Livin' La Needle Loca

...and it's raining too much to even try to get a picture of something other than wet plants. So I decided to just go with it: Taken in the courtyard at work. This is one of the many low places that collect rain water during storms. I'm about two-thirds done with the thread burying task for Jungle Songs. Man, are there are lot of ends! I definitely will not finish this quilt in November, given that tomorrow's December. But at least I got close! Last night I did the first grocery run for my December baking-Trader Joe's.  I buy most of the nuts, dried fruit,  and butter at TJ.  The checkout guy commented about the amount of butter in my cart...you should have seen his face when I told him that the 8 pounds I bought was just a start! I typically use 12-15 pounds of butter for baking. Up this weekend: I need to make a Smart and Final run to get flour, sugar, chocolate chips, eggs, and the takeout containers I use for packing cookies. Next is a Safeway or Nob Hil...

...the rain must have thrown me off. LOL! I'm still burying threads in the back of the Jungle Songs quilt. I'm making progress, but I'm starting to get bored. There is a reason I tend to do geometric machine quilting: there are far fewer threads to bury and they are rarely in the middle of the quilt!  And I'd be done by now. Besides Jungle Songs, I am playing with the layout of the Christmas Yellow Brick Road quilt I discovered in my stash. Because several of the fabrics contain snow globes,  I have named it "Going Snow Global." The fabrics are all from Moda's Nick & Rudy fabric line that was released in 2006 (or before), making this WIP a lot older than I thought it was. Time flies... As with all Yellow Brick Road quilts, I need to adjust the layout to make sure the same fabric isn't touching and to avoid too many reds and greens touching. It's obvious from the picture that I need to do a lot more rearranging. I'll adjust it a fe...

...I finished two things! The first is the knitted cowl I've been working on: Midnight Botanical Cowl [ Ravelry ] Started 11/3/12 Finished 11/23/12 Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in Midnight Derby Pattern: Botanical Cowl by Megan Goodacre It was a good on-the-go project. I really enjoyed this project! The second is the Heather merino-silk handspun I started in 2007: and the close up: Specs: Started 10/15/2007 Finished 11/24/2012 Chasing Rainbows top in Heather: 2 oz. Merino-Bombyx and 2 oz. Merino Skein #1: 320.1 yards, 2-ply, 15 WPI Skein #2: 46 yds singles, about 13 WPI I finished machine quilting the Jungle Songs quilt and am in the process of burying all the loos threads. I need to finish that process before I can sew on the binding and declare this quilt done. And not a moment too soon...so ready for this one to be off my list! While I was putting stuff away, I found a Christmas-themed Yellow Brick Road quilt I started a couple of years ago. Al...

...we had a great meal and great time with family yesterday. I hope you all did, too. Here's a peek at our holiday tables: and the star of the show:   The daughter brought some beautiful tulips a that we placed on the buffet:   We just got back from our annual trip to the Crest Family Christmas tree ranch in the Santa Cruz mountains. It was a gorgeous and incredibly warm day. Usually, it's on the cool side, frequently very cold, and sometimes rainy. So this was a treat!  Good food, good friends...it was a great day, Up this weekend: I want to make progress on the quilt and I have a yarn to finish plying. I also have a knitting project to work on.  Other than a couple of errands and laundry, I plan to craft as much as possible for the next two days. Heaven! .

...my last day at work until Monday. This morning's sunrise was pretty: Over the weekend, I managed to accomplish a few of the tasks on my list: dusting, cleaning out the cupboards, doing the first grocery run for the holiday meal, and make the cranberry sauce. I also wanted to vacuum, but that didn't happen. That will be added to tomorrow's task list. The cranberry sauce is chilling in the refrigerator. This year I added fresh pomegranate juice, raspberries, and brandy to the mixture. It was pretty tasty before aging, so I think it will be really yummy on Thursday. I plan on adding fresh pomegranate seeds to the mixture before serving so it will have a little crunch to it. After Craft Night tonight, I'm going to do the last grocery run so I have everything I need for prep on Wednesday--it will be a full day. I need to: Cook the giblets for broth Make the stuffing (dressing) Assemble the yam casserole Make the desserts Make sure the turkey is defrost...

...the madness called The Holidays. First, the eye candy. I was playing with my camera's fish-eye feature the other day and took this: The Husband has planted new flowers. Mona Lavender Plectranthus: Coralberry Punch Superbells: Lemon Slice Superbells We have a Junco nesting in one of our hanging baskets. She's laid four eggs: She is a protective little thing. If you go in the backyard when she's around, she yells at you to stay away from her nest. A true mighty mite! Up this weekend: finish cleaning the house in preparation for the madness. We got part-way there when we freshened things up for the appraiser (re-fi in progress). Now we just need to finish the job. I need to do the first wave of T-Day shopping, including buying the turkey so it can defrost by Tuesday, when I get it into the dry brine. I'm still debating whether to make a trip to Williams-Sonoma and get their dry brine mix (which I love) or try to make my own. I suppose it...

...sound off! (Because I have no new pictures today.) WIPs, in current rotation: Chasing Rainbows Heather: 2oz  Merino-Bombyx plus 2oz Merino wool (spinning)[ Ravelry ] Botanical Midnight Cowl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Jungle Songs quilt (quilting) Recipe for Summer by Pine Mountain Designs (cross stitch) WIPs, candidates for rotation: Anasazi by Susan Portra (needlepoint) Celaeno Shawl (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Happy Pumpkin Scissor Fob by Shepherd's Bush (cross stitch) Halloween Phat Fiber samples (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Mediterranean Mermaid by Mirabilia (cross stitch) Natural Dyes batts from Yarn Wench (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Oriental Dragonfly, Dimensions kit (embroidery)  Pilgrim top, 2 oz (Merino-Tussah Silk) top from A Verb for Keeping Warm (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Royale top, 2 oz (Merino-Yak-Silk) top from A Verb for Keeping Warm (spinning) [ Ravelry ]  Sea Foam Wrap (knitting) [ Ravelry ] Hibernating, candidates for IDJ (It's dead, Jim): Pe...

