Enjoyable Knitted Gifts

Stripe it up-Fingerless Gloves

My niece asked for some fingerless gloves for Christmas, so I found these ones to do. The link is below the picture. I forgot to get a picture of them on here but I took a picture before wrapping them up. They are so nice to knit up & looked great on her!!

Most Enjoyable Stitch Scarf

I also made this scarf. I found this stitch on a blog & I also found that the rhythm of this stitch very soothing. I liked it so much I am making another one for my sister in law.


I am so very grateful that I have people who enjoy knitted garments. I enjoy making things for people & when I my niece asked for some gloves liker her Mom I was honored!!

Anyway I wanted to pass these links on to people!! Enjoy!

  

Learning a New Stitch for My Nieces Christmas Scarf

I love knitting. Some days I like to try new things & other times I want to do mindless knitting. I have been doing a lot of knitting lately, some for Mike's work & some for Christmas. My niece has asked me to make her some fingerless gloves like her Moms so I am. First though I am wanting to do a scarf for her. Partly because I want to do something with a bit of mindlessness to making scarves & second even using a basic pattern you can feel like it is beautiful. 

I was doing a k1p1 pattern for the scarf but I was not liking it with the yarn I chose for the scarf. So as I was searching the Raverly site for something that would be interesting I came across a scarf made by The Sewing Geek. She said the picture does not do it justice so I am going to give it a try. If you want to see the pattern you can look up her blog. When I have knitted it up I will share the pictures of it with you!!

Angus' Canuck Coat

In all my years of Knitting I never ever thought I would ever knit a dog a coat!! Good I did not place a bet on that because I would have lost!!

The silly thing is that I think I ask if I could do it!! I told my friend that it was the colors of her favorite ball team but I am going for that he looks like a Vancouver Canuck fan!!! What do you think???

Thanksgiving, Remembrance & Giving!!!

I love fall. It is a time of year that I seem to love the most. I like the smell of fall. I like how it is cooler in the evenings & nice during the days. I got married this time of year & both of my dogs where born this time of year also. No I did not get them for that reason!! I am so lucky to live in a country that has 4 designative seasons.

This is the time of year where we remember, thank & give. It is a time to be thankful for what we have, a time to remember those who help build & save this country & to give to others. I try to do this all year long because I have a keen understanding of how short life is & how important that we do these things daily. I enjoy making things & giving them away. I try to make things for myself in the mix also but the things I make I usually have in mind for someone else.

I am learning how stuff is not really as important as who is in my life. I have some beautiful & awesome friends & family. Getting to know them better has been a lot of fun & find it is a process that I will continue to enjoy. In the midst of my difficult life I am learning to be present & to enjoy every moment bit by bit!!

My Review of DVD: Beginning Four Harness Weaving

Originally submitted at VillageSpinning & Weaving

DVD: Beginning Four Harness Weaving, by Deborah Chandler. A four-harness loom, from the smallest table model to the largest floor model, offers many weaving possibilities. This course will introduce

DVD: Beginning Four Harness Weaving

DVD: Beginning Four Harness Weaving

By CrazyboutKnitting from Langley, BC on 10/2/2010

 

5out of 5

Pros: Reliable Research, Informative, Good Resource, Broad Range Of Information, Easy To Understand

Best Uses: Occasional Refresher, New to Weaving

Describe Yourself: Beginner

Being a newbie I will be able to refer to this DVD multiple times. I am a visual learner & I found this product wonderful!!

(legalese)

Did you know?

" The worst part about being "sick" is that people treat you differently.

Some people can't deal with "it" and walk away.
As hard as it can be- sometimes these people are the easiest to accept and deal with. At least we know where they stand.

Some people think we need their support only during crisis times.
We appreciate support during crisis spots. But believe it or not, it's the daily coping and pain that frustrates us and gets us down. That's when we could really use a friend, in person.

Some people like to talk about "it" a lot.
We don't want your pity- just your support. Ask us how we feel today- you might be surprised at the answer you get. Oh, you don't have to know the right words... we don't either.

