Happy Labor Day!

This weekend is one that I'm looking forward to. We have been invited to go to Morgantown, West Virginia to spend the weekend with DH's aunt and uncle. His sister will be coming in from Florida and his cousin will be home as well. Tonight I have been packing and doing laundry like a mad woman!

Karolyn's packed? Check

Extra pack of diapers? Check

Snacks for the road? Check Check

Toys to keep a toddler occupied for a 7 hour car ride? Check Check

Knitting project all packed and ready? Check Check Check....On second thought I'd better get some sock yarn in there as well.

We got new tires on the car today and Ray changed the oil and checked the fluids yesterday. The car is ready to go! Did I ever tell you about our car? Its like the Energizer Bunny in that it has over 220K miles on it and its still going. Furthermore, we are taking it on a 6-7 hour car drive from Detroit, Michigan to Morgantown, West Virginia this weekend. In addition to that, we are going to drive it from Detroit to Atlanta over Christmas. My husband is a master mechanic and is able to fix anything that goes wrong or even thinks about going wrong on the car. Last week he had to replace the starter and now it works like a charm!

Knitting Reviews

I told you that Ray got me the Knit Picks needles for my birthday but they were still in the mail. Well they came. HOLY GOD IN HEAVEN are these needles to die for! The points are just sharp as ever. The metal finish is smooth as silk and the join. Lets talk about the join. Seamless.... I'm telling you, you will not even know that its there. I swear to God and everything that is good and holy. The cords are slim and flexible. It comes all packeged up in a wonderful case which includes a 6 ring binder and plastic inserts for expanding and adding extra goodies. The binder zips closed so you have a less chance of loosing stuff. The designers really hit the mark on this one. They did a fantastic job. Now I want the knitting travel bags they just came out with! Maybe for Christmas.

Happy Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday! I had a great day. My husband made me a cake, my daughter refused to eat dinner and my brother and sister both called me!

Now lets talk about this here cake. My DH MADE the cake. He went to JoAnn's, bought the checkerboard cake pans, got the mix and on Sunday he made it. It is 3 layers high and put frosting in the middle of it! He then got the special frosting tips to make the pretty lettering and then the pretty ribbon on the side and along the edge of this cake. I'm feeling pretty special right about now.

And he didn't stop there. He ordered me the new knit pick needles AND the Mason-Dixon knitting book! It didn't come in the mail yet but I'm getting excited about it.

All in all, it was a wonderful day!

Day at the Zoo

This weekend we went to the Detroit Zoo. I was looking forward to going all week long. I would get to spend quality time with my baby and husband that didn't involve me cleaning up the house at the same time. Quality time is hard to come by around here. What with work and work and ... did I mention work? Well needless to say I was really excited. I was really hoping that Karolyn would be as well. Not so much. Not so much at all. In fact she cried the entire time. The second we got in the door, when we were eating lunch, seeing ALL of the animals... all six and a half hours of zoo time. I really don't think she shut up until we left the place. Yep, we were THOSE parents. I have to say that I was really glad that we finally stepped foot in the house cuz then the incessant crying stopped! Peace and Quiet. I love that sound! Silence.

Now I know that this is a knitting blog and I have not really been talking about much knitting lately. I have a good reason for that. I have been working on a couple of projects that I can't talk about. Well ONE project that I'm sworn to absolute secrecy to and the other is for a contest. Both projects are now complete and I'm starting another project. I know, I'm cheating on the FI but I'm working with Katrina here. The stuff is soft as a babies butt and wonderful to knit up as well. I'm actually making the pattern that comes with it. I didn't make the swatch match perfectly. I'm off a stitch. Now I do understand that this is in fact a very big deal, but I'm not to worried as this pattern has a negative ease. So the way I see it, its just not gonna be as tight fitting on me and that is OK as far as I'm concerned. I'm also adding a couple of inches in the length as well. So far that is the only changes I'm making. I'm about half way done with the back. I'm hoping to be done soon.

