Off I go...

Tomorrow I leave for Ireland!!!

And what perfect timing for this card to show up from my SP (I was in the middle of packing when it showed up)! Thank you so much Homie it's friggin' adorable and so sweet of you to send!
Everyone, you can expect a very picture heavy post when I get back!

Erin Go Braugh (Ireland Forever)!

Knit-In!

Our dear Jana invited our group over to her house this weekend for a knit-in. Can you believe she allowed us in her home after the SP prank? That's love! She feed us homemade lasangna, penne with vodka sauce, salad, appetizers etc. etc. It was so delicious! (yes, there was even knitting on the TV!)
It's always so nice to be able to get everyone together on the weekend to chill and knit. Plus we got to catch up with one of our old knitting pals (and founder of the group) Emily! She also brought along her husband and a new knitting friend for us to play with. Always good times when we all get together!

Here's some pictures of all the laughing at inappropriate comments which shall not be mentioned here!




There's our hostess and Chris blowing out their trick birthday candles. Of course, the trick was on me, only one of them would re-light and it didn't take much to blow that out!
(Please note Jana's most excellent shirt! "Crafty, like ice is cold")

Cam-Er-A!!!

My new camera came last night!!!
Thank you Mom & Dad, thank you!!!
(It's a gift for my trip)

Here's a picture of it. I have yet to download the software so that I can upload pictures from it.

Isn't she pretty? What shall I name her?

Clap Attack!!!! (project worked: February 10th - March 15th)

Why more clapotis pictures? Because they were taken with my new camera that's why! And the color is a little better. (No, I don't usually wear flowers in my hair, these were taken on Friday, St. Patricks Day!)
(Camera man is a lot taller than me huh?)


I'm done, I'm done!!! I finished it up last night and now I must admit I was a little sad to see it slip of the needles. I'm very happy it's finished and super excited about starting my first pair of socks (my project to take to Ireland), but it was a great project to work on and I'll miss how perfectly balanced it was as a simple yet, interesting project.

Please note, when I say simple I mean after the first 6 attempts to get it started! I cast on and got a little triangle going over and over again only to realize I was one stitch short, one over, one twisted etc. etc. But once I got to the second section I was much more comfortable and it really moved along quite nicely.

I will get some better pictures of it up here soon but for now I just wanted to toot my horn :-)

Package # two, ooh, ooh ooh!!!

Look what was waiting for me when I got home from knitting group tonight!!! Not only did I get to spend the evening knitting with my gals (and Adam) but I came home to knitterly things waiting for me!

Where to start? First, is that super soft Alpaca yarn (which I thought was scented at first but we'll get to that in a second). It's so, so soft and just my color (earthy brownish with a hint of pink). I have no idea what I'll be making with it but I'm psyched to use it! Any suggestions for a project?

Then, the reason I thought the yarn was scented, are two big bags of bath salts - love me some bathtime I do! Can't wait to dive in (ba dum bum!) Then in that cute little pouch (did you make that homie?) was my all time favorite chocolate ever - - Lindt Lindor truffels, plus some other chocolates that I don't recognize but having taste tested one I found to be a close second :-)

Thank you so much Secret Homie, I really love all of my new booty, you made my day!!!

IRELAND!

Yup, it's booked and I've got my passport! At the end of this month (this month!?!) I'm going to Ireland with my friend Nikki. I am so excited yet it seems so impossible that I can't process the whole thing. It's my first out the country excursion and my first choice of destinations since I can remember. We've opted to do the tour group thang since we feared getting ourselves lost in the fields with the sheep. This should be interesting with the amount of pub visiting we are also planning - - no sleeping in girls!

Next item on the list of things to do is get a new digital camera so I can load up on pictures. I am so afraid about the camera thing that I'll probably bring my regular 35mm with me just as a back-up. The reason I'm so worried is that my mom went to Ireland when she was a teenager and took about 10 rolls of pictures not one of which came out because the lens cap was on the camera the whole time! I know that this is not an issue on camera's any more but having had my share of these types of glitches I'm uber cautious and you can't tell me not to be! So now it's just a matter of getting all of the little stuff taken care of before I go but I really don't have a lot of time - geez only two weekends and I'm outta here. That's just crazy is what that is!
(Can you tell I'm excited? I used enough exclamation points in this post, eh?)

This week in knitting...

So I made my first Knit Picks, sock yarn and dye your own yarn purchase all in one order this week!

I've been getting their catalogue for quite some time now, but never ordered anything. Jana, one of my knitting partners in crime, loves them so I thought I'd give 'em a shot. I'm so excited to knit my first pair of regular socks. I have no idea what colors I'll dye the yarn but I know it's quite likely it'll end up being a ball of brownish purple ick by the time I'm done with it but I don't care, I want to play!

Of course, two days after I order online, I get the new catalogue. I'm afraid to look inside because I already want those purple and green socks that are on the cover! I have got to stop buying yarn and start figuring out what I'm going to do with all of the stuff I'm making (or should I say, planning to make). I feel like I have enough to open my own shop at this point!