I freely admit...

I freely admit that I have been sucking in the blogging department for the past half year. I take full responsibility. I have a hundred excuses and reasons...but I still take responsibility.
My motto in life seems to be "Bite off more than you can chew!" and while I don't eschew (hyukhyuk) this motto, I sometimes think to myself "Oh crap! I bit off more than I can...chew!" I can't help it, it's just how I roll. Who wouldn't think that being the President of the Kamloops Arts Council, while co-running a business from home, while being in the Sweet Adelines (Barbershop Harmony Chorus and far more work than you might imagine, I assure you!), becoming more involved in the Society for Creative Anachronism , while raising a 16 month old boy and an 11 year girl wouldn't be a big ole slice of cherry pie? To be honest, most of the time I love it. I find that if I crazy overwork myself, I feel a sense of accomplishment. There are 16 million and 52 things I want to learn to do in this life and only a finite amount of time to do them! It might be easier if I was a TV dinner Mom, I could probably save a lot of time if I didn't cook so much. Although I bet my lack of desire for cleaning probably gives me a couple of extra hours a week!
It all came into perspective today when I realized Patrick was sleeping and it was sunny. Which meant I could catch up on my knitting photography for my projects on Ravelry. The joy was palpable, I was prancing around with my kntiting laying it on the ground and snapping pics like a tourist at the Grand Canyon. How life has changed, that a few fleeting moments in the son without my toddlers becomes such an event. I am not complaining, Wee Patrick is the joy of my life, but he has taught me one really, truly important thing - people that put harnesses on their children are not bad people. I used to be so disgusted by it. Now, I truly understand. I have not put a harness on Patrick simply because I am tenacious and I just can't bring myself to making my child into a dog. But I no longer frown upon the people that do, because I know that not everyone is as hellbent stubborn as I am. Thank you Patrick for teaching my tolerance.
Business is zooming along quite prettily. We have confirmation for our first knitting retreat which is going to be an amazing weekend on Saltspring Island with knitting expert Barb Brown. She's one of my favourite people in the knitting world and I could think of no one better for our first retreat! I waslucky enough to share a room with her at the first retreat I ever went to and I find her a joy to be around. Knowledgable, funny, down to earth, and a damn good knitter too! The details will be available soon (as will our website!).
I'm throwing around the idea of podcasting. I am usually a glib individual but am not sure how I will do with out someone to actually talk to, (or mock). I think it would be a lot of fun, but am not sure how I will fit it in since I can't even seem to do regular blog posts. I think I am going to try to commit to weekly blog posts, and if I can do that, then I shall reward myself with podcasting (since apparently I have the attention span of a 5 year old, I figure this strategy might work well.)
Mother is busy right now combing the hell out of bufallo hides and musk ox hides. This means electrictree yarns will soon be carrying bison down and the ever elusive Qiviut. Not only will this help us make money to expand our business, I am reasonably sure that with Qiviut in our inventory I can probably gather a fair number of souls and first borns.
Now it is time to sign off and continue the dinner making. I am trying out my new convection toaster oven. It has a rotisserie so I making a roast and going to cook some taters as well-all in my wee toaster oven-which, by the way, is not overheating my kitchen right now! Yay!

Retreat!!!!!

This weekend Patrick and I went to the Twist of Fate Retreat at Sun Peaks! Sivia Harding instructed us on beaded lace. It was a blast! My aunt was also there so it was a nice visit. She brought me some yarn, it's my first skein of Socks that Rocks and I might sleep with it under my pillow I love it so much.


My aunt has been knitting for quite a bit longer than me so by giving me yarn I think that makes her kind of like a drug pusher...

Sun Peaks is a small ski village, and there aren't even a dozen shops there but my aunt and I somehow managed to find yarn! There was a clothing store that had a couple baskets in the corner.


I bought a skein more for the principle of the thing rather than from any real need or desire.

The pattern we knitted is called the Ophidian Shawlette and it's a lovely little garment knit in soft fingering weight yarn. Picking out our yarn and beads was enjoyable and there was much covetting going on after choices were made. There's nothing like hanging out with other knitters to reassure me that my knitting obsession is not totally insane! It makes me wonder if crazy people don't feel crazy in the nuthouse!

Unfortunately I was so obsessed with the actual knitting, I didn't take any photos until the last hour of the retreat...


So just imagine people more peppy and excited and that's what the retreat was really like...


In addition to the Ophidian Shawlette, Sivia also showed us her stash of beads and I couldn't help but think that beads are so tiny and a bead stash must not be as guilt inducing as a yarn or fibre stash! We also learned some new cast-off techniques and blocking.


The whole weekend was yarn-knit-bead gluttony and I loved it! Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory was across the street from the hotel which really helped with weekend enjoyment.


During Sivia's blocking demonstration my knitting (in the orange) got a little fresh with some other people's projects.

The first thing I did when I got home was take a whole bunch of pictures of my knitting, this is something my friend Kirsten calls Yarnography (...kind of like pornography...only with yarn...)


See the pretty beads? They were clear with a copper coloured lining, but showed up all warm golden when introduced to the knitting.


I took pictures inside and outside but unfortunatrely my cheap little camera couldn't do the colour of the yarn justice.


