just too excited. 

So now I'm off to wear it about town.   When people ask, "Where'dya get it?"  I'll gloat a bit and explain that the art of hand-knitting is not forgotten. 

PS.  I ordered that Knit Picks yarn yesterday and boy does it feel good!

PPSS. I ordered even MORE yummy yarn today!  Don't tell Mr. Darling - he'll kick my butt.

Happy First Day of Winter, Minnesota (better late than never)

 I'm enjoying a quick cup of coffee while I decide on yarn for my next project.  Since I'm on my computer, I thought I'd show you a bit of a proper Minnesota winter.

 We went into lessons last night with a gray sky and brown grass.  We emerged a few hours later to this happy mess.  And glory be, were we happy!

 I tried to snap a photo of the house with the snow, but this is what I got instead.  You get the point, though, right?

So we hunkered down in front of a cozy fire and I added a few rows to the test knit I've been working on (it's almost done).

 Stella kept my feet warm and she had no trouble keeping her own feet warm.

 When we awoke, it was a winter wonderland.

 Off we went to school, with the kids bemoaning the fact that they couldn't stay home and play outside. 

 Isn't it pretty?

Presidents Day

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

- Thomas Jefferson

February

 

This is that time of year when the rest of the country gets a good chuckle at Mr. Groundhog.  But if you live in Minnesota or any where north of there, Groundhog day gets hardly a nod.  Six more weeks of winter is mandatory and then you can safely tack on a few more just for good measure.  We authentic north folk don't let that furry fellow lure us into believing that we may have only 6 weeks of winter left.  We've had snow well into April.  

 But this year, winter in Minnesota has yet to get started.  This wacky weird weather we've been having (colder in Texas than here?!) has been making it difficult to go sledding, skiing, snowmobiling.  But it's been great for playing fetch with little Stella here.

Happy Knitting.

Oh yeah. My little blankie.

I forgot to mention my little blanket.  I was not loving the color scheme.  They were just a bit too mushy or too acidic for me.  So I finished it off with a nifty little edging that I got out of this book and gave it away.

It now belongs to a 9 year old who, upon me presenting the blanket said, 

"But it's full of holes."  

It's crochet, kid.  

That's what it's supposed to look like.  What can I say.  She's been raised by a Knitter.

Seeing Red

Blood red knitting - test knit - more to come . . .

It's Valentine's Day here in the States.   We had a mother from England come in with her child's Valentine card for the class.  She did not understand that there were to be Valentine cards for the class - one for each child.  She looked boggled until I explained that you could make little heart shaped cards or stop by the grocery store and pick up 30 premade cards for $3.00.  This got me thinking.  I took for granted that this minor little holiday was known around the rest of the globe, but I was mistaken.

So here's the deal (preschool style):

our cute little students

Little kiddos wear red and pink to school and bring Valentines for all their friends.  These can be store bought mini-cards or you can make cards at home.  There is usually a small piece of candy attached to the Valentine.  

We put up a few decorations in the room to make it more fun and festive.

That's a red velvet donut hole.  Breakfast of champions.

Our classroom mascot.

Each child decorates a bag or a box either in school or at home (teachers choice) and brings their creation to school on Valentine's Day.  There are usually cookies and games.  Each child then delivers his or her Valentine's to the boxes and voila, your child comes home with a months supply of chocolate and lollipops. 

This was my stash - sort of like Halloween but a lot less work and I don't have to dress up and go begging for my chocolate.  It's literally dropped into my bag.  Nice, huh?   We, of course, like to participate and drop little surprises into their little bags, too.  This year we choose bubbles and stickers.

My 9 year old made her box at home.  I am really quite impressed with her work.

 The older kids will often make Valentines, but around 5th and 6th grade (11-12 years old), the idea of handing out Valentines to boys, or boys giving Valentines to girls, is just too embarrassing for the average pre-teen and they end up having skating or sledding parties at school instead. 

I hope that sheds some light on our little corner of the world.

And may I say,
Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

Girl Time Getaway.

 My gal pals and I are up north for a sweet little vacation away from laundry, driving, diapers, jobs, dishes . . . you get my point.  And I brought my bad of fiber and needles. . . and hooks. 

We drove into town today and walked into a store called "Utrinkets" which boated your usual cabin town sundries of souvenirs.  When low and behold at the back of this very understated, nondescript joint was a place of heaven on earth.  A yarn shop.  A full blown, mother-truckin' yarn shop with all the bells and whistles.  The shop is owned by a friendly husband/wife team; the husband was knitting while we browsed. 

 I remained strong and made no purchases.  It was difficult for me, so we headed to the local pizza joint for some pizza and a pitcher of beer.

 Full of our libations, we headed out for some shopping and landed our booties in the little coffee shop.

 It was cold outside but we were warm and toasty inside sipping our very suburban soy lattes and talking about kids, cats and dogs.

Good times and good friends.

WARNING: Cussing Ahead

I came downstairs in the middle of the night for a glass of water (so cliche) and was passing a big window when the outside security light switched on and this gal scared the shit out of me.  I couldn't come up with a better word than that.

This bird feeder is a few feed from our windows and apparently this is the reason we go through bird seed so quickly.  

Anyway, so this is what I've been up to when I crawl into bed.   Watching some boob-tube: 30 Rock reruns.

I've been making these Baby Hearts.  

I got this quick and easy little pattern from Spindles and Spice and can't seem to stop myself.  

This pile represents only a fraction of what I've actually made because I've been giving them away and scattering them around the house which I thought was a cute, fun idea until I realized that the dog has eaten some of them but that makes for a huge run-on sentence.  And so I go on.

I have been keeping the hearts in this little plastic tub I pulled from the recycle bin.

And . . . you guessed it.  Crochet bombed it.  Bombed the bajeezus out of it. 

And as for these little hearts.  I think I'll give the teeny tiny hearts to my teeny tiny students.  Or maybe I'll make a garland of hearts.  Or those hippie doorway hanging garland thingies.  Oh crochet.  How I love thee.  So many ways to spread the crochet cheer.