My 25 year old cousin Nikki sent this pic to me of Mom & I at her Mother's baby shower. Yes, cousin Nikki was the baby to be... yes, I feel old.....
Here we are years later... with our men this past July in Essex, Massachusetts.
Update... Mom & Dad came up to visit on Sunday since he was feeling better and up to getting out & about for a bit. He goes in for another PET scan November 12th... please keep sending those good healing vibes!
Happy Birthday Mom... Love You!
Its really cool to have an actual wholesale order (read: paid up front) and to know that my markers will soon be available at an online store! Yeah! As always, my markers are always availabe at A Knitter's Garden and in my etsy shop too (an update to come later this week). Since I don't want to bore you completely with shameless self-promotion, I'll leave you with some recent critter shots from Nichole's Wild Animal Kingdom... I came home the other day to find Chucky (yeah, so maybe its Woody... still not sure?) hanging out in the front yard. Like the mirror shot?
Last Tuesday, Mr & Mrs Gobble were back at work (I'd like to think they were a day early to wish me a happy birthday) ... greeting us all at the front door! 
I'm to the point now that I walk right up to them with no worries... they like to hang out directly in front of the door and we're convinced they think there are friends inside, since they can see their reflection in the door!
A very shy girl checking out her new siblings, Tut & Lola...
Per the recent Best Friends email news: Michelle Obama announced on TV this week that her family will adopt – not buy – a dog after the elections. That’s an example I hope other Americans will follow. Then rescue pets everywhere will be the real winners! (And to the 50,000 of you who signed Best Friends successful petition, thank you.) Excellent news!
Please hop on over to Knitting Adventures and check out Watson sporting his brand new (and perfect fit!) Pure Mutt collar which his Mommy won in my review contest a few weeks ago. Doesn't he look fantastic? Enjoy your Friday and long weekend! 1. One of the best concerts/plays/movies I ever saw that I really didn't think I'd like was Spamalot (I was never a Monty Pyton fan, but it was fun!).
2. The Shepherd's Pie at T-Bones is a recipe I recently made or meal I recently ordered that was delicious!
3. It's time for my annual review at work.
4. The crisp fall air is quite refreshing.
6. To one side of the curving road was a fall sale at the yarn shop, and on the other was a coffee shop.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Ghost Whisperer, knitting & hanging out at home, tomorrow my plans include the Life is Good garage sale & watching the Cup race from Charlotte and Sunday, I want to do something fun, possibly visit Clark's Trading Post??!
I will hold no shame in starting right off with proclaiming my love for this book... and its not just because it was released on my birthday! Bags That Rock: Knitting on the Road with Kelley Deal is fun, modern, innovative and classy all rolled in to one!
With 20 projects in all, there's sure to be a bag - or two... or three - here for everyone! Those 20 projects quickly turn into so many more, as each one features a "remix" variation.
I've had several other "bags" books land in my collection over the years, but this one truly packs the punch with several patterns that I can't wait to knit! Combine rock star inspired names like Free Bird, Moe, Edie, Hey Jute and Trixie Delicious, with non-traditional materials like guitar strings, jute, telephone cords, drum lug casings and old necklaces, and you get some very creative, amazing bags... truly, Bags That Rock!
Bags That Rock is one of those rare knitting books that you can just sit and look at, flipping through the pages again and again. The photography is eye catching, the patterns are well written and the "Feedback" blurbs (tips) throughout are interesting - and useful! Kelley shares many of her photos and stories from the road throughout the pages, which for a music lover like myself, makes the book even more fascinating.
The "Tuning Up" section starts the book off with Kelley's take on the tools of the trade. She goes over the usual - yarn & fiber, needles, tools, hardware, straps, techniques and stitches - but with so much more flair than you'll find elsewhere. Kelley talks about non-traditional fibers, recylcing things for straps (who knew the inseam of your old jeans could double as your new purse handle?) and even has "The I-Cord Interview" with her twin sister and fellow rocker, Kim Deal of Pixies fame.
The biggest decision you will have to make after scooping up your copy of Bags That Rock is what bag to cast on first! My choice was easy... I will soon be casting on Easy Evening. Using a guitar string for a handle, secured with crimps and drum lug casings, this will surely be my new go-to bag for all of my honey's upcoming shows! I've already asked him to acquire the musical gear for me...
Other notable patterns include Laura Petrie, a color-block bag with leather handles & metal feet; Moe, "the bag for the John Bonham in all of us," as Kelley puts it, a felted little ditty with an embroidered drum kit on the front and drum sticks for handles; and Knotted Up, a fun, felted bucket bag. Nordic, a reinvention of Kelley's Rock Star Bag previously featured on Knitty Gritty is also included.
Okay, enough chit-chat... its time to get our knit - and rock - on!
About the Author: Kelley Deal is the lead guitarist for the band The Breeders. She spends late nights in the recording studio and long hours on a tour bus -- giving her plenty of time for her other passion, knitting. In Bags That Rock, Kelley is truly able to combine the rock 'n roll world with her knitted bag obsession.
I must've been trying to take a "nice" picture of Lola when Sophie and Tut had to get in on it...
Lola telling Tut to leave her alone "hey idiot, I'm getting my picture taken here... "
So much for picture time, its now wrestling time... Tut gets Lola, then Sophie gets Tut (she's trying to bite at his back leg here... she's smart enough to use her smaller size to her advantage and gets under the other kids' to nibble at their feet, lol).....
Zeus must've been happily sleeping lounging while the mayhem was going on. Here's my big guy being lazy laying down on the job during a little photo shoot for an upcoming review...
Enjoy the rest of your woofy day!
ETA: I did not take this photo. It was something that came in an email of fall photos and I just loved it and felt it was a good one for this time of year!