Some people don't want to talk about "it" at all.
Bringing it up won't upset us- we live there. But it makes us feel a little more normal when it's ok to talk about sometimes. Even laughing about... really.

Some people ignore "it" altogether.
But ignoring "it" means you ignore us. It won't go away by ignoring it. We are not our disease. Please don't punish us for being sick... we need you. "

-author anonymous by request.

Accomplishments & Unrealistic Expectations!!

I am feeling today like I did not accomplish a whole lot today. What was my expectations for today I am not sure. I know that it has been 2 years since my chemotherapy ended & my expectations of where I wanted to be are very unfulfilled. Physically I thought I would be feeling better. I thought I would have more energy. I thought a lot of things but I am needing to rethink my expectations.

I am feeling like I am not accomplishing what I should be. Should be!!! Am I putting to much expectations on my self or am I being unrealistic in my expectations. What have I accomplished?

Well in the last 8 years I have needed to

` overcome a back injury from a fender bender,
` grieve the loss of my Mom, Dad & Grandfather,
` say goodbye to 4 beloved pets
` support Marilyn in saying good bye to 4 of her friends.
` go though my parents things & decide what to do with them (everything from there old house was there... everything)!
` have 2 surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation & now hormone therapy.

Ok that was a lot to swallow! In the last 8 months Mike & I decided to move which meant leaving a home that we shared with my parents. We decided to start a new chapter. It will be hopefully a good chapter but finishing off the old one is painful.

I guess today I am feeling like I would be past the pain, have more energy than I have, not be dealing with the side affects of the chemotherapy still. Some days it is hard to focus on what has been accomplished because those darn unrealistic expectations sneak up!

What have I accomplished...

~ Friendships: I have made & developed a few life long dear friendships!!!
~ We bought a new home.
~ I have a better relationship with my Hubby!!

~planted & small flower garden

It is hard to remember sometimes 'Wow, I am doing good!!'

A Hand Spinner's Dream

Before I moved i was at a friends home buying a bobbin for my spinning wheel. She asked if I wanted to feel something wonderful? Of course I said yes... Well, I tell you it was heaven!! It is called Handspinner's Dream from Alpaca with a Twist. It is 100% Baby Alpaca. I had to have some so I went to get more money. I got some grey & some white.

Now that I am in my new home I dug it out of one of my boxes & have been spinning it. Of course my spinning wheels, knitting needles & yarn where some of the first things to come to the new home!!! hehehe! I am on my second bobbin of white. It is so very beautiful to spin & soooo very soft! If you can get your hands on some get it! I was worried a little since it is a combed top & I have trouble with combed top but not this!!!

It is wonderful!! Try it!!

The Fine Art of Moving

How do you move without going totally bonkers? I don't know!!! We moved this week & I totally, totally hurt from head to toe! My feet do not like me right!! Trying to figure out where to put things is hard. I knew when I came here I would have to purge the stuff I had already purged. I guess it would help if I did not buy a 20 pack of paper towel!! Trying to figure out what to keep & what to get rid of...hhhmmmm! It helps when it gets broken in the packing & moving process!!

We have slept here for 3 nights now. Each night has been a better night sleep. I don't have to worry about if the well filters are on in the middle of the night. I can flush the toilet, have a shower or have a drink of water in the middle of the night!! There are not trains to interrupt our conversations!!

Now the dogs... hmmmm... they have a lot to keep them busy. There is a school across the street & kids to bark at!! There are people walking past our fence to get them going also!! The mail man, 2 paper boys.... they have a good life!!

I have lived in farm country all my life except for a brief time before I got married. It is a different mentality. In the country we did not worry so much about locking the doors to the house or the vehicles. Here in the city we do. We did not have to worry about the dogs in the country. Who were the cows going to tell if they barked to much??? In the city we have neighbors to watch out for!! The sound of a yappy little dog behind us was great!

Just Try!!!

Have you ever been afraid to try something & then when you did it, it was not so bad? I am a confirmed scared kitty cat! I don't deny it! I have been trying the last few year to stand up to it head on!! A motto that I keep close to me says 'I did not survive cancer to die of stress'. I find that being afraid is stressful, more stressful that trying!!

