A Day of Knitting & Friends

June 7 (yes, I'm still playing blogging catch up) was the annual Granite State Knit In at Loon Mountain... a wonderful hot and long day of knitting, classes, shopping and friends. This was my second time attending and I did enjoy it even more than last year! Joanne was presented with the opportunity to vend this year, so she, blogless Cheryl and I hoped on the road at the crack of dawn and headed North!

With some very creative help of my honey, we rigged a great display board for Stitch Markers by Lapdog Creations...

The day started off with classes. I took Duplicate Stitch, Celtic Cables and Gauge, which were all interesting but Duplicate Stitch was by far the best! Both Cheryl (who also took the class) & I had read about duplicate stitch several times, and we both agreed that it is one of those things that you just don't get until you are shown it first hand.

We had some great items in our goody bags this year....

I was thrilled to find out that the main gift this year was the Beanie Baggie from Mind Your Knitting! These were big at last year's Knit & Crochet show and I ended up not leaving with one, only to wish I had a few months later! Not only did we all have one of the very cool weighted baggies, but they gave us the matching Knitting Knotebook & Accessory Pouch too! I was extra thrilled that I even got the colorway that I would most want!

Following the classes, we had our shopping hour, a super yummy lunch (the baked fish was delicious!), and then we were treated to this year's keynote speaker, Miss Virgina McGlynn of the Abbot Yarn Shop in Beverly, MA. Miss Virginia was both enlightening & entertaining and she brought lots of great knitting memorabilia to show us.

Miss Virginia gave everyone some great free patterns, including this lovely shawl that both Cheryl & I are planning to make... and she graciously signed her books (I got my Finishing book signed).

I was very reserved in my shopping and only brought home a few things...

3 skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Cotton Boucle Mini (which was double discounted... I ended up spending a whopping $12.50 for all 3 skeins!)

The yarn & pattern for my Dream in Color shrug...

My final purchase was this gorgeous lace weight alpaca/silk and shawl pattern from Tree of Life Designs...

The day ended with the contest winners (none of us), the annual State Trooper visit to collect the dressed teddy bears/stuffed animals and the raffle (again, nothing).

A shot of some of the stuffed animals collected this year...

While none of us won any of the raffles, Cheryl's blogless super lucky ducky friend Beth managed to walk away with the uber grand prize (drawn from all non-winning tickets)... this beautiful, bottomless basket of goodies!

Did I mention what a hot day it was? And since Loon Mountain is known for being a ski lodge, well... there's no a/c (can you scream UGH with me?)! So what else to do, but end the day right with a stop for ice cream on the way home! The place we stopped at had a make your own sundae bar (yum-o!) and this cute guy parked out front...

FO Monday

While I'd much rather be enjoying one of those other FO Mondays (esp since today is my 13 year "anniversary"), I actually have a couple of finished objects to share! I finished both last week.

First up, my second pair of Magic Slippers. This time I used bulky yarn (Moda Dea Tweedle Dea from the goody bag at last year's Knit & Crochet show) and size 6 needles to produce a much larger size. They were donated at Saturday's Granite State Knit In. I heart this quick, easy, fun pattern and will surely make more!

My other finished object was the Camera Sock for my new toy. I wanted to get this done before the Knit In so as not to get any scratches on it. I used leftover Sereknity sock yarn and followed the pattern as written, however I started decreases 1/2" from the length I wanted (as called for) and it ended up being about 1/2" too short... so I will be casting on for another (longer) camera sock soon... but this one certainly works.

Yesterday I finally got Clappy off the needles, after I neglected her for at least the past 3 or 4 weeks. It was too late for a photo shoot last night, but I hope to get it photoed tonight so long as I can bear to put it on in this disgusting heat wave we are having (I so love fall weather...).

Since I don't have Clappy photos, I'll share a couple of my recent acquisitions with you...

My Frogged & Ripped pint set and Bob lapel pin arrived from Ravelry...

And this gorgeous, yummy yarn from Zona Blue Design, which I got in trade for a set of dolphin stitch markers...

