Distracted by pretty rocks.....

Not a knitting post today....(although I made some great progress on my current project last night). No today is about jewelry.....There is a Gem and Mineral show here in lovely Barstow and people from all over S CA come to this peddling their pretty rocks....including ones for jewelry....Couldn't resist so this is what I got...... 'crazy agate' with man made beads and coral with turquoise and this would become....














The agate one I am quite pleased with, Looks quite nice on. The coral with Turquoise is quite nice and I have some chunky coral red bracelets. Like the chunky bracelets. So in the span of an evening I created my self two necklaces, pair of earrings, and chunky bracelets

Now there was a knitting related project that I did today as well but can't post about them just yet (x-mas present too)

Not very good at blogging....but I have been knitting!

I finished the baby blanket a while ago and with time to spare even.....There it is above looking all nice and pretty. The recipient was quite happy to get it. Finished the pink scarf-its even wrapped and ready to go. Started another scarf for a present with yummy silk yarn and have needles on the way to make a quick wool hat.... (using a pattern from Yarn Harlot's recent post available design, called Unoriginal hat) Will post pics of those two items later on after the Holidays but in the mean time here is the first scarf still on the needles when it was 'bout half way done.....And here it is all done!



Now for the kitties--They are all in new homes accept my two. I wasn't planning on keeping two but little Peek a Boo (formerly known as Normal Toes) just was too timid to be adopted and he has become my little 'SnuggleBoo' It's too bad cause he is a very lovely little kitten but alas he is mine to keep.....And of course I still have Felix--much more hyper kitty but thats alright. And Misty is still a good kitty mama even after her spaying and she is full of fiestiness her self.... Explorer went to home here locally in Barstow a few weeks ago. And in the process of determining how to get Tiger and Tubble to WI--I got Blondie adopted (now known as Boncelli who btw is a boy...all the kittens were boys...) Now for lots of kitty pics.....Here is one of my last ones of Explorer with Boo and Felix. And a lovely picture of Explorer at nine weeks--he is such a striking kitty with the softest fur ever.....He was hard to give up but 4 cats would certainly guarantee me the title of crazy cat lady....Least right now I'm just borderline..... Below are pics of my two babies all snuggled in for a nap. They settle for eachother when my lap is not avaiable (Boo will meow at me if I'm not sitting down for him to snuggle in.....They are a tad bit needy....).











For pics of Tiger well all you need to do is got to D-fly's blog....but here is a pic of Tubble who is turning out to be the brat of the pack (hee hee--thats why he went to Mom....) He also is turning out to be the biggest of the litter--already topped out at 7 lbs. Now lets not forget about pretty kitty mama, Misty--she her self is a pretty funny kitty...attacking the printer, carrying feather toys around the house, playing with her boys and defending her box..... Well that is all for now.

Have a happy Turkey Day!

A quickie.....my organic knitting project

Well I was going to work on the baby blanket during my travels this holiday.....but realized I was using non-carry on needles for this particular project.....
So instead going to work on a x-mas present for a family friend. Couple years ago I knitted her a pink lacey scarf complete with beaded fringe. Well according to mom, last winter its gettin a little ratty lookin so going to knit her a new and different pink lacey scarf which will have fringe and perhaps beads as well.....
Its an interesting pattern....actually I am knitting a lace pattern til its long enough to be a scarf. Pattern is from The Harmony Guides 450 Knitting Stitches: Volume 2. I'm using Volume 1 to figure out all those different yarn over techniques....didn't realize there were so many.....keep kniting and tinking, knitting and tinking.....
The pattern is shown to the left--its called Large Lattice Lace. We shall see how it and my scarf compares.....Its about the right width. Using size 15 US (10mm) bamboo needles. Using two yarns together--both are 'bout sport wieght yarns. Really when I do scarfs--I just cast on enough stitches til it looks like it will be wide enough and use what ever size needles are easy for me to knit with and give a nice pattern.....And I have no issue of frogging the thing until I have the right width and the right needles--this time I lucked out.....Although on this one I may be frogging anyway cause know I figured out what the pattern is telling me I would like to do the beginning of the pattern correctly. But I have plenty of time coming up. I leave for Vegas this afternoon and will arrive in the evening but my flight is in the morning. Yep just frogged it....It will bother me that two of the first rows were not correct....

Sooooo overdue......

