Oh Happy Day

Do you ever have a day where you just feel happy? Not for any particular reason ... just happy in general? Especially when there are probably all kinds of reasons not to feel happy -- like needing to lose weight before the holidays so I can gain it all right back again, needing to prepare a battle plan to wage war on the growing population of dust bunnies taking over our house, all the dingleberry drivers out there who cannot seem to execute a double turn lane without creeping over into my lane and making my heart race.

How about a few lyrics from Christina Aguilera's song "Beautiful" ...

'cause we are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes, words won't bring us down, oh no
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down
Don't you bring me down today

Here are a few reasons to be happy in my world ...

It is absolutely 100% certified gorgeous outside today. Glorious, warm but cool, perfect! Do you see where it says it is currently 76 degrees and it -- this is the part that cracks me up -- Feels Like: 76 degrees! Hey, who'd have guessed? Although I suppose it could have felt like 75 or 77 degrees.

Enjoying Fall with all its trappings by going to the Pumpkin & Chili Party last weekend at

Where we wandered through the straw bale maze ...

Drove the country road rally course in people powered cars -- that's right, we had to pedal!!!

And enjoyed pumpkins in one form ...

and another ...

Making Rice Krispies Treats with the Granddaughter and her friend after school yesterday ...

And, oh happy day, I'm finished, finito, done. I have turned this ...

into this ...

It still needs to be blocked to open up the lace stitches and I did modify the pattern to take the neckline up a little higher and add a 6th button. But my Dynamic Cardi is done ... off the needles ... which is the best reason of all to be happy. Woo hoo!

Sending happy vibes your way because I have plenty to share. =D

Wordless Wednesday - Dynamic Cardi Update

sleeve #1

For more fabulous Wordless Wednesday photos, click here.

Knittin', Honey

I'm linking up with Heaven is a Bookstore for Martha Monday ...

Been working away on my Dynamic Cardi. I really like the feel of the Patons Grace mercerized cotton yarn. It's so light weight; I cannot wait to wear this cute little sweater!

I finally had a chance to go button shopping. Because of the spicy tan color of this yarn, I knew I wanted buttons that had a coppery feel. Found just the thing at Jo-Ann's. They're Belle Buttons by Dritz, made in Germany, and cost $11.00 for 6 (I need 5). They have a bit of a hammered metal look to them and the color matches perfectly, which is exactly what I was hoping for ...

I know I said I wouldn't do any other knitting while I was making my sweater, but I just couldn't help myself. I modified the funky footsies pattern to make some anklet socks for Hubby -- shortened the cuff, added length to the foot and left off the girly fun fur. He wears them at his desk in our home office and while watching TV in the evenings ...

And I needed birthday gifts for a couple of other sweet men in my life this month so ...

... I'm just knittin', honey!

What Has Brown Done For Me Lately?

The anticipation ... the tracking ... the big brown truck pulling up in front. Have you ever startled the UPS man by ripping the door open to accept a package delivery before he's actually rung the doorbell? That would be me and I'm sorry and it's a good thing his pants are already brown. And, of course, I'm juggling Miles-you-little-bastard in one hand so he can't take off down the street and Louie is dying of ecstasy at having a visitor and running around his legs like a maniac.

And I'm doing the happy yarn dance. Just look at all that cotton goodness. And it feels so nice and I love the color. And screw working on Christmas and birthday gifts (sorry, family) because I am making this cute summer sweater for myself ...

This is thin yarn and small needles - for me, anyway. I'm into instant gratification so I like quickly grinding things out with chunky yarn and big needles. Cast on for the bottom edge was 250 stitches, which I had to do twice because I first tried a cable cast on that just didn't look good, but I didn't decide this until I was 4 or 5 rows into it. That's a do over of the cast on plus over 1,000 stitches knit that had to be torn out and redone. Arrrggghhhhh! I hate that!!!

But it's beautiful and light and airy and cottony and it has a lovely lace pattern that repeats throughout the body. Here are the first 14 rows ...

When I need a break, I'll be doing some button shopping. Yay!!!

Let me leave you with a few knitting funnies my BIL sent me ...

Book Club and Summer Knitting

Apparently, I am a member of the most unorthodox book club ever. I joined last October and have had so much fun ... love the reading, the discussions, the sharing, the camaraderie, the wine! As far as schedules go, it seems that we take December off because everyone is too crazy busy, and we take the summer off as well. Every year there is an "outing" of some sort to kick off the summer hiatus that does not involve reading a book.

