Just another day in paradise

I didn't get much knitting done this weekend, but I sure had a great time writing for my Tech Writing class, editing photos, and spending time with my kids.

In lieu of my incessant yammering, I present some pretty things to see.

Oh and I also signed up with QOOP to sell my photography. Here's the link!
http://my.qoop.com/store/Desert-Flower-Creations-9227779640536153



My new Banner on QOOP




Bronze statue at the High Desert Museum, Bend OR.




Near my Uncle's place in Eastern OR




Vicki wearing her new "Vicki" hat! Lovely!



Not too far from the horse's location  is this old homestead.

Looking forward to a good week. I have lots to keep me busy creating, writing, and taking pictures. Life couldn't be better. I even started exercising again. I even put "less sugar" in my coffee. Shazam! Did you feel the earth move just a bit? Yeah. Me and .. and.. L-l-lesssss sugar in my coffee. I think I can. I think I can.

Staying in

At the moment, it's raining ice. ICE. Seriously. Raining I.C.E.  I was going to drive to town and deliver the baby hats I have collected so far to the Cascade Medical Team meeting, but not now. My little car doesn't dance with ice. It might, but I don't want to take that chance.

     Now that I think about it, I haven't said much about CMT.(Cascade Medical Team, not CMT music station- get it straight, now..;) The link the their website: http://www.cmt-oregon.org/Site/Welcome.html
My good friend, Jill is a surgical tech that started going last year. Her parents go almost every year. They travel to Solala, Guatemala, set up a surgical unit in an old military base, and perform much-needed surgical procedures for the inhabitants. But there is MUCH more to it than I can say here. Midwives, Construction teams, and a support team all go. I believe there were over a hundred people that went, on their own dime last year. Jill and I cannot go at the same time because our work won't allow it. (There are only two of us who do our job)
    
     You should look into it. If you feel the urge, make a hat, a scarf, or socks for the newborns. They are about the size of our preemies. (4 pounds or less) the Oregon knitter's group on Ravelry has my mailing address, and if you private email me through this blog, I will give it to you. I will get them to the team. I want to go next year for certain. I suppose I need to start a fundraiser for me to go.

     Way back early December, the owner of the business where I did the Bazaar had me design a hat for her daughter-in-law. Here's what I have so far:

I'm learning how to chart and design. It's fun. It's also annoying. Especially when you're trying to concentrate, and distractions like email, kids, phone calls, and studying get in the way. ;) I think I counted the same row almost three times, and still had to write it down. Maybe I just have too much going on. sigh. Big, deep, from-the-toes sigh.

I also organized my bags for the Sock of the Month group on Ravelry:

I have a bunch of Sockotta yarn from almost 10 years ago (!!) that needs to get knitted up. I put those in the bags. I decided to just pick a random bag, then decide on a pattern. Self-striping yarn doesn't look good with certain patterns. I'm stubborn about that. Not wasting my hand-time on an ugly sock.

This is what happens when the wrong hands get into the yarn box. I salvaged most of it, but still followed the KISS theory and cut the tangled mess off.

I don't have near as much acrylic as I thought I did. That's a good thing. The pile is dwindling steadily. I am pleased with that. What I do have an ungodly amount of, is cotton. I'm thinking, "crocheted rugs' and "dishrags". Soon.



Have a wonderful Sunday. I have a date with Jack Skellington and a hat project.

Add your New Year's Cliche here

Epic! Awesome! Amazing! Magical! Okay, I'm done. Happy New Year!!
I remember waaaay back in 1987 listening to Prince's "Party like it's 1999" and reeling at the fact that I would be.. OMG 34! in 2000. Now, it's 2011, and, like 'Maxine" I could give a rip less how old I am. Besides - "It's not the years honey, it's the mileage" (Indiana Jones). Every mile has a memory for me. And I am SO glad I'm past the young mindset. I would much rather re-live my 30's than I would EVER my 20's.
Do you think about that?

In the meantime, let's ring in the new year with beauty.



My daughter wearing "Vicki"



Such girly girly-ness!

