The Sweet End

Well here it is July 31 and I must say it's been a well travelled road.  

To write on a blog is easier if you  know people are reading it daily by the comments they leave, but it's another story when doing it solo.   Who or what are you doing for?  It's not like writing in a diary, your intimate personal thoughts (I guess some people do that too) so what purpose is it?   I feel that there are several modes for this outlet.   You are offering inspiring stories, sharing practical everyday accounts,or  promoting a service, this list can be long.    But one of the things about writing is just for the sake of writing. The  ability to have your thoughts free flow and be expressed.   A reader can feel the difference in the energy that it flows from.

I knew that I could stop anytime in the month, it wasn't like there was a blog police checking up on me, and I had told probably 2 other people what I was doing.    But there was a bit of a underlying fear of quitting, or jinxing myself if I did.   Time did fly by.   

I am writing this and then I remember "I haven't taken a picture of anything today to post"  then the pressure of how to take a great inspiring photo sets in.  I`m going to stop now and take one.

Remember the sunflower? , Here it is after almost 3 weeks from the last photo of it, probably won't see The ruler is against it for comparison   Probably won't see a flower till the end of August.  

Thank you everyone who comes to check here regularly,  hope you found  something put a smile on your face.

Alice xox

They Say it's your Birthday

Can you believe  it, I've just about blogged daily for 30 days straight.    

Tomorrow will be my last day.  

I want to start reading from day 1 and see how it all evolved.  

 I thought I would write more personal stuff, but didn't find myself pulled to do it.   I don't want to read other people's stuff, so I'm certainly not going to write mine.   I did see that the majority of the readers to this blog is from Ravelry, which means knitting enthusiasts, but then you don't want to be reading or writing totally on one subject.   I did discover that writing for 30 days straight in the summer, resulted  in talking about our garden, so I guess depending on the time of year, you will find your interests will guide you in your subject.     I did find taking a photograph challenging, as you can write just about anything, but to take a photograph every day more intimidating.  That's a skill I'm still new at.   I commend the people who do this full time.

Onto a way better subject....look at this pretty thing !

This is  another one of the Pretty Twisted bracelets by Cat Wong, that I made for a friends birthday.   I wasn't sure if this would be something she would like, after all it's quite a unique piece of "jewelry".   I have to say my friend was totally surprised and happy with her gift, which made me so very pleased for  her and for me.   It really looked so pretty on her.   

Till tomorrow.

Alice xox 



Tracking Device

Do you remember this :

So...this a.m. Jim's heading out for a hike..I ask him if he has his cuff bracelet I made him..he proceeds to get it.. He's on the road..I phone him..tell him jokingly that I had installed a tracking device on his bracelet..he then asks me "where am I now?" I quickly say "gaglardi way"..dead silence..I was right on..

Alice xox

So Glad

The first Gladiolas are out.  Beautiful deep crimson colour.  

Alice xox

Cabbage Anyone?

This is the first year we have had cabbage.  My husband thought he was buying brocolli, but it turned out someone switched the tags at the nursery and we got cabbage.   We don't know our vegetable well enough as you can tell.

The cabbage has done well, they obviously love the cooler wetter weather we've been having this summer.  But the only thing is :

The slugs are all over them !!

Alice xox

Floating Garden

I  have been  picking flowers from my delphinium and bringing them in the house, but they just didn't last, My  neighbour  told me she starting floating hers in  water, and  they lasted e a long time, gave me the idea to do the same thing. 

  So pretty.

Alice xox

Rainbow Bracelet

Remember this pattern, well I have now made myself one too.   Love the linen stitch look and the yarn is so colourful, fun thing to wear this summer.  I have changed mine from the original pattern by making it narrower and kept the button on, but I like to wear it without showing off the button.  

Alice xox

Scratch and Sniff

If you could get up close and smell this Double Delight Rose, you would be in heaven. 

