Four Weeks to Spring!

As I sit here this morning, snow is gently falling and kids are walking to meet the bus! Scarlett is asleep beside me and not yet ready for breakfast!
I haven't been on here for a couple of weeks. I've managed to overcome a nasty head cold and finally feel like myself again....however that feels! I've been knitting up a storm! I don't know what makes me want to knit so much...I guess I just love seeing the finished product.

My latest creation is a pair of "cathedral" mittens. I guess they're supposed to emulate the stained glass in a church. I'm making mine out of hand spun dog hair/wool blend and some tapestry wool I picked up at a used store for $1.00!!! I really like them and they'll be cozy and warm.

I still have one and a half arms to knit on my gold sweater I started a couple of weeks ago. It is light weight but because of the wool content, should be fairly warm. I'll post pictures when I get it done.

My lace shawl I showed last post has been blocked and ready to wear. We often don't know what $.50 is capable of buying.....I chose the yarn I made my shawl out of.....I call it my 50 cent shawl.....
Last week my friends and I got together and did some spinning and enjoyed each others company and a great lunch together. After lunch Shirley led us through the process of "needle felting" a lamb for a Xmas ornament.....it was easy and fun to do. I hope to make a few for my tree and my grandkids keepsake boxes.....This was my first, and it's a bit large!!!! Needle felting is using raw wool and poking it with a special needle to make felt....just wool fibers making this thing hang together. I have also used it to mend a wool sweater, using fiber the same colour as the sweater.......it's great.

Another pair of socks has been finished! Love the wool colours, but not for me! Hope somebody near and dear enjoys them some time! I'm working on another brightly coloured pair now...orange/mauve/green...yum!


I have a new fiber on the spinning wheel...a silk/merino blend....should make a pretty scarf some day.
I've been reading lots too. I just finished A Secret Life of Bees and The Girl with the Pearl Earring. Now I'm reading another book by the same author called Remarkable Creatures. I download audio books from the library and listen to them while I'm doing my ''thing" here around the house. It's fun and I can get more reading done than usual!!!! Right now I'm listening to a book that is first in a series of three called the "Covenant".....hope it's a good one.

I've been trying to gain energy and feel great at the same time. I've done lots of online reading of "raw" blogs and it's a very interesting topic! All kinds of info available. I'm trying raw for 2 days and I'll see how it goes today....this is my second day. I often just eat fruit all day, so it shouldn't be too difficult....although I do miss bread!!!! I had raw nut burgers yesterday for lunch with a salad and they were very good....even without the bun! By last night, however, I wasn't too keen on more raw marinated veggies for dinner....I did eat them and had another piece of fruit before bed. Tonight I'm trying a raw "kale & avocado" salad for dinner....love avocados, but can only imagine how much chewing will be done!!!!!

Back at last!

I can't believe it's February already! January was a busy month. As usual I was determined to start the new year being very health conscious and I read tons of vegetarian and vegan literature to help me along. I also was determined to work out with some form of cardio every day (not weekends!!!!) and throw in some strength training too. So far, so good. I've managed to work out every day through the week for a month now....pretty good for me. I actually think my muscles are improving too, although I don't see any weight loss on the scale.

As usual I have lots of projects underway! I knit a sweet bolero/hat set for Harlow to wear, hopefully later this year.I think it looks very girly!!!!!
I started knitting a pair of rather odd looking mittens designed by Elizabeth Zimmerman. If you know her, it can be very tricky following her patterns. I had spun this wool years ago and never used it. As it turned out,it was too thick for the mittens and I quit part way through. I hated to have to rip it out, so I decided to finish it off with a cord etc and I now have a cute iPod holder for walking with!!!

I also have been harboring a desire to knit lace....so....I had some fairly fine yarn here waiting for me! My friend Judy gave me a pattern for a small scarf, so I started knitting. It went well, although the yarn wasn't actually lace-weight. I'll be able to wear it lots because of the neutral colour.As you can see, it's pinned out drying.....this is blocking!

Right now I have wool on the needles making myself a new cardi! It is a new yarn, called Vintage and I purchased the pattern at Tina's Soper Creek Yarn shop here in Bowmanville. Finished pictures will follow if I ever get it done! I love the colour ....vintage gold. I thought the cables added some pizzazz!!!


And FINALLY I finished my throw I made mostly last spring after seeing one like it in Florida in February. I have kept putting it off and today was the day! I really like it and it feels like a load off to finally have it on the couch ready for use.


I'm also STILL hooking Xmas ornaments...for next year obviously! Today I got out my Traveller wheel and did some spinning...I love it too, but sometimes I have to choose what to play with and spinning doesn't always get picked! I'm spinning some beautiful merino wool/silk blend to make scarves with.

I have been listening to some very interesting podcasts while playing....Active Vegetarian has some really interesting podcasts. I love my iPod and use it constantly. I'm also enjoying audiobooks borrowed from our library here in Bowmanville. How lucky can we get???? I've been comtemplating going vegan for 21 days....wish me luck. I really think dairy drains energy and would like to see if this is true or not but have found one reason after another to put it off....not sure why. I didn't even hesitate giving up meat.

Stay healthy; eat well; move!!!