Isn't it beautious?!?!? It is merino wool/nylon sock yarn in the colorway Sweetheart. Click on over to her etsy shop (linked above) and scoop up some of your own!

Stayed tuned for more vacation pics, a recap of the Granite State Knit In and pictures of the finally finished Clappy! In the meantime, try to stay cool.......

Bug Hunting & Bird Watching

Please bear with me while I'm still playing catch up! The saying "I need a vacation from my vacation" couldn't be further from the truth... I've still yet to download the pictures off the camera, but promise them soon... race car drivers, race cars, race shops... and oh yea, my yarn shop find (and haul) and my pics with the absolutely adorable, mellow man, Killer!

Last weekend we spent a off-and-on again rainy afternoon watching the Cats vs Dogs...

... as in, the Manchester Fisher Cats vs the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox affiliate)... after the game we hoped on over the an awesome steakhouse, which was by far the more enjoyable part of the day.

I ended up staying home on Sunday and after a lazy start, I stayed busy working up a bunch of stitch markers for A Knitter's Garden (more to come soon for my Etsy shop, but in the meantime there are still several sets available over there). Joanne is vending at The Granite State Knit In this Saturday and had asked for some specific smaller sets to have on hand. She also suggested a display board for single markers and thanks to my wonderful honey, we now have an awesome looking display board which I delivered to her last night (and thanks to his overactive imagination engineering mind, not only one that stands up but one that folds for portability). Of course, I forgot to photo it but will do so this weekend.

I'm really looking forward to the Knit In on Saturday! Joanne and I will be cruising up at the sinful hour butt-crack of dawn with blogless Cheryl (I'm so NOT a morning person...). I'm looking forward to my classes, for which I still need to knit a 6 x 4 swatch... but at least I only have one swatch to knit for homework, unlike last year (and no, I did not pick my classes based on the homework assigned, I just happened to luck out with only one of them requiring actual homework). I also have to finish my 2nd pair of the magic slippers for the donations. Last night the girls convinced me to use my 1st pair (the tiny, tiny infant size) as my contest entry.

So now on to the Dogs on Thursday content... the kids also got a little more active after their lazy Sunday morning. We went out on the back porch to hang and watch the critters....

Teutul {as always, click linked names for more pics} was pretty persistant in checking out what was above before he pooped out...



I think he was watching the birds zip around his head... and after a more careful examination of the tree behind the hot tub in that picture, I found this nesting mama...

Sophie is my little lady bug hunter extraordinaire! I swear... hunting dog mega mix... she definitely is (officially we have her as a "hound mix," but I'm starting to think she's got some bassett in her due to her odd body shape... perhaps bassett, beagle and something else?). She will chase anything & everything... moths, birds, flies, ants, frogs, bugs of any kind... she'd be torturing the squirrels & woodchucks if they weren't out of reach. One of her new favorite activities is rumaging thru Mommy's old, dried up plant pots on the porch to stir up the bugs to catch, especially that old Lavender plant (I guess this isn't how you dry lavender, huh?)...

She is an avid bird watcher (that little black spot in the grass - in between the rungs above her head - is a bird)...

Her big brother Zeus is also an avid bird watcher, although his favorite activity is to "lay low" out front until they all gather by the tree and then to run full speed, giving poor little birdies heart attacks barreling in to them and making birds scater everywhere.

Lola was too busy keeping an eye peeled for Chucky & Woody to care about some silly old birdies...

I did try another 4 doggy photo, but with not as much success as the last round...

Great Game!

I have to say despite some dimwit spilling her beer on me, then falling on me later last night's Bruins game was one of the best games I've ever been too! There is nothing like playoff hockey in Boston... especially against Montreal! Now its back to Canada for game 7 tomorrow night... Let's keep the winning streak going boys!

In other news, my Dogs on Thursday spring swap package arrived from Chan and it is wonderful! I will post pictures soon. I'm feeling organized in that I've sent in my registration for the annual Granite State Knit In, made plans with the girls to attend the NH Sheep & Wool and registered for the Knit & Crochet Show... its going to be a very fiber-ful spring/summer!

