Family Socks

It's been awhile since I have blogged.

As my kiddos are getting older, I find that they are monopolizing more of the computer time(as well as my limited free time), so it's harder for me to find time to sit and write a post.  My kids are in martial arts/crossfit class three nights per week and I've found that lends itself to some knitting time without the guilt--since I am a captive audience there for an hour and a half.

I have been loving the Simple Skyp sock pattern and decided to knit a pair of socks for everyone in my family.  So far I have finished Diva's, Rage's, and mine.  I'm working on DH's pair during class time now.

Mine(knitted with Twisted Fiber Art Tasty in the Maple colorway):


Diva's(knitted with Three Irish Girls Adorn sock in the Rhiannon colorway):


Rage's(knitted with Socks That Rock Lightweight in the Dragon Dance colorway):


I have finished a couple of other things but I'll save that for a later post--just socks today :)

What else is on my mind?
--In the last 6 months or so, I have completely lost my cross stitching mojo.  I'm hoping that comes back with spring time--Lord knows I have enough to work on.
--I started a new workout program last week--Cathe Friedrich's Xtrain--I am sore everywhere but I love it.  My workouts were feeling stale to me and I needed something to shake it up so I decided to go back to Cathe.  It's interesting to me how cyclical that is.  I had been doing Beachbody workouts since 2008 very consistently(P90X, Insanity, Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, and Chalean Extreme) prior to that I had been doing Cathe's workouts(too many to list).  I love switching things up for a new challenge.
--Little Diva is not so little anymore. . .she turned 13 over the weekend!  I can't believe I have a teenager!
--I am addicted to Pinterest--I love wasting time there ;)
--I really, really would love to make a quilt this year. . .just trying to find the time, motivation, and the guts to take that leap.
--In Fall 2012, I joined my first ever yarn club.  It was with Twisted Fiber Art and I LOVED it.  I'm doing Spring 2013 as well. . .can't wait for my first package later this month.
--I can now add Thirty One bags to my Vera Bradley bag addiction.

I think that's about it for now.  Happy crafting everyone!

Inventory of Finished Objects 2012

Knitting:
1.  Mitered Square baby blanket
2.  Baktus Scarf
3.  Simple Skyp socks--me
4.  Simple Skyp socks--Rage
5.  Simple Skyp socks--Diva
6.  Color Affection
7.  4 Squares for Bertie's Blankets

Reading:
1. The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage(Schlessinger)
2. Immortal Rider(Ione)
3. Push(Johnson)
4. Taking a Shot(Burton)
5. Lover Reborn(Ward)
6.  A Clash of Kings(Martin)
7.  Lothaire (Cole)
8.  Wicked Nights (Showalter)
9.  The Lightning Thief (Riorden)
10.  All the Captain Underpants books(with Rage)
11.  Diary of a Wimpy Kid
12.  Last Breath (Caine)
13.  The Skinny Rules (Harper)

Stitching:
1. QS Lovers(HAED)--Page 1
2. Twelve Houses Sampler(Drawn Thread)

Fitness:
**Worked out consistently 5-6 days per week for the entire year :)

Project Me:
1. Chalene's 30 Day Challenge--January, February, April, September

Year in Review 2012

I'm getting the ball rolling on some end of the year things and decided to post this now rather than later.  I love having a record of what has caught my fancy over the previous year.

Year in Review 2012

1. your best FO of the year:
Color Affection--I love the way that turned out.

2. best FO of the year made by a blog you link to:
Truthfully I haven't been reading many knitting/stitching blogs in the last 6 months.

3. best yarn you tried:
Twisted Fiber Art Tasty--it's an amazing wool/cashmere blend.

4. best book/mag/pattern of 2012:

Book:
Push by Chalene Johnson

Magazine:
Oxygen, Vogue Knitting, Country Living, Where Women Create, and People

Pattern:
Simple Skyp Socks

Website:
Runs for Cookies

5. best new technique or gadget you tried in 2012:
My To Do list app on my phone, I would be lost without it.