Okay should have posted a long time ago....but I have a LOT going on....and well I do get lazy over some things.....
I got braces (something that I've need for a long time but I now can take care of especially now that I have a step 2nd cousin that is an orthodontist and has been helping me find good people to take care of my mouth). Have had them almost a month, used to them for the most part but eating can be soooo annoying!
Then there is my social life....honestly I don't have much of one but it has been busy for me....and I am in entirely new territory (a guy....). So there has been a bit more stress in that regards.....
In relation to my social life, I started working out with my friend/boss after work a few times a week. We want to be fit and trim ladies but neither of us is good on the whole working out unless we have someone to work out with. She is more into strength training than I am but with her doing it, I'll do it. I'll even do the sit ups.....I do like our pre-warm up on the bike. Get a fair amt of reading done.....
And with my reading--I started the Harry Potter books. I have read the first 4 this past month actually.....I want to buy the 5th (and of course 6th and last...) but haven't seen it. Could order but want now.....Anyway quite enjoying the series
And of course there are the kittens.....They are doing quite well and here are some very current pictures. Cute Blondie (one of two girls) with Tiger. She is the perfect kitten-playful sweet and cute. Felix is opposite in a quiet moment....In past posts he has been called Baby Boy but the name Felix popped in my head one morning (he's the one I'm keeping). He and Touble are the two trouble makers.... Normal Toes is below, the other girl. She is the shyest besides Tiger but is so sweet. She did stay long enough to have her picture taken then ran off and hid. And lastly Mr Explorer and Touble....
Went to the vet this morning to get health certificates for Touble and Tiger who are flying to WI with me next Thurs. (that was another big aspect going on lately that D-fly and I have been trying to figure out--she has noted some on her blog but all should work out! So both of us and Mom are quite relieved-almost had a panic attack over this--silly I know but have you looked at my month so far?! And of course I'm not that fond of traveling anyway.....'sigh')
And yes I have been knitting....been working on that shrug for the most part and I finished it! Not all that exciting--really just a rectangle but hey it will be nice and cozy come those cold desert nights.....Right now I am finishing up an afghan square but the next big project I will be working on is a baby blanket. I started it for someone else but well there was some issues that arose b/t me and the mom to be.....it happened a few years ago and well the blanket got stowed away cause if I continued to knit it it would absorb bad vibes and a baby blanket doesn't need that but now there is someone else that I like well enough that I feel she deserves a hand knit item so I plan on finishing it for her. It s called Patchwork Pleasure and I have a pic below from the book (Our Best Knit Baby Afghans by Leisure Arts). Have about a third of it done when I put it away. I do know that it did go pretty quick once I got the rhythm of it goin. Its in a very pretty sage green-nice neutral baby color without being to babyish....It is acrylic but its a nicer softer acrylic. If I was going to do one from the beginning I would use soy or bamboo...but hey I already started this one so oh well....Have a close up of the pattern stitch just for kicks.....


Okay I think that is all ...... That should get all of you up to speed and hopefully I will be a bit better next month.....

Kittens!

New pics of the babies.....
(sorry no new knitting pics--D-fly and I did not have time to knit during our trip-for full story check out her blog....I will add my own pics of the trip later on)

To the left Misty with the blondies before sister and nephew visited..... and to the right the blondies with eyes open!



Next is the only one that I think is not a polydactyl kitten....and is also I think the shyest....left before eyes opened, right-eyes open!



And now for nephew's birthday present.....Tiger or stripey one....
left before family vist, right during their visit.....




and for the last two, my baby boy (well I think he's a boy...kinda early to tell....) and Touble (she's the trouble maker and also the fearless one....and a hard one to get pics of! she'd rather roll over to play and have her belly rubbed...). To the left both of the babies and to the right the ham known as Touble and below is the pretty boy (who we think is a boy....

More kittens....and some jewelry!

I have kittens so there will be A LOT of pictures of kittens....especially when one has a mother bothering you for more pictures when I sent some not 12 hours ago.....'sigh'. Thought I would show where they are hiding behind, my bookshelf.....going to have to wedge something under it from the back or here soon I will have some stuck kittens.....Anyway I took some individual pictures of the kittens, well as best as I can since they are behind a book shelf and it is a bit awkward to get pics of them....but here you go! the six very soft babies.....and of course mom taking another break--I think she gets hot back in the corner with her babies


Now my other passion besides knitting and kittens of course is jewelry making...I'm attracted to beads just like I'm attracted to yarn and fabric--I like color, texture and pattern.....I've always been color orientated. I still think crayons are some of the coolest thing around.....
As you can tell by this very bright orange group, I am not afraid to wear color well not anymore....and I also wear long chunky necklaces....then long chains, or perhaps a shorter beaded necklace....it depends on my mood and my outfit.... And trust me I have more....I'm a bit addicted to beads....and this addiction is spilling over into yarn.....

Kittens and knitting....

Well Misty is still my pretty girl--follows me around once I get home in the evening and meows a lot...I think she's complaining about being cooped up with just her babies all day..... I did get the corner of my closet cleaned--she decided that behind my book shelf is even better corner....course for me not so much--hard to change their bedding back there. And now for a trio of pictures....First picture of kittens before they were moved....then just a picture of my Misty (she looks tired in the picture but really who wouldn't be after all that?) and lastly a picture of everyone from today.....

And for some knitting news....I mentioned in my earlier blog about a shrug I was working on...Well I got one panel done! And I have the other panel half way done! First picture below shows the shurg along the whole length of my couch (its a love seat that mom upholstered! I love my couch....) Next picture shows the second half. It's straight knitting so not difficult at all but with all the thinking I have to do at work....brain just not in the condition to think about stitch patterns. Rather just veg out in front of the TV with some very basic straight forward thinking.....Now on my vacation with D-fly....I will work on my afghan squares again and then of course I will try my had at the KAL shawl with the lovely yarn that Cami sent originally to D-fly....

Six?! What am I going to do with six!?

Well my pretty little girl had 6 little babies of her own....'sigh' That is way more than I wanted to deal with......Although nephew is excited because I have 'extra' and they will be plenty old enough by the time his birthday rolls around.....

Here is a picture showing 5 of the babies (the 6th is hiding underneath her front leg). She is letting me hold them for a bit....and based on my very limited knowledge of newborn kittens....they do look healthy.....And momma looks okay too although she does need some cleaning up....as does my closet corner but Misty insists on staying in this corner so I may have a lovely stain on my carpet....good thing its the closet.....

And just to throw in some knitting.....Here are two scarfs I knitted year and a half ago--first tricky pattern stitch I did and with the fuzzy yarn....man did I swear a lot.....Dad could not figure out why I would keep doing it.....




and a close up of the scarves.... well that is all for tonight....going to watch a little TV and do some knitting and occassionally check in on Misty and her six babies....

--DK