In recent years I have found that I have a passion for yarn, knitting & spinning! I find that it makes me smile. So when a new community developed online called Raverly I joined. I also found two mentors that knit & spin that I could talk about everything yarn, knitting or spinning! I have found that these relationships precious to me & found that I have found the confidence to try new things. To make a mistake because in doing so I have learned! In learning I have grown! Today I was asked though Raverly if one of the pictures of a project I did could be featured there. I am so thrilled. I just want to explode with excitement!!

If I did not try I would not have learnt, grown or have had been asked for my project to be featured as part of the web site!! Huh!

Mindlessness

I was feeling a bit stressed, overwhelmed, uneasy & I needed something to focus on. So what came to mind.... dishcloths. I love knitting. It is something that I find enjoyable & fun. I have been taking a master knitting course which has been keeping me focused on something other than my hurts. Last night though I needed something familiar, something easy that I new well. The dish cloths where a way to focus on something that I enjoyed, something that relaxes me.

Sometimes taking time to do something that is mindless can be very helpful. For me it helped me to focus on what is good on what I can do something about & not to worry about the things I cannot!!

Handling the Hard Times

So what do you do when you are struck with hard times? Do you stew about it? Or maybe you do something that is not so helpful like overeat.....I wouldn't know about that!!!!

So I have been trying a new way to handle stress, hard times, whatever that comes my way that is not pleasant! After my Mom died I started up a new hobby; Spinning! I also started experimenting more with my knitting. With these to crafts along with card making I have tried to keep myself busy. Not ignoring my problems but making sure I was not engulfed in them! I also started making friendships. One neighbor is a card maker (who actually got me started in it), another neighbor is a spinner/knitter who I talk knitting & spinning. They both encourage me to try something different! I also befriended some amazing other people; one who gets my humor, a couple who understood my past & another who experienced breast cancer.

When you let people it is amazing the 'Random Acts of Kindness' that seems to just ooze from all over the place. It is just amazing, overwhelming & joyful!

Keeping my life going with help from others has been critical in my survival! Having something to do like spinning, knitting & card making also has been critical also to know that my problems are not all of who I am. That I am not just my problems that I am a creative, funny, interesting person!! Hhhmmmm...I need to remember that on my hard days!!

Adopting a border collie that is full of beans helps also!! She belches, farts, talks & is generally a brat! What is the most important thing is she makes me laugh!! Really laugh!!

10 Guidelines from God

Effective immediately, please be aware that there are changes you need to make in you. These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill My promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life. I apologize for any inconvenience, but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you. Please, follow these 10 guidelines:

1. QUIT WORRYING: Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry. Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you? Or do you just enjoy fretting over every little thing that comes your way?

2. PUT IT ON THE LIST: Something needs done or taken care of. Put it on the list. No, not your list. Put it on MY to-do-list. Let Me be the One to take care of the problem. I can't help you until you turn it over to Me. And although My to-do-list is long, I am after all, God. I can take care of anything you put into My hands. In fact, if the truth were ever really known, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize.

3. TRUST ME: Once you've given your burdens to Me, quit trying to take them back. Trust in Me. Have the faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials. Problems with the kids? Put them on My list. Problem with finances? Put it on My list. Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For My sake, put it on My list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask.

4. LEAVE IT ALONE: Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here." Why do you think you are feeling stronger now? It's simple. You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking care of them. I also renew your strength and cover you in My peace. Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started? Leave them with Me and forget about them. Just let Me do my job.

5. TALK TO ME: I want you to forget a lot of things. Forget what was making you crazy. Forget the worry and the fretting because you know I'm in control. But there's one thing I pray you never forget. Please, don't forget to talk to Me. Often! I love you! I want to hear your voice. I want you to include Me in on the things going on in your life. I want to hear you talk about your friends and family. Prayer is simply you having a conversation with Me. I want to be your dearest friend.

6. HAVE FAITH: I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are. Have faith in Me that I know what I'm doing. Trust Me; you wouldn't want the view from My eyes. I will continue to care for you, watch over you, and meet your needs. You only have to trust Me. Although I have a much bigger task than you, it seems as if you have so much trouble just doing your simple part. How hard can trust be?