Last night, Hubby asked me as I was getting ready to leave, "So where's book club tonight," meaning whose house. And when I told him Farrelli's Cinema Supper Club in Scottsdale, he did a double take. Yep, we went to dinner and a movie. Watched The Bounty Hunter starring Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston, which was cute and funny and very enjoyable for our group. And I had a marvelous dinner which I plan to replicate at home -- a portobello caprese sandwich that was so good! Hey, and it's vegetarian and healthy. Once I figure it out, I'll be sharing the recipe.

So we chose three books to read over June, July and August, then we meet again in September to discuss them. First (and I am so excited to read this one), the third Stieg Larsson book, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. I actually had just ordered this one from Barnes & Noble online a few days ago. With my membership, it was 40% off and free shipping. Sold!

Another summer selection that I suggested is The Sharper Your Knife, the Less You Cry, which I had just finished recently. All of the ladies in this book club like to cook and are foodies in some fashion. Plus, they're all into true stories and this is such an enjoyable read.

And we are also reading Carol Burnett's memoir, This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection. I adore Carol Burnett! Growing up, we faithfully watched her weekly variety show as a family and laughed so hard. All her wonderful skits with Tim Conway and Harvey Korman. Just thinking about the infamous Gone With the Wind skit where she comes sweeping down the stairs as Scarlett O'Hara wearing the curtains made into a dress - with the curtain rod still in - makes me laugh out loud.



So that's book club. On to knitting. Last month, I had mentioned in a post that I'd like to make myself the Dynamic Cardi shown in the May 2010 issue of Creative Knitting magazine. Here's the picture again ...

I decided to go ahead and order some yarn and make this gorgeous little cardi. Having just hit our first 100 degree day last Friday, it is now officially Summer in Phoenix so I'll have at least 5 months to wear it and maybe more. We've had some very warm Fall weather here in the past, too. Here's a story for you. About 6 years ago, Hubby and I were invited to a costume party on Halloween - so we're talking October 31st - and it was 105 degrees that day. The costumes were so uncomfortable and we were in an outdoor garden setting so there really wasn't any relief from the heat. I remember we all talked about growing up in cold weather areas where we had to wear parkas and hats and gloves and boots for trick or treating and you couldn't even see the costumes.

Anyway, just today I placed an order with Herrschners for Patons Grace cotton yarn in the color Tan. It's kind of a spicy color that will look good with just about everything and be wearable year round. I'm kind of excited. Can't wait for my yarn to get here, to get started on it and make something for myself to wear. Woo hoo!

Not So New Knitting

Seems like I've been working on the same knitting projects forever. Granted, I've been really focused on familiarizing myself with the Mac (which I am sooooo happy with) as well as Blogger since I recently switched from WordPress. They are surprisingly different, especially when it comes to Comments. Plus, when I uploaded my 182 WordPress posts, every picture that had a caption came into Blogger with the caption outside of the photo in HTML code. Drives me nuts and I will spend some time editing them all until they're fixed.


I am getting close to the end of a prayer shawl in Bernat Soft Bouclé in Misty Shades. This yarn is such a pleasure to work with. It's light and airy. This is the project that I take with me to Book Club and the doctor's office. It's a simple knit 3, purl 3 pattern on an odd number of stitches and I can knit away without really thinking about it.


I am to the point of assembly now on the Lion Brand Soft Rib Cardigan. Need to seam all the pieces together and pick up stitches for the shawl collar.

I am in love with the Knitted Neck Scarf pattern. I made another one in baby yarn - the same blue variegated yarn that became a rolled brim baby hat a few weeks ago. And I started one in the Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Silk in Pansy.

Using the same size 4 needles, I changed the pattern a little, only increasing to 20 stitches rather than 24 and doing the center neck portion in stockinette stitch rather than garter. The silk is a much finer yarn, too, so the width has reduced from 4" to about 3-1/4" before blocking. I'm almost to the halfway point.


I'm ready to start some new projects. Picked up a couple of skeins (or as Hubby calls them, skanks - always makes me laugh) of Vanna's Glamour in Onyx. It's black with metallic sparkle. I am dying to try a triangular shaped scarf and this yarn would make a pretty wrap to wear for a fancy evening going out. What I especially like about the triangular shawl is you can even wear it tied around your waist and it looks so cute!

I've recently received all the Spring issue knitting magazines I subscribe to and there are so many great projects ... and so few hours in the day to knit! I take Interweave Knits, Knit'n Style, Creative Knitting and Knit Simple, all great publications. The best thing about the Spring and Summer issues is that they're geared for warm weather, which is pretty much year 'round for us in Phoenix.

If I make anything for myself, it will be the Dynamic Cardi in Creative Knitting. They show it in mercerized cotton, which is great for our hot weather. Isn't it sweet?