A Day of Knitting & Stash Enhancement!

Saturday was my first time attending the annual Granite State Knit In and it was a day filled with knitting, fiber and friends -- and some yummy food too! I was elected to drive and headed up to Loon Mountain (a pretty drive, though much more interesting in the fall) with Joanne, Marlene and Marlana at the crack of dawn. We met up with Lisa and a few other familiar faces there... signed in and it was immediately off to classes (after grabbing the must have cup of coffee... did I mention we left at the crack of dawn!!??).

Marlene and I took a 2 hour "Finishing With a Difference" class which was interesting, then I had my "Knitted Beaded Earrings" class. It wasn't really a class per say, but more of buying a kit and following along with the very simple and quick pattern. The instructor was there if you had questions, but that was about it. They were fun and very easy to make though. Here is the pair I made in class...

Cute (despite being difficult to photograph well)? They'll make quick and easy gifts if I can figure out some friends & family that would wear them (hint: if you like them, speak up!)...

After classes, it was time for lunch and I was impressed! Joanne had said the lunch was yummy, but I wasn't expecting things like baked fish, spinach & strawberry salad, perfectly steamed broccoli & carrots and delicious rolls (and more!). It was good! After lunch it was time to SHOP! I was quite impressed with my self control frugal and walked around the vendor area a couple of times before deciding on my purchases, which were very few.

I got a kit to make a 2nd pair of the earrings (this one has the beading needle included which my one from class did not) and also a kit for a knit beaded Christmas ornament.

My only other vendor purchase was a bit of a treat however. I scored a skein of Mountain Colors sock yarn in a gorgeous, deep, dark colorway (which the name is escaping me at the moment) that I had eyed since my first visit to that table.... and the real splurge/treat, an absolutely beautiful skein of Great Adirondack Yarn's Sireno, 675 yards of a super soft 50% silk/50% wool (again I forgot to write down the colorway name). I was going back and forth on this one and which colorway to get, but both Joanne & Lisa though the colors were perfect for me and my plan is a nice fall shawl (for which I am now searching for the perfect pattern - any suggestions are much appreciated!). I also grabbed 2 pairs of Brittany needles in sizes I needed...

I did pretty good with the self control, no? I did purchase one of the huge tote bags that I understand was last year's goody bag/gift - and I'm glad I grabbed mine before lunch because there were only a handful out and I guess that was all that was left because I ran in to about a dozen people after with the "I wish I got one in the morning before they were gone." This bag is big enough to run away from home with bigger than any other knitting or tote bag I own - I actually put the knitting tote I brought inside, along with both of my purchase bags and my goody/gift bag they gave this year ... and still had room! Here's the bag along with the contents of this year's gift bag, which included a GSKI bookmark, a skein of yarn, a nifty needle sizer that looks like a jewler's ring sizer, and more ...

I also spent $5 on raffle tickets... and got 15 free from the 2 hats I donated. This is the carousel hat that I donated and entered in to the hat contest...

After days of trashing all of the button sections of AC Moore, Michael's and Joanne's Fabric searching for carousel horse buttons and coming up empty handed, I used some farm ponies, lambs and cows. Sadly, my hat did not finish 1st, 2nd or 3rd.... part of me wants to complain because it appears they put out the ballot box before all of the hats were on the table to judge (including mine!). I had at least 3 people tell me that they had already voted (1 vote per person) and that my hat was not out at the time they voted. Darn it. I also did not win anything from the wonderful raffle prizes either. Actually, none of us won anything and Joanne was even helping draw the numbers. Some girls won multiple raffle items... one girl must've walked away with 5 or 6! Guess now I know why people were buying miles and miles of those little tickets...

I might not have won anything, but at least I know my hats are going to a good cause and I especially hope the carousel hat brings joy to a needy little one (I forgot to photo my second donation hat, but it was just a simple blue infant hat)! My kids despised were reluctant models Friday night after I finished it up...