Alice xox

Hide and Seek

I don't know if you can see  this picture clearly but it's one our  cats Pixie.   This morning she went outside and, I couldn't find her .  We live in an area that has wild animals, like coyotes, so we don't let our cats go unattended for too long.      After a long search through neighbour"s yard  it occurred to me to check this one area..and there she was laying down in a plexiglass that sits over the back door overhang.   We have a trellis that our grapes grow against the house and this is one of the places she likes to hang out, but that is if she is let out through one of the windows, she is not very good at climbing those great heights anymore.  Here I had thought she had wandered far away and she had not strayed very far from where I last saw her.  

By the time I grabbed the camera to get a picture of her snoozing, she was now looking down at me, with this look that said " are you looking for me ? "   but with a little cat chuckle at the same time.     How can you be  mad with a look like that ???

Alice xox

Drifting Along

Back

This Drifting Summer Cardigan  has been floating in  the lake for a long time. metaphorically speaking of course.     I picked it up last night and saw the hole where I had joined the new ball of yarn in the middle of the work..not pretty !!  I knew I had to rip it out, luckily I had not done many rows, but still it was 206 stitches.   

Joining a new ball of yarn would seem like it would be a basic , obvious thing to do right ??  Well, I messed up already.  I  then  had a flash of memory of a  conversation with my knit night friends about joining a new ball of yarn..but darn I couldn't remember how it went.    Sooo.. took the cardigan to the beginning of row...and looked it up on youtube and this is what I found..and it sounded like what I had heard that knit night.    It is  now a skill I have acquired and want to share this great video..so here it is.. How to join a new ball of yarn.. 

   One thing that I am learning with my knitting, is that alot of it has been self-taught, just jumping in and learning the art, but I now I want to learn to master these skills, because I had made some things rather difficult on myself.   Experience is one thing, but if you keep repeating the same "wrong" things, it's time to fix it.   The best that has happened for me with Ravelry , and having the best local yarn store  around, is the support you get, and inspires you to improve your art.

Alice xox

Stop being who you were

Came across this today by Paulo Coelho I wanted to share.   Paul Coelho has written some incredible books..like "The Alchemist",  "The Valkyries" and  many more.   Hope you enjoy !



One always has to know when a stage comes to an end.

If we insist on staying longer than the necessary time, we lose the happiness and the meaning of the other stages we have to go through. Closing cycles, shutting doors, ending chapters – whatever name we give it, what matters is to leave in the past the moments of life that have finished.

Did you lose your job? Has a loving relationship come to an end? Did you leave your parents’ house? Gone to live abroad? Has a long-lasting friendship ended all of a sudden?

You can spend a long time wondering why this has happened. You can tell yourself you won’t take another step until you find out why certain things that were so important and so solid in your life have turned into dust, just like that.

But such an attitude will be awfully stressing for everyone involved: your parents, your husband or wife, your friends, your children, your sister, everyone will be finishing chapters, turning over new leaves, getting on with life, and they will all feel bad seeing you at a standstill.

None of us can be in the present and the past at the same time, not even when we try to understand the things that happen to us. What has passed will not return: we cannot for ever be children, late adolescents, sons that feel guilt or rancor towards our parents, lovers who day and night relive an affair with someone who has gone away and has not the least intention of coming back.

Things pass, and the best we can do is to let them really go away.

That is why it is so important (however painful it may be!) to destroy souvenirs, move, give lots of things away to orphanages, sell or donate the books you have at home. Everything in this visible world is a manifestation of the invisible world, of what is going on in our hearts – and getting rid of certain memories also means making some room for other memories to take their place.

Let things go. Release them. Detach yourself from them. Nobody plays this life with marked cards, so sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Do not expect anything in return, do not expect your efforts to be appreciated, your genius to be discovered, your love to be understood. Stop turning on your emotional television to watch the same program over and over again, the one that shows how much you suffered from a certain loss: that is only poisoning you, nothing else.

Nothing is more dangerous than not accepting love relationships that are broken off, work that is promised but there is no starting date, decisions that are always put off waiting for the “ideal moment.” Before a new chapter is begun, the old one has to be finished: tell yourself that what has passed will never come back. Remember that there was a time when you could live without that thing or that person – nothing is irreplaceable, a habit is not a need. This may sound so obvious, it may even be difficult, but it is very important.

Closing cycles. Not because of pride, incapacity or arrogance, but simply because that no longer fits your life. Shut the door, change the record, clean the house, shake off the dust.

