Thursday, December 29, 2011

It Doesn't Look Like Knitting




 I completed  the Milk Run Shawl for my mother-in-law for Christmas.  I squeaked so close to completing it for Christmas that I wasn't working on anything else, as in no other knitting.   This shawl was the only knitting I did as gifts.   It seemed that anything small was already knitted for previous Christmases, and this shawl consumed most of my hours.    A picture is still coming of the shawl.
So, in between knitting this shawl, I went to purchase someone a gift at Beadworks, which is a local beading store.  I saw these beautiful beaded ornament glass balls.  I asked if they taught classes in them, and did not ..so I proceeded to get written instructions and purchased the beads and supplies. 

The short and long story of this project is that I  spent a couple of hours at the store, while a very patient employee of Beadworks helped  me get started.     I managed on my own ok at home, while breaking thread, needing a magnifying glass to thread the itsy bitsy needle, and chasing seed beads.    But this darn ornament consumed me..I needed to work on it.    I had planned on offering this as a gift to someone, so I could at least justify my time with it.  After patching a string of beads that broke off and I didn't know how to fix it except with glue, I couldn't give this away to anyone and be totally happy with my work.  So I'm keeping it !   I'm thinking of one in pink now !

Christmas is now over and I am happily picking up a few knitting things for myself that I would like to complete before looking at some yummy yarns that I spotted at the yarn store today.

Hope your Christmas was a wonderful one and the New Year is looked upon with a sense of anticipation of all good things to come.

Alice xox

Monday, December 19, 2011

Sundays


This is Moxie sitting on Jim's lap.   If this isn't the look of relaxation, I don't no what is.     She looks like she she couldn't care less what happened around her, but I'm sure if a bowl of ice cream was to appear she would be wide awake in attention.


What do you do next when the lap disappears?  Well, find the next available pillow of course !


"I don't need you now..unless you appear with a lap or icecream" look.



"Now, I don't even know you exist pose"



Big sis Pixie, also taking the role of " do as others do on Sunday afternoon"



Pixie, is known to not like Moxie too close to her, and this is "too close".  On the same couch !!!   She quickly awakens from her slumber.

I do remember a time with our first stray cat we adopted, she was not allowed up on the couch.  My, how things how now changed with these two  Or maybe it's more about how we have changed.


Alice xox




Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Blooming Surprise

I had taken this picture of a mum that was being attacked by slugs over the summer, but still managed to produce a flower.  But...
 

Look what I found yesterday, the mum was blooming in December !!!   Not just one little flower but the whole plant was thriving !!!   What a treat to see.
 
 
 
       What a great way to enjoy this time of year with colour and beauty still outside in the back yard.

Let's switch gears and talk about shopping...which I don't do much of in the mall.  Went to the mall today to do some Christmas shopping, and found that I was very impressed with the service of a particular store that I was in.   Not only did they have lots of staff, but.. WOW..they were so helpful, don't know what they are like when it's not Christmas season, but if they are like this all year, no wonder it is a growing company.  Young, trendy..and high end.      I told the young lady who served me that I appreciated her help and that it was great to see that.   You gotta tell people when they are doing a great job..

I better get back to my knitting, which I'm not getting highly motivated to do.   I'm hitting a wall with this particular project as I plan on gifting it, I want to pick up other things, but I know I'm falling behind on time.   Does this happen to you?   Having to knit something and losing the motivation to keep going ?

Bye for now,

Alice