Finishing Up

I finally got around to blocking Branching Out (yes, I know that I finished it in April. I just didn't get around to it!). I love what blocking does to lace. This particular scarf could have lived without blocking, but I think it's so much nicer now!


I also had a chance to try Reasonably Hip out on a person. I LOVE IT!!! I'm positive now that Michael will also love it.


I have very little desire to do anymore Christmas knitting. I want to finish my February Lady Sweater and get on to the baby knitting!

Speaking of baby, I had an ultrasound yesterday, and baby girl is doing just fine. It's SO COOL to get to see her! She has the same profile as the other little ones, so I have a feeling she's going to look more like me than like DH. Poor hubby! He hears all the time how much the kids look like me.

We don't have a car today, so I've kept the little ones busy crafting. We've done cut out ornaments and baked them, and we'll paint them after naps. The kids have also glued down triangles to make tree shapes and colored decorations on them. They have also asked to watch "Frosty the Snowman" later, so I think the afternoon will fly by.

Happy knitting!

Completed Christmas Gift

Way back in April, I started knitting Reasonably Hip (Rav. link) for my nephew for Christmas. The pictures in the pattern totally look my nephew, and I really thought he might like it. Today, I FINALLY sewed the brim to the hat. It's kind of ridiculous - I think the actual knitting only took a few weeks of occasional attention, but the finishing....well, I just wasn't that motivated I guess. Overall, I'm pleased with the hat, and I hope that Michael is too. (And really, even if he's not, he'll totally fake it when he opens the gift. He's good like that.)



Supposedly, I have 4 more washcloths to knit to include with the bath salt scrubs that Big Boy made for his teachers, his mom, and his aunt. Ummmmm, I'm thinking they're not going to get done. So, I'll be keeping my eye out for bath scrubbies at the dollar store. Seriously, I just want to knit baby stuff now, but I totally have to finish my February Lady Sweater, or it will never get done. Not to mention the silk scarf that should be done too. Where does all the knitting time go?

Maybe to activities like this:



Take 12 kids under the age of 4, throw in 84 graham crackers, 2 pounds of sugar, and a ton of candy, and you have a pretty good time! (And I have to say, this whole experience was a lot less sticky than I had anticipated.)

I hope you're having as much fun anticipating Christmas as I am!

Happy Knitting!

Christmas Meme

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Depends on the gift. I prefer wrapping paper though.
   
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. I like that certain ornaments go in a certain place every year.
   
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually the first weekend of December, but this year I did it right before Thanksgiving. Only because we're not home for Thanksgiving, and we leave the day after Christmas for my parents' and it feels like we lose out on quality tree time.
   
4. When do you take the tree down? A day or two after New Years
5. Do you like eggnog? Not sure. I did make a chocolate eggnog this year that was good.
   
6. Favorite gift received as a child? That's a toughie. I know I loved my kitchen.
7. Hardest person to buy for? My brother.
8. Easiest person to buy for? The kiddies.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Several. A Little People one for the kids. A nice looking/inexpensive one for now. A white porcelain one that was my parents to put out when the kids are old enough not to break anything, and a cardboard antique one. The real question - do you put baby Jesus out right away, or wait until Christmas?*
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A comic book I got from a White Elephant exchange
    
12. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I wouldn't mind starting on Jan. 2nd.
13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes.
14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Chocolate Crinkles!
15. Lights on the tree? Many! Colored ones mostly.
    
16. Favorite Christmas song? Oh, Holy Night
17. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Home for Christmas eve and Christmas. Off to Buffalo (which is REALLY home) the day after.
    
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes, I can.
19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning.
20. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Trying to convince my husband he can start his shopping a before December 22nd.
21. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like a lot of variety on the tree
22. What do you want for Christmas this year? A house.
23. Angel or star on top tree: Angel, but only because that's what we have. No objections to stars.
24. Favorite meal: Turkey Dinner! (Although, when I'm not pregnant I do enjoy the seafood feast my BIL makes on Christmas eve)
    

* I put him out right away.

Winter White Tam

Last night, I completed a Christmas gift! The Winter White Tam was a pretty easy knit, and the Prima Alpaca yarn is just a DREAM to knit. Overall, I'm very pleased with this hat, although I'm concerned about the size. It seemed kind of small last night, but I blocked it, and hopefully, it will be ever so slightly bigger. I'm really hoping that my sister-in-law likes it. She's a crocheter, so at the very least, she will appreciate the effort. Last year, she got a beautiful white winter coat, and I thought this would go with it perfectly!

The rest of the week I have washcloths to knit to accompany Big Boy's teacher gifts (he made bath scrub) and I'd like to finish up my February Lady Sweater. At this point, all other knitting is off the proverbial Christmas table. Once the FLS is done, I'm moving on to baby knitting.

Happy knitting all!

Crafty Saturday

Saturday morning, I attend our church's annual Women's Magi Moment. Basically, we had brunch (DELICIOUS!), a time of singing Christmas Carols interspersed with scripture, a dramatic presentation about Mary, and a craft. I signed up for jewelry making. As you know, I've made some stitch markers before, but I thought this would be something I would enjoy.

I was right! The woman who taught the class was great - I feel like I could make just about anything right now! She is also a knitter! Who blogs! (You can find her here.) And Jknits has similar taste in projects as I do - she's recently made a Calorimetry and a Lace-edged Women's Hat (can I just say, she had the hat with her on Saturday. It's beautiful! Way nicer yarn than I used, and she added some beads. I didn't even recognize it as the same pattern.)

Okay, so in the class I made this:

I also made matching earrings. They are in the box of beads that we received. In what is becoming a more and more common occurence, I have no stinkin' idea where I put the box! I remember taking it out of my bag. I remember showing it to my husband. After that, nothin'! This preggo brain thing is REALLY irking me!!!!!!! I have a great memory! I remember everything! (Anyone else remember that Meatloaf song????? I REMEMBER EVERYTHING AS IF IT HAPPENED ONLY YESTERDAY!) Anyway, I'm tickled with my new jewelry, and I have something in mind to make someone for Christmas. I just have to get to a craft and/or beading store to find all the materials.

I'm really glad I attended this event. Like I said, it's an annual thing, and every year, I feel like I'm too busy, or it's too much work to get there. This year, I just decided I was going, and I have a feeling, it's going to become a tradition for me.

Saturday night, we had family craft night. This is something we do every Christmas, and we try to have one or two other ones throughout the year. This year, we painted window ornaments. Here's a few of them:


The hubby did the snowman. He's very detailed oriented. The boys decided their wreaths should be green, and then painted red over them. Not really sure why. I will say, this was a case of the 8 year old imitating the 2 year old. Sibling dynamics are weird.

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, and the little ones are proud of the ones that are hung in the windows. The rest will get hung up today. Saturday night, after the little ones were in bed, we watched "White Christmas", the first of a long line of Christmas movies I hope to get through before Christmas eve.

Still knitting on SIL's tam. I'm hoping to finish it early this week. Today is SUPER cold (13 degrees right now), so maybe I'll sneak in some knitting time after I have a tea party with the kids. Which is what I'm off to do right now!

Happy Knitting!