That's Lola on the left and Zeus on the right... Teutul was too macho to wear the baby hat (or maybe still embarrased by that bib photo)!

The low point of the day - get this! - I forgot to bring a WIP to the knit in to work on during the speaker/raffle and down time. Oopsie! It would've been nice to have something to work on while Lisa worked her felted grapes, Marlene worked on her baby sweater and ... the woman next to Lisa kept dozing off! I hate to laugh, but it was pretty funny. She was even knitting and would doze off, jump when her head started to fall and then doze again. Talk about entertainment! I also forgot to bring the digital camera, but instead had the dinosaur old fashioned film camera. Which means I'll have photos to post in time for next year's Knit In I can't post pictures until I finish the roll, get it developed, pick up the photos....

I made up for the lost knitting time yesterday by casting on a dishcloth (my first "round" one) for the lovely lady I get to spoil in the Summer Dishcloth Swap and making a new mini sock for my sock blocker keychain (I figured it was time for some springy colors and since my wonderful secret pal spoilee sent me a great mini sock stash, I had to get knitting). Here's the dishcloth in progress, as well as my ankle sock (in Sereknity Triple Scoops) which I worked on just a bit over vacation...

And here's the new mini sock, done in the springy colorway Foofaraw from Blue Moon Fiber (hey, does that mean that my mini sock blocker now rocks??)... and the "out with the old, in with the new pic..."

Question for my fellow mini sock knitters... what do you do with your old socks when you remove them for a new one? I'm trying to think of something more creative than just tossing them all in a basket... ideas?

I also wanted to share my little stash enhancement from just before I left for vacation. Joanne had a great sale over at A Knitter's Garden and I brought home 3 skeins of Wool in The Woods and a beautiful, luxurious hank of baby pink alpaca. I'm not totally sure what I'm going to do with the wool yet, but am thinking about making a lace dog paw print scarf with the alpaca. Isn't it gorgeous ~ if only they had touch-o-vision for blogs!

Joanne also had a fun and brain-jerking word scramble contest as part of her sale and guess what? I won! Yes, I did win something! I got my lovely prize on Saturday... a yummy strawberry shortcake bath set, complete with 2 of the softest hand towels ever. Thanks Joanne!

Vacation Recap!

Ok, this might be a bit of a long post... but I do have a lot of photos to get your through all the blah-blahing keep your attention! ;-)

Overall, vacation was good. Great weather - first time we saw no rain in a long time, and the temps were cooler than usual which was nice, though it was still hot! Only complaint, just much too short and we ran out of time to see everyone & everything! We spent time with friends, ate lots of yummy (read: fattening!) food, got depressed when some clothing wouldn't fit, shopped, visited a winery (sadly its a friggin' pain in the backside not so easy to lug it home anymore now that you can't carry it on the plane), visited some race shops, and oh yea, saw some racing (and Casey's first win!)...

We met up with Jada & Natalie (my first blog post was quite boring, huh?) and the boys for lunch on Wednesday (thanks again for lunch JJ!). Always great spending time with them - and my how the kids grow so quickly! Also got to see Jerry when he came to pick up Nat.

Teri (one of my dearest and bestest friends who sadly lives all the way in PA and really needs to consider the next big campus opening in New England!) & Brenda, who are both blogless, though I bet they could each write some entertaining blogs, came in late on Wednesday. Our first adventure out this year was The Penguin for lunch on Thursday. Both Teri & I had somehow happened upon catching the episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on Food Network that had featured The Penguin just a few days before we headed to Charlotte... I text Teri, "Must go to this place The Penguin" - she texts back, "Yup, saw that too, already told Brenda! - call it fate??? It became a must find, after all their fried pickles were supposed to be the best in town. Once just a bar, some biker dudes bought it out and have been serving up unique & amazing diner food ever since. Here are the famous fried pickles and us out front (notice the old time sign in the background?)...