6. top 5 inspirations--what five things inspired you the most over the past year?
  **My daughter--she is growing up to be such an incredible young lady and she's been bitten by the fitness bug just like her mom ;)
  **My son--he is growing and changing right before my eyes, he has a good heart, and he always makes me laugh
  **Ravelry--my 'go to' place for knitting inspiration
  **Pinterest--it's a huge time suck but wow can you find some good stuff there.
  **Runs for Cookies--that blog is inspirational every day.  Katie is my hero!

7. designer who most amazed and inspired you throughout the year.
I don't know that I have a specific designer who has stood out for me this year.  I'm all over the place with my likes and dislikes lately.

8. Challenges for 2013--what's next for you and your blog?
**for my blog--I'm going to shoot for at least two posts per month.  Things have gotten pretty hectic around the house and that has taken up most of my time--leaving crafting time to a minimum unfortunately.
**for me--continue to improve my fitness and my diet, continue to improve my mind, and continue to be mindful of how my action/inaction affects those around me.
**start and finish a quilt. . .possibly Swoon or a T-shirt quilt
**continue to try and find balance in my life.

Summer Knits

I finished a few projects over the last couple of weeks. Some, like Baktus, have been on the needles for quite some time(I know this is only a close up but the color was not reading when I shot from a distance):
 
 Color Affection was one I actually cast on at the beginning of the summer. It was something I worked on while my kiddos where at their martial arts class.I love the colors in this one. Three shades of Socks that Rock from my stash(my rather obscene STR stash).
 Finally, I have Chickami from Chic Knits. It took me all summer to knit it and I'm pleased with the results although I would make some moderations next time. I would probably do it about a size smaller and use shaping.

 Now that autumn is in the air I have been bitten by the sock bug. I am halfway through a pair for me then I have pairs on deck for both kiddos and DH.

Still Here

I'm still around.

It's been a busy summer--family trips, company in town, ups & downs, life in general, and lately some Olympic viewing.  My kiddos head back to school in a couple of weeks so things should start to return to a normal schedule.

I have not had much crafty time at all.  I have been knitting randomly on one project all summer.  I have been looking for inspiration on Ravelry and I have some yarn that I think MUST have in my stash. . .Twisted Fiber Arts.  One of my friends finished a shawl in some of this yarn and WOW it is stunning.  If you go check out the site, make sure you look at the Evolutions yarn. . .amazing stuff.  If I can decide on a colorway, I will be ordering some for an Ene from Scarf Style.

I cross stitched briefly in July.  I am still redoing page one from the HAED Freebie SAL.  I think that I may need to just put that piece aside because it makes me angry every time I have to work on that page. . .I have never had to restitch an entire page and it really gets to me.

This fall I am hoping to get into a groove with my usual chores, decluttering my house(specifically, cleaning out the basement), my workouts(I have some weight loss goals I WILL hit by the end of the year), stitching, knitting, and other crafting I have been wanting to try, and I can't forget reading--I have quite the back log of books I am trying to get through.

There is never enough time in the day for everything you want to do.

Enjoy the last big month of summer!

WIPocalypse 2012--May Edition AND IHSW

International Hermit and Stitch Weekend:




I am going to be doing a combo of IHSW AND WIPocalypse for May because this is literally the only stitching I have done in about 6 weeks.  I will be focusing on HAED QS Lovers(BB SAL).

Here is the before:


As usual, I did not have a lot of stitching time BUT I did stitch which hasn't happened in over a month!
Here is the after:






The current WIP/UFO list:

1. Ink Circles The Bramble and the Rose
2. Ink Circles Blackstone Fantasy Garden
3. HAED QS Swimming with Dolphins
4. HAED I Love Thee
5. HAED Eternal Promise
6. HAED Storykeeper
7. HAED TTK
8. HAED Misty Weniera
9. HAED Mini Home is Where the Magic Is
10. HAED QS Lovers (BB SAL)

Posting Progress on the full moon dates for 2012:
January 9
February 7
March 8
April 6
May 5
June 4
July 3
August 1
August 31
September 29
October 29
November 28
December 28

IHSW--April--A Bust

I had zero time to stitch this weekend.  Between nice weather, hockey playoffs, and general life things, I did not have time to look at my stitching much less get it out.  My apologies.  I'm hoping to have much more time next month :)

Happy stitching everyone!  I can't wait to see what everyone did this weekend.