Baby Bumkins

Lately I have been sewing baby things. Diapers to be exact. Cloth diapers are known to be better for the butt. Sodium polyacrylate is added as an absorbant to the diaper. This chemical has the ability to absorb more than its molecular weight. Basically that means that this is some really absorbant stuff. So when you put in a little bit of the chemical (it comes in little bead form) and you add water to it, you will get a gel. This wonderful little absorbant ball has also been known to cause TSS or toxic shock syndrom. Not something that I want my baby to get.

There is also the environmental factor as well. Think about it. Babies use on average 5-10 diapers/day. Multiply that by 365 days per year, times the number of kids wearing diapers and that is a crazy amount of diapers that end up in our landfills each year.

Furthermore, do you have any idea how much diapers cost? A crazy ton of money, and that is for the store brand stuff...I'm not talkin' Pampers over here. This crazy ton of money is taking a toll on the yarn money! So I'm coming up with a solution to the problem. I'm sewing diapers.

Not just any diaper mind you. These are not the gross leaky diapers that your momma used on you that you had to have the plastic pants for and got poked with the pin each and every godforsaken time she put it on you. These are state of the art, 21st century diapers!

Thanks to microfiber, that will wick the moisture away from the little bottom, and laminated fabric that will replace the plastic pants. And lets not forget wonderful velcro! Put it all together you get the 21st century diaper.

I have been using them on the weekends as the daycare will not allow them there. (Too much work.) They are just great! They don't leak and are really easy to launder. Hot and Hot all the way. The microfiber dries fast as well and there is no problem with shrinkage.

Next is the baby wipes and the bibs.

Supporting "Double D"

Today was the 3-Day Breast Cancer walk here in Michigan. Walkers raise money and then walk 20 miles a day for 3 days. 60 miles total! It was incredibly emotional just as a sideline supporter. We saw people of all shapes and sizes. Little people, skinny people, tall people, old and young people all walking. Some were in wheelchair's and some had braces on their legs. But through it all, they were walking. What an inspiration!

My friend Kristina from work and her friend were walking in the event. Michelle, her daughter, and I dicided to go and support her. Her team name was "Double D." Naturally for the boob reference but more importantly, they both knew someone whose name began with D that was affected by breast cancer.


As I got to the cheering site, we saw this.



These are the people helping the walkers cross the street safely!


Here are more walkers as we anxiously await "Double D."


Here is Michelle and Taylor holding the signs we made. I went around the labs and offices and got as many signatures as I could for the poster.


Then we finally see them. The "Double D"!!!


Kristina, me, Taylor, and Michelle.


As Kristina and her friend were walking off to complete the rest of the 20 miles for the day, she told us that the van was the relief van to pick up walkers that couldn't walk anymore that day. Notice all the bras! I just had to capture the moment!

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

This is what I was sooooo incredibly giddy about a couple of posts ago. Which was almost 3 weeks ago. I saw that and about had a heart attack. How neglectful of me. Not telling you how I'm doing and all. Well being the geniouses that you are, you should be able to figure out that I'm crazy busy, what with being a full time mom, wife, personal accountant, CEO of the household, maid (I prefer cleaning technician), chef, personal nurse, and I work full time as well. I even make myself tired. OH YEA, and I'm a published designer!

That picure is my design. Thats right I designed it! You can find it here . Its knit in Devon, a new yarn by Elann and let me tell you its absolutely wonderful. I got a little white box full of it the other day. This stuff is incredibly soft and wonderful. I'm gonna make a shrug. I think that it will be warm enough and still stylish by the time that I'm done with it. Keeping those fingers crossed of course.

Fair Isle Update

Can you believe it? I'm thinking that looks like at least 10 inches! I didnt measure it as I'm thinking I would get depressed knowing that I'm not as far along as I want to be. I need at least 24 inches in length and I might go to 26 inches. Which means that I still have a lot of knitting to get done. I am determined to get this out of the basket and to the recepient soon. (At least by Christmas time)

I'm a Genious

I always knew I was a genious and here is the proof. Clearly I don't possess "logical knowledge" or is that known as "Common Sence"? Well whatever the case I dont really think that it matters much.

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average Your Verbal Intelligence is Above Average Your Mathematical Intelligence is Above Average Your General Knowledge is Above Average

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

Take the quiz, its fun and easy and I would do better if I researched all the answers and used a calculator!