Can you say YUM-O??!! These fried pickles were delicious in all their gressy yumminess! All of the food was yummy and the place was packed... on a Thursday at 1:45! We had to wait about 20 minutes before getting a table, but had some great entertainment between the Harley hostess and the locals who wanted to chat about old-time racing, and... well... the signs posted in the window...

Anyone know what a shnouzer is (a Benji looking one at that)?? :) And describe the sweet dog who was found... um, 4 legs, a tail, and sweet?

We headed off to catch qualifying Thursday night... Kenny "Herman" Wallace was doing a mighty fine job of hawking his new book in the lobby when we went in to the track gift shop.... "c'mon now... $23.95... get my book... over here, to the left... line is over here, to the left... why you staring at me - get in line, over here... to the left ... just $23.95! oh look... a dale jr fan... Jr wrote an introduction in my book, here let me read some of it to you..." (Kenny could sell rain coats in the desert!) Anyone who knows NASCAR knows what a riot Kenny is... we've met him a few times before and I must say, he's never disappointed...

With all the paparazzi in the news lately, have you ever wondered who might have it worse than Paris, Nicole and Lindsay? How about NASCAR drivers after just breaking a track record and putting themselves on the provisional pole (the pole was captured later in the evening by Ryan Newman)? (to save space I put together this collage of photos I took instead of posting multiple photos - if you want a copy, let me know!)

To all those untalented wastes of tv time "misguided" girls..., stop your whining and start doing something legal to warrant the press coverage you do get.

More time was spent with friends, including lunch (didn't I say we ate well in Charlotte?) with my long time friend Melanie (thanks again for the great tour of the new shop!), at a yummy BBQ place, Sonny's.

Oh yes, and there was a 600 mile race ... not exactly the most appropriate for first timers like Brenda's brother & his wife, but they were troopers throughout the long day & night! Here's "the girls" (Teri, Brenda, me) with our annual "Budget Sun Shade" photo...

I wasn't really thrilled with the photos from this year's trip and don't really have one of Matt & I that I like, but just to prove I did take him with me...

Oh yea, and the shopping... we actually did pretty well (read: no overuse of the credit cards) this year. We both got some new race-related shirts on sales & markdowns. I passed up the cute top in the Harley store because it was $60 and I didn't need it (and no, we don't own a harley or a bike for that matter, but its fun to poke in the big shops and some of their clothing & shoes are actually pretty cool). I even - gasp! - passed on the really cute sandals in the same Harley store because, again, I didn't need them... this whole "what do I really need" budgeting thing kinda stinks, but I'm learning even if really slowly.

Of course I did need some yarn because after all, its impoliet to browse thru a yarn shop and not buy anything, right? After a failed attempt at trying to find a little yarn shop in Matthews and finally realizing it had closed "some time ago," I learned. I called the 2nd (and closer to the hotel - only about 8 minutes away!) shop I had directions for before visiting... and they were alive & kicking! Charlotte Yarn, as mentioned in my last post, was a great little shop with lots of nice yarns. Nothing local or really different, but I did walk out with this...

A lacey scarf pattern (which is from a woman in MA who's patterns I've never happened upon up this way - go figure!) and some gorgeous Blue Sky Alpca & Silk to make it. I also grabbed 2 skeins of Malabrigo in the Velvet Grapes colorway (this picture does not do it justice - its really vibrant!).

A trip to Charlotte is also not complete without a visit to Canine Cafe and a goody bag to bring home for the kids!

Some of the wonderful treats from Barbara's Catering, including peanut butter mega-bones, apple cinnamon duzin' donuts and pumpkin cinnamon (Zeus' favorite!) cookies.

I did get some knitting done on my ankle sock, but forgot to photo it. There wasn't a lot of progress, I knit on the plane on the way down and a little bit here and there, but for the most part there was too much going on to knit. I spent last night working on my homework swatches for tomorrow's Granite State Knit In. I need to finish 2 more, along with my hat for the donation/contest tonight...

See some of you tomorrow! Time to get back to work (argh...)......