7. SHARE: You were taught to share when you were only 2 years old. When did you forget? That rule still applies. Share with those who are less fortunate than you. Share your joy with those who need encouragement. Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in such a long time. Share your tears with those who have forgotten how to cry. Share your faith with those who have none.

8. BE PATIENT: I managed to fix it so in just 1 lifetime you could have so many diverse experiences. You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs many times, learn many trades, travel to so many places, meet 1,000’s of people, and experience so much. How can you be so impatient then when it takes Me a little longer than you expect to handle something on My to-do-list? Trust in My timing, for My timing is perfect. Just because I created the entire universe in only 6 days, everyone thinks I should always rush, rush, rush.

9. BE KIND: Be kind to others, for I love them just as much as I love you. They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love you all. Please try to get along, for My sake. I created each of you different in some way. It would be too boring if you were all identical. Please, know I love each of your differences.

10. LOVE YOURSELF: As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself? You were created by me for 1 reason only--to be loved, and to love in return. I am a God of Love. Love Me. Love your neighbors. But also love yourself. It makes My heart ache when I see you so angry with yourself when things go wrong. You are very precious to me.

88 Stitches Olympic Knitting Challenge

Well, there is one day left before the Vancouver Olympics start! There is so much excitement around Vancouver & the surronding areas. I am excited for one particular reason.... The Knitting Challenge!!

Tomorrow during the Opening Ceramonies I am starting a challenge that I signed up for at my lys. The challenge I have decided to do is to see how many hot water bottle cover I can make in the 17 days of the Olympics. I am so very excited to start!! I can harldly wait!! Hurry up & get started already!!!

Funnies

A test of faith
"I was listening to a chrisian radio and heard a lady call in. "pastor, i was born
blind, and i've been bling all my life. i dont mind so much being blind, but i have
some well meening friends who tell me if i had more faith i could be healed."
the radio pastor asked her, "tell me, do you carry one of those white canes?"
"yes i do," she answered. "then the next time someone tells you that, hit him
or her on the head and, say if you had more faith that wouldent hurt.


The fall
A man named jack was walking along a steep cliff one day when he acsidently
got to close to the edge and fell. on the way down he grabbed a branch, which
temporaraly stopped his fall. he looked down and to his horror saw that the drop
below him was more than 1000 feet, and he could not hang on to the branch

forever. so jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear
and lower a rope or do something. "help! help! is anyone up there? help!" jack yelled.
no one heard him. he was about to give up when he heard a voice, "jack, jack. can
you hear me?" "yes, yes! i can hear you. I'm down hear!" "i can see you jack. are
you all right?" "no! yes! but, who are you, and were are you?" i am the lord, jack.
i am everywhere." "the lord? you mean god?" "thats me." "oh, god, please help me!
i promise that if you get me down from here, i'll really be a good person. i'll go back
to church and serve you for the rest of my life." "eyes on the promises, jack. now,
heres what i want you to do. listen carefully." "i'll do any thing, lord. just tell me."
"ok. let go of the branch." "what?" "i said, let go of the branch. trust me. let go."
there was a long silence. finally jack yelled, "help! help! help! is there any one else
up there?"

There is nothing brilliant or outstanding in my record,
except perhaps this one thing.
I do the things I believe ought to be done.
And when I make up my mind to do a thing, I act.
Theodore

Good Golly Miss Molly!!

This is our new little one! Her name is Molly & she is full of beans! Burping, Farting & Jumping beans she has inherited!! Mike & I were having a hard time with having put down Harley in January & then in May unexpectedly having to put down Buddy. In late June Mike saw her on the SPCA webpage so we went to interview her with Marilyn & Ushie. Just a little advice Do Not Interview a Dog the day after surgery. They are not themselves!!

She is a fire cracker & we have had many things to work though with her. She has weathered them well, us on the other hand just shake our heads & laugh! Mike took a good 5 months or so to warm up to her but now she listens to him way better than me!!! She did impress him though when he was backing up the truck & she sat down & watched him. When he was finish she ran down & hung out with him!! That was the start of something special I think!!