It was a wonderful time and Sivia is a great person who really has a knack for teaching!

A great week!

Today has been an absolutely fantabulous week!! It was my birthday on wednesday, which was low-key but still very nice! Tiny got me the coolest present ever!
Next week I start fight practices so I need a helm! I am super excited! It's going to be painful, difficult, possible horrible, and totally AWESOME!

Patrick is getting better at tummy time.


Like his little tattoo? We went to a tattoo show last night and Patrick was sporting his own very badass tattoo.

He doesn't get as much tummy time as he should because he hates it. He almost always gets really mad. He's a big baby with a big honking head so he often spends a large part of "tummy time" face down yelling at the ground. It's almost as funny as when he gets mad at his hiccups. He's getting better at it, and I am determined to make him do it more because I realized he was going to be walking before he could crawl. The kid has crazy strong legs and can stand just fine for a few seconds as long as you balance him. So I am encouraging him to crawl because you're supposed to crawl before you can walk...that reminds me of my little brother who never did learn to crawl-he used to drag himself around with his incredibly strong arms with his legs limply trailing behind him, like a naga.

I have been kntting the February Lady sweater...again. The first attempt was with a lovely red wool, but I somehow majorly screwed up the increases and it was really wonky. I also didn't like that particular yarn in garter stitch, the fabric was not pleasing to me. So this time I am knitting it in a linen/cotton blend. This yarn I had used on another project and it was horrible. It was stocking stitch and every little difference in tension showed up, it was very unforgiving. Luckily this yarn turned out awesome for this project. I figured since I now have several hand knit sweaters in wool, linen/cotton would be a nice alternative-something comfortable and non-scrathcy that I can throw over a tank top on a summer evening. The colour is also ideal for my wardrobe of black, brown and green.



This weekend I am super excited to be going to my second knitting retreat. The first one was so cool, if this one is even half as fun I'll be really happy. My aunt is also going, so I'll get to hang out and knit with her! The retreat is up at Sun Peaks ski resort and last night I realized I didn't have any hats that fit Patrick anymore so I whipped up this little number in leftover Malabrigo Worsted Merino.


I made up the pattern, I like how it spirals.

So I am off to learn beaded lace knitting with Sivia Harding! Wahoo!

In Which Many Things Come to Pass

Words cannot describe the busyness of the last week... Last weekend was the icebreaker softball tournament. Sunday night was my Birthday party (more on that later). Monday was work and the beginning of my Pool League Tournament. Tuesday work, taking my stepdaughter to ball (and was my actual birthday, although I forgot that until I was almost at work). Wednesday was work and silkscreening tote bags. Thursday crazy busy work day and then the Body Beautiful piercing and tattoo show. Friday absolutely insane work day and drive up to Sun Peaks for the Twist of Fate Knitting Retreat. No word of a lie from Monday until Sunday afternoon I spent 5 waking hours at home...

It was all worth it though. As crazy busy as I was, they were all worthwhile pursuits.

My birthday was super awesome. There were a heck of a lot of people there.
I had no idea that so many people liked me, although I do admit the food may have been a big draw...seriously...the food...
I have never seen so much kalamari in my life...there was wings, dry ribs, veggies, fruit, spinach dip, kalamari, meat, cheese...I don't know...it's all a blur...a wonderful sated blur...
My friend Michelle brought a kick ass carrot cake.
There was lots of fun and ridiculousness.
And some karaoke judging.Adam gave me a 10!

I don't know if my brother will ever forgive my for making him wear a Hannah Montana Tiara...
Although Cliffy seemed to enjoy it...
It was without a doubt the best birthday party I have ever had! I asked people to not bring gifts, but if they wanted to they could bring a donation for Knitters Without Borders. We raised $180!

The Body Beautiful piercing and tattoo show was very cool as always. I really enjoy that show because of the eclectic group of people it brings in. There was a professional photographer there, so I will have some professional pics to put up soon. In the meantime here are some I took with my wishy washy little camera.
The knitting retreat was fantastically awesome. The instructor was Barb Brown of Wild Geese Fibres. She was a fantastically cool lady who knew an awful lot about knitting. She was very knowledgable about history so I really enjoyed listening to her theories on the exchange of ideas and information through women travelling throughout history. Her Great Grandmother showed Cowichan ladies how to knit Fair Isle, so I am going to check out her sweaters at the Museum the next time I go to Duncan. It was really nifty to hear about the evolution of the Cowichan Sweater. Barb's pretty famous in the knitting world and she hardly snores at all! (we shared a room).

I learned to knit Fair Isle and I really enjoyed it. I'm not even that great at it and it made me feel like a knitting genius! I can knit with both my hands!! I met lot of cool people and knit all weekend, after the week I had it was just about the funnest thing ever.

So yeah, things are slowing down a little bit now. I am still busy, but not exorcist head spinning busy. Hopefully now I can finally get back to some spinning and glass work, I finally managed to add a couple more products to my Etsy Store, but I have to get batteries for my camera to add anymore...stupid thing eats batteries...because I always forget to turn it off...


Oh and for those of you that have been wondering...yes Herman the Spider is still with us...