Paulo Coelho

Different Personalities

Say hello to Pixie and Moxie .  They are soaking in a warm sunny day outside.   This was taken a month ago.   In looking at it now, I can see their personalities shining through.   Pixie on the left is up right, not relaxing or sleeping and feeling very cautious of Moxie snoozing behind her.   Moxie wouldn't even bother Pixie but that doesn't matter, they are too close together.   Most definitely Pixie was on the bench first and Moxie jumped up.   This rare moment was caught because within 5 mins Pixie jumped down.

Alice xox

Another Cuff

Here is Pixie modeling the new  finished  cuff from Pretty Twisted by Cat Wong.    I have now completed 2 of the "retro" pattern and this one is the "framed" pattern. 

Before the button.

 My husband liked and said he would like it for himself...surprised me !!   Went off and bought a very plain wooden button today for it.

I am now making another "retro" for someones birthday.  These are so much fun to make and great little gifts..you should try one !!

Alice xox

Nelson Mandela

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.
If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.
It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur. You take the front line when there is danger.
Let freedom reign. The sun never set on so glorious a human achievement. Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts.
There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.
Your freedom and mine cannot be separated. There is no such thing as part freedom
When the water starts boiling it is foolish to turn off the heat.

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, born 18 July 1918

Grapes

This is a grape branch,  Isn't it beautiful !!    You can see the little grapes being formed.   The grapes won't be ready till mid September, but most of  the time the raccoons have feasted on them before they are fully riped.     It's a competition to who gets to them first..

Alice xox

Hopskotch Socks

Here is my Hopskotch Socks that have finally been completed today.  I blogged about  it  here.

Alice xox

Knitting Some Sunshine

Today as well as the last couple days we have had monsoon rainfall .

So what do you do when your given all this rain???  you knit and knit till the sun shines again right???

so...picked up this sock..and haven't put it down.

Alice xox

Knitting Success

Today was a wonderful day..my nephew came by for  a visit with his family and I got to give the girls all their gifts.    The only thing that I managed to take a picture was Erin (7yrs old) and Danica (5yrs old)with their Pretty Twisted Bracelet  It looks big on this picture so not an accurate picture of the size.  Both girls loved their bracelets !!  Erin was able to even put it on all by herself, but her 4 yr old sister needed some help. 

This is Danica with her Pretty Twisted Bracelet.  

Danica also opened her birthday present early and was not surprised to see she got legwarmers, but the fun part was I got see see them on her..no I didn't get a picture !!  She also got the  Wisp Scarf  which was quickly completed yesterday.   The funny thing with the Wisp Scarf was that I thought I had been finishing a Christmas present of 2010 for her sister Erin and it was hers.    Didn't write any notes on it.  

There is great satisfaction in presenting a gift to someone in person and having them enjoy it and want to wear it right way.  

It's been a very successful and gratifying week of knitting !!

   

Blocking

Here is  Wisp being blocked.   I finished it today after a marathon knitting in the last few days to get it done and blocked so I could give it as a gift tomorrow.   I did a finished length of almaost 48", but didn't think to measure it when I stretched it out while it was wet.    It is now 56" long !!    It is a scarf for a 7 yr old not an adult size.   It will be used for a long time!

Alice xox

Sunflower on Steroid

Do you remember the first picture of I took of my sunflower seedling it was taken  July 1.  It was probably a couple of weeks old then.  There is the ruler beside it for comparison.

Here it is today.  Just over 2 weeks.   Double in size, considering the sunflower is not getting much sun..   Nature is amazing.

Alice xox



Pretty Twisted

Both bracelets are now completed for the girls.   Erin  is 7 yrs old and will get this orange one with the heart button.   I also found out last night their wrist size and it was exactly what I had calculated for.  Amen !! 

This blue tone with the heart button is Danica's.   I found out she does not like orange or green colour.  So I knew this would be hers.  I'm sure she will like the orange one as well when she sees it.   Danica is 4 yrs old.

I would highly recommend making these, the pattern has 3 different styles of bracelets.  I haven't decided which one I want yet, but I do know I want the orange colour yarn !!