...because I'm a little scattered these days. Next week is Thanksgiving!! WHAT?!  I am no where near ready for that!  Thank goodness the family likes a traditional dinner and the menu is pretty much the same every year.   I was productive at Spin-In. I finished spinning 2 ounces of a Merino-Bombyx top and started the matching Merino top that I will ply with it.  I ended up baking some oatmeal-chocolate chip cookies to take.   We installed our new microwave/exhaust fan unit. That sounds so simple, right? NOT! We had to move the range (this required removing the oven door) and take out the old unit. Then the issues started. The support bracket for the new microwave needed to be in a different location. The holes for the bolts to go through the cabinet to anchor the microwave were in a different place. The opening for the microwave exhaust vent was in a different place. The length of the exhaust chimney was longer. The Husband went to Home Depot/OSH at least...

...the AC is working overtime in the office and there's a slight nip in the air outside.  We're waiting for a new furnace filter at home, so I haven't turned on the heat yet. Thank goodness for electric blankets! Today's eye candy is from one of the few things still blooming in the garden: paperwhite narcissus: Up this weekend: Spin-In tomorrow!  I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with the spinners and my wheel. I'll probably bake some cookies to take as they are easy to make and I'm not feeling very imaginative, baking-wise. Also this weekend, the Husband and I need to install our replacement microwave/exhaust fan unit. Our old one refuses to heat anymore. After pricing the replacement and comparing that to the cost of a repair bill, it was a wash.  The new one arrived and we just needed some concentrated time to install it. I need to get serious about cleaning up the living and dining areas. Thanksgiving is at our house and it wou...

...where I confess to having a new WIP. (oops) I have been wanting to knit a cowl for quite some time. I just never found a pattern that appealed to me. Well, I found one last week, and I had the yarn in my stash!  I cast on during the drive to The Husband's parents on Saturday and knit the ribbing while I chatted with the family. I took it to Craft Night last night as I didn't feel like working on the cross stitch. Here's what it looks like for now: Specs: Started 11/3/12;  [ Ravelry ] Pattern: Botanical Cowl by Megan Goodacre; Yarn: Midnight Derby Smooshy by Dream In Color "For now" meaning that I am going to rip back to the eyelet row and knit it again. I'm not happy with the way that the yarn-overs look. It looks like there is an extra stitch in each hole, which is not true. According to another Raveler, I should snug up the K2tog that follows the YO2 to take up some of the slack. Someone else suggested either KTB and PTB when I knit the YOs. ...

...and if you haven't already, get out there and vote! We had a nice family gathering on Saturday. What I couldn't mention last week was that one of the Husband's brothers was proposing to his girlfriend and we were responsible for bring the cake to celebrate.  Only a couple of family members knew what was happening,  so it was a surprise for most of them. Anyway, we didn't find out until too late to special order a cake.  I didn't think there would be any problem finding a round decorated cake. We decided to decorate whatever cake we got with marzipan bees as the happy couple have an apiary and urban orchard in the foothills of L.A.  Saturday morning I made the bees and then went out to buy a cake. 1 Whole Foods, 2 Safeways, and 1 French bakery later, I ended up at Sugar Butter Flour , where I should have gone in the first place. I really wanted a classic round cake with white icing and flowers that had room for writing. All of Whole Foods' cakes were yum...

...I finally got my new glasses prescription on the 24th. I'm still getting used to them, but at least I can knit again! Finished: 10/24 Tiffany handspun (Spinning) [ Ravelry ] Tiffany Wild Card Bling Batts (5.5oz) from the Yarn Wench; 147.0 yds chain-ply, 11 WPI; 26 yds single ply, 16 WPI 10/13 Studio bench cushions (sewing) 10/11 Plum Sauce handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Merino top and pencil roving from Schoppel-Wolle (150g) 308.9 yds, 2-ply, 13 WPI 10/7 Chocolate-covered Raspberries handspun, skein #2 (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Seawool top (8 oz total) by Creatively Dyed 217.75 yd, 13 WPI chain-plied 10/7 Isonzo handspun (spinning) [ Ravelry ] Wool/Bamboo/Seacell top from Creatively Dyed Chain-plied #1 180.5 yds, 13 WPI #2 178.7 yds, 14 WPI Books: Skinwalker, Faith Hunter Blood Cross, Faith Hunter Cat Tales, Faith Hunter Mercy Blade, Faith Hunter Raven Cursed, Faith Hunter Death's Rival, Faith Hunter Into the Woods, Kim Harrison Nightwalker, Allyson...

...it's Eye Candy Friday again and I haven't posted since last Friday. And, it's now November! WTH! It's not even worth offering excuses, so let's just get on with it. The Husband and I decided to replace the hydrangea bush in the courtyard because it was simply did not like where it was planted. The courtyard gets a lot more sun than the hydrangea wants. We replaced it with a bougainvillea, which we will train to spread out rather than up so it does not block my studio window. The color is pretty intense right now, but it makes me happy! Close up: He also planted a bowl of chrysanthemums that sits on the other side of the studio door: Since I missed WIP-it Wednesday, here's a look at one of my current WIPs: and another WIP that has gone back into hibernation. I love the yarn and I like the pattern, but I keep falling asleep in the middle of a row! These socks might be destined for the frog pond. I haven't decided yet. Up this ...