My mother's hat, "Berries" knitted with Knit Picks Pattern.



Yvette Entrelac Beret and Mitts from Knit Picks.




And the back view. They will love to see you walk away too!

 Such a wonderful way to end the old year.

I fufilled one dream already. I have a pattern for sale on Ravelry! I was so giddy with excitement I made like 3 trips to the bathroom when I got it all uploaded, opened my store, etc. (that's yet another tale to tell- let's just say I am glad I know my way around a computer). But, success! the "Mossy" hat is a pattern! yay!

Another goal is to open a storefront on Facebook, and get some more instructional videos up on Ustream. And get into OSU full time, and finish my Bachelor's degree. I like learning, but come on. I will be paying off student loans when I'm retired if I don't get my patootey in gear.

Other than that, the usual applies. (here's the cliche` part in case you missed it). Eat better, exercise more, blah blah blah..

What are some of your plans? I'd love to hear them!

my version of Neveah

This is just a few pictures of the Columbia Gorge. That is on the Washington Side, just North and East of Hood River, Oregon. I drive the gorge frequently due to the custody arrangement. I enjoy the drive. Let's just keep it at that.

    

I was experimenting with my camera, and used the panoramic setting a few times, but still have some learning to do. like how far to move the camera after the first click, etc.

The I-84 sits right on the river, so what you are seeing are very tall, very steep cliffs. Some -well- Most of the best views of the Oregon side are when you are on the Washington side. (we are on the Oregon side. I held the camera high in the air for this one too see how it would work.)

Here's Joe. He likes getting his picture taken. It was VERY windy. We were just a few minutes ahead of the storm you see rolling off the cliffs.

My Christmas present to me: Stopping at the LYS in Hood River. With money. Not a lot of money, but still .. ;)

View of Knot another Hat's front door.

The cutest and softest booties I have ever seen! They have wonderful displays. You can order from them online as well. http://www.knotanotherhat.com/   they have a nice rewards program. (spend X amount of dollars, get X amount of savings)

I drooled over the hanks of yarn that were already beaded. Forgot to photograph that though.. you will have to look yourself!

Hood River is a beautiful town. I have tons of pics in earlier blogs. That day the streets were snowy, the town was full of shoppers, and it really felt like Christmas.

There is also a local Llama and Alpaca ranch up towards the mountain ( Mnt. Hood for you non-locals;) I petted some Llama yarn at the LYS and it's quite nice. Comparable to soft wool.

What did I buy? Oh. just you look. Creamy, soft, melty, buttery, I-can't-wait-to-make-something-with baby Alpaca!! Neveah!!

I noticed  that my camera lens is a little dirty. Must have drooled while taking pictures. This yarn is soft as a kitten! I am actually going to make something for Moi this time. Yes, me myself and I. I know! amazing, isn't it. Us knitters actually making things for ourselves. Rare moments, rare indeed.

My daughter and her friend are going to model some of the hats I have finished and will put them up for a New Year's blog to end the old year with pretty things.

Hope you are all having a wonderful day. I am! More details of that later. ;) Here's a teaser- Old boyfriend, new re-connection. 20 years. Very sparkly. We were so young...

Never enough time

Merry Christmas!!

I don't have a lot to say, yet I have tons to tell you. I need every spare moment I have to finish my sister's present. I forgot that when you make felted stuff, you actually have to felt them to get the end result one sees in the pattern picture. Meaning, my friends, that my sister will get WET clogs for Christmas instead of pretty dry ones. (insert colorful metaphor of your choice here).

Anyway, here is some eye candy.  I made these for my friend, Jill. "Susie's reading mitts" designed by Susie Rogers and Janelle Masters of Dancing Ewe Yarns.



Mitts for my good friend, Jill. Model: Mary (she wanted to keep them.)



I am going to have to make another pair. She didn't want to give these back.



Love the color! Brown Sheep Yarn Superwash wool in Deep Amethyst.