Alice xox

Handmaiden Bracelet

This is the finished bracelet I posted on Saturday..Pretty Twisted by Cat Wong.   Hard to take a picture of it..it's so small.  It's made for a young girl.   It looks super sweet.   There's lots room so I'm sure it won't be too small.

The wooden flower button makes the whole thing come together.  

Alice xox

Delphinium

Today was such a perfect day to capture the new flowers that had just opened on the delphinium.    Mother nature looks better in real life than captured on a camera, or at least by me..for now.


Have to tell you as well...I finished the first bracelet today...so darn cute !!   I have started the 2nd one already.  I know you wanted a picture but you'll have to wait.


Alice  xox

Pretty Twisted



Not finished...but I have selected 2 buttons..not sure which one???


I wanted to share a fun and pretty pattern by one of my knitting friends Cat Wong.  It just was recently released on Knitty and I think you would like to know about it.     It is..., Pretty Twisted Bracelets by Cat Wong.   I just started making one myself.   There are two little girls that would love this and I plan on making one for myself.    Think about all your left over yarn that you have and you will find yourself inspired to make one also.    Have fun with it !!

Alice xox

Unfinished Wisp

Wisp by Cheryl Niamath

  Do you ever have those times with your knitting where you find a bag with an  unfinished project?  Well I just did.   It contains a scarf I started in December as a Christmas gift.  You, know how it goes..you are going to make a scarf and mitts for 2 people and get as far as completing one set and then by the time you get to the second set...the pace changes and you are not having as much fun anymore. 

I did manage to get at least half of it started.  I think one of the reasons for the lack of excitement was the yarn.  I had used that same yarn and colour to make myself some socks.  So when it came time to make this scarf I needed  those exact colours (pink & browns)  it just made sense to buy it.   That's when I became bored with it. The first scarf was a fun colour way and fluffy warn, then I make the exact pattern again, and came to a   boredom halt.

I am seeing some headway now, and the pattern is so simple, there is no stopping now.

Have a great weekend everyone !!

Alice xox

Pretty Legs

Here is Danica's legwarmers completed for her 5th birthday.  Just got back from my local yarn store with the buttons for the flowers,  sewed them on and took the pictures on this very rainy day.   The colour looks like it's lavender on this picture,  but it's actually rose, not a good day for picture taking.


Once again, this is such a simple, enjoyable pattern to do.  The flowers are an added touch that makes the legwarmers girlie and fun.  I have to confess that I am spending more money on the buttons that I  believe I should, but at the end  it finishes everything off so perfectly.


This pattern is  Legwarmies by Alana Dakos  and the yarn is Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino   a perfect gift for any girl or boy  and knits up quick when you actually work on it, which was not what I had been doing lately. 


Now I can go back and work on my summer cardi "Drifting"


Alice xox

Racerback Tank Top

I knitted this  tank top last year but I don't think I ever wore it.  But since our weather has finally begun getting much warmer I  have been wearing  it  for 2 days in a row.   Now I wish I had made more !!   When I found this pattern, my local yarn store had to bring in the  yarn , Cascade fixation in, but now they also stock it, so if I really want to be very busy knitting, that is what I would make more of.   It's cotton and stretchy and it does cling to your body but it does not get hot.

I am tempted !!

Alice xox

Garden in a Barrel

On Sunday I looked at this  barrel and the  sad looking impatients and decided it needed a sprucing up    The original flowers that were planted were a light pink and corral impatients.  I did not plant them so I couldn't say anything about it, but the corral waas not my favourite in that combination  But with all the rain the last month or so, the impatients needed an uplift.  So I went to a local nursery and picked up a potato vine, bacoppa and a small fuchia plant.  These are semi-shade lovers as that was I needed for this space.  I was aiming for a cascading of plants to trail over the barrel. 

 Being that I am an admirer of flowers but not usually the Gardener, which is what my husband loves, I didn't know what I was doing.   I planted these and was so impressed with myself and how it turned out I had to share.    I did keep the original pink impatients and transferred the corral ones to elsewhere in the garden.

Now everytime I  go back the barrel I fuss around the flowers to see how they are doing.   I can see how people get attached to their flowers and gardens !!

Alice xox

Knitted Flower

I decided today to show how I make a knitted flower. This is a flower I'm making for the legwarmers that I just completed. I hope you try it out. 

I started out with some left-over yarn, use a DK weight.  I used  Malabrigo Yarn Silky Merino and a size 4 mm circular needle.  You don't need a circular needle but I just prefer to use it  instead of a straight needle.


The pattern comes in different sizes but I chose a 6 petal flower, so here is what you do:

Cast  on 74 stitches  using the  long-tail cast on method..here is a video on cast on method

Row 1:  Purl

 

Row 2: :  K2, *K1 slip this st purlwise back onto left needle, lift next 9 sts on left needle one by one over this st and off the needle, yfwd twice, then knit first st again, k2.  Repeat from * to end.

Row 3: K1, *P2tog, K1,K1tbl, P1.  Repeat from *to last st, K1.

Row 4:  Knit

Row 5: P2tog to end of row.

Break yarn and thread through remaining stitches.  Use as a single flower or stack 2 together.

Tadah...  Here is the finished flower.  So simple....so sweet.  I will put a button in the center for a  finishing touch.

I hope you enjoy it !!

Alice xox

Drifting Along




Drifting by Cecily Glowick Mackdonald

 This is the back view of my current work in progress.   I have been admiring  Cecily Glowan MacDonald  patterns lately, there so many of her designs that I enjoy.    I had seen  Drifting done by one of my friends from my knit night and decided that this was something I also wanted  for summer.    I decided to work with cotton for something different and I loved this colour, it's called baked red.     It will be a super summer top, you can wear over top of a summer dress or tank top.

Once again I am challenging my knitting skills with Drifting.  I did get stumped with one of the increase instructions, right at the beginning and  couldn't find anything online, then sent my friend an email  who had knit this before and she kindly provided me with a link to a video on it.   Here is my link to my notes .

This is where I have stopped my Drifting , it would take no time to complete it, but I have legwarmers that I need to complete for  a birthday in July.   Don't know why, but I'm just not getting to those legwarmers like I should be, they really take no time to make, but I would rather pick my cardigan.   

As summer weather seems to be shy so far, it has not been too hot to knit.   I'm glad I'm working with the cotton on my cardigan, it's a different experience than working with wool all time.  Cotton is so much cooler too.

Now that I have a proper picture of my Drifting in progress it will inspire me to complete the legwarmers and get back to it, so I can enjoy wearing it this summer.

Alice xox

Kalanchoe

This morning I saw this little plant and thought I would clip the old flowers off.  But after doing it I realized that it had still lots of new buds that had not bloomed yet...too late.    This picture was taken after the clipping was done.


The plant is called Kalanchoe.   I have 2 of them and they have been my favourite flowering  house plants.  I only have had since the beginning of the year.   The ones I have are covered with fuschia pink or red flowers.   The flowers last for a couple of months and they look so fresh.   I started to dead head the flowers and discovered that new ones came back.   I guess this time I got a little ahead of the game.   

After the initial hair cut I saved the flowers and put them in this pottered water glass.

So If you want a flowering house plant that's hardy and looks beautiful and not too much fussing..this is a great one.  I don't do anything else with it except water it.    So I am learning what they are like.  One is in the bathroom and it seems to bloom longer as it's not in direct sunlight, but this one is getting alot of direct light and sun.  I don't think it will like it through the summer months of direct sunlight.   Have to find a new home.

Enjoying them side by side.

Alice xox

Day 1

I've decided to challenge myself to post something everyday here on my blog.  I want to improve my  photography skills, which I so admire in others as well as writing. .   It will be a random post.      Here is my first day.


 This is a sunflower seedling.  I planted about 6 of them a couple of weeks ago.   I wanted to show how they grow and the size they get.  I purposely place a ruler (yes that is a ruler) just for you to get a visual on the size.     Exciting..hey. !!




 This flower or vine I should say is called Bougainvillea.   It is a tropical flower.  No, we don't live a tropical climate. More like a rainforest of lately.  This is probably the 2nd time we've had it in the garden.  I honestly can't remember what happened to the first one, so we shall see with this


So, stay tuned to Day 2 tomorrow..

Alice xox