Everyone please have a happy, peaceful, and warm holiday! I will be not far, fanning felted clogs with my pattern and heater. I might just give up and buy her slippers...   make some socks- well- mitts- hm.. a hat?- what can I make in the next 16 hours.. hm..



Diligence

C. A good, strong, I-worked-really-hard-in-between-life's-curve-balls C. Working full-time, raising a family on my own, (well-Mom and sis help, but you know what I mean) doing all of this Textile Artist work,  and just plain having a life makes me satisfied with my C. I'm good with it. (I'd rather be an "A" at other things than Algebra anyway.)

I am sure those of you who read this are knitting, sewing, beading, and otherwise creating all those last-minute

these are crocheted. Sorry I forgot to turn the picture. I thought it would look okay like that. I'm now thinking.. "no".

Will post more later! I have to get to work and still have 5 blankets to make. You know, the easy-peasy Polar Fleece blankets you tie together. Kids love them. Plus the fabric was 50% off the other day at Jo-Anns. Hard to beat that.  Hope your Christmas creations are going well!

Even the crazy stuff works sometimes

I take my Pre-Calculus final tomorrow evening after work. Amazingly enough, I actually feel pretty darned confident about it. Been reviewing all weekend, and even with a 4x6" card for backup, I recognize how to do just about all the graphs, Logarithms, and rational equations. Maybe all this knitting and blogging is paying off somehow in the deep recesses of my neurological process. Well, that's all the big words I have for the day.. shall we move on?

My scrub hat pile at the Bazaar last Friday at Oakway fitness. There was a really good turnout, I sat next to the owner, Kris, who had a Pampered Chef table (love that stuff!). I was the only knitter there, most everything else was jewelry, birdhouses and  coffee. I am thinking of going back next year.

My second Mossy hat finished for a customer. She wants a  purple flower. This is Lamb's Pride 100% Wool worsted.

I am really liking this pattern. Still finalizing the details on the design before I publish it. I should find out how exactly to write a knitting pattern. Mine sounds like Mister Rodgers' version of knitting.. hee hee!

Mossy hat #3. This one is for Amy, my cheerleader and good friend. If you see her around Portland, compliment her hat! It's going to have a big red flower! What gets me is my camera and the color Teal never seem to get along. It's Jade Garden Lamb's Pride by Brown Sheep Company.

Mother's hat in progress. I think I blogged the kit earlier.. oh yes I did. working on this today. I want to get it done so she has something cool to wear since it has been pretty cold here.

 Now for the really cool part: I am on Ravelry, as some of you know, as desertflower66. I am in three groups so far, Oregon knitters, The WIP, and Self-imposed Sock Club (all hail the Harlot!).
I have been sortof bummed out because there hasn't been much activity on my blog, and started to wonder if other bloggers like me were feeling the same way. Then- SLAP! an idea hit me. Why not post something about it on Ravlery? I did, and so far have made several new blog friends! Here is their links:

http://beebonnet.typepad.com/  Eugene blogger, knitter, ezine-er. Great eye candy!

http://jeweledelegance.blogspot.com/  Oregonian who has all the details. I mean ALL. love!

http://hissystitch.blogspot.com/  Professor who knits. Humor-iffic!

http://mytinkertots.blogspot.com/- knitter, designer, lots of info. Love!

http://pdx-princess.blogspot.com/2010/12/i-finished-hat.html- Portland knitter, mom, designer. fun!

http://www.shesjustsaying.com/ - blogs about life in Bend. great page!

http://www.tiggywinkleknits.blogspot.com/-  some really good words about her creations. She has a cool "buy all things hand made" tag I'd like to have..

http://eweniquelyewe.blogspot.com/- good lord! you need to see the chenille scarf she wove! eeee! WANT!

I Hope I got everyone. Anyway so far, it has been a wonderful adventure in getting us bloggers together, link up and spread ourselves around like cheap butter. Ahhh.. can you feel the  All Things Handmade love?
I love this. Just filled to the tippy-top with Love for all of this..(No, I won't sing Kum-by-yah.. ew)..
Never give up. Never Surrender!