Decorating Cookies

Despite the fact that we have had no snow and are not likely to have a white Christmas, which is a source of painful regret to my children, it is shaping-up to be a pleasant Advent/pre-Christmas season.
My two children who are living with their Dad this year went to the Penance Service at their Church last night, making this mother's heart proud and happy!
Yesterday we made Christmas cut-out cookies.  Today. we're eating them.  I don't have pictures of the latter event, but I do of the former:

Making Christmas Cookies

Now, I'm listening to Christmas music on Pandora Radio and knitting Christmas gifts like crazy!

More than Knitting

So, the kids and I have been reading an advent reflection each evening at dinner time ( Five Minutes with the Word by the Word Among Us).  Every year I say that we will do this but this is the first year that we've actually made it through the first 3 days.  Sad, I know.  But, so far so good.  This is as much for their benefit as for mine, since I am in danger of seeing Advent as merely my "Christmas Knitting Time."

Speaking of Christmas Knitting:

Ginny's Aran Pillow

FYI: It's very weird to knit an Aran weight project at the same time as a lace project. 

Have a great day!

2011 Advent Scarf

The 2011 Advent Scarf Knitalong started on December 1st!  So, along with my other Christmas knitting, as well as the other Advent Scarf, I'm knitting this beautiful lace project with over 2000 other knitters from all over the world!  The knitting is going well so far and the chatting on the Ravelry group page is lively and entertaining.
Each day of the scarf is a different type of lace stitch and each day's instructions are given the evening before. Like opening a door on an Advent calender each day before Christmas!

I dyed a small cone of Jaggerspun lace weight yarn with my Pro Chemical and Dye Spearmint and Mallard dyes.  Lovely!  And I bought Toho beads to match.

Here's What we've done through Day 3.  And the kids and I still managed to put up the tree and throw some decorations around, too!

Have a blessed day, everyone!

Advent Scarf

Hi!  I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!
This year, I am participating in an Advent Scarf knit-along.  The designer will post a section of the lace scarf pattern each day of December.  Each day's section is different, like a lace sampler.  There are almost 2,000 people from all over the world participating through Ravelry.  I am so excited!  I can't wait to start!
I didn't participate last year, but the pattern is still available.  Some of us who are terribly impatient for December 1st have started knitting the 2010 Scarf while we are waiting.  Here's what I have so far:

2010 Advent Scarf

Here's the yarn: Alpaca with a Twist Fino

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello, my friends!
Today is Thanksgiving and I spent the morning preparing my yearly contribution to the feast: Rolls.

Making Rolls.

From the looks of my cookie sheet, my family and I have consumed a bit of Teflon over the years.

Brushing the rolls with egg wash.

Unfortunately, I forgot that I threw away my pastry brush.  It was looking as bad as my cookie sheet.  So I had to brush the egg wash on with a new paintbrush.  Tedious.  Very tedious.

Best rolls in the world.  Not because I made them, but because they are made from the Challah dough recipe in Secrets of a Jewish Baker by George Greenstein.  Heavenly!!!

I haven't knit yet today, but I will!  I am planning to finish Spencer's Christmas present:

Ear Flap Hat for Spencer

Happy Thanksgiving!

11-11-11

Hello!  It's 11-11-11 but nothing much exciting has happened today.  I suppose that could be good thing!  I am working on a Christmas stocking for Rebekah right now, so no pictures of that yet.  I do have a picture of another nice cable/bobble mitten.  It's mate won't be knitted until I am done with Christmas knitting.

Aran Felted Mitts #132 in Cascade 220 Heathers

Blessings to you!

Pictures of Stockings

I have pictures of stockings!  Sarah's is finished and Tim's is half-done.  Merry, merry!

November, already?

Is it already November?  It has been weeks since I have written!  I have been knitting a blue streak, whatever that means.  Remember last year when I said I'd knit a stocking for each of my kids by this Christmas?  Well, it is going to happen this year!  I just finished Sarah's and I am working on Tim's now.
Blogger is being weird and won't let me insert pictures.  Sigh!

Fiona Cardigan

Hello!  Our roof is being replaced as I type.  As a mother of 6, there isn't much that I cannot tune-out.  However... I think the constant banging for days on end is affecting my nerves.  I don't mean to be ungrateful. I just keep catching myself daydreaming about being on a deserted island.
Here's another recently finished object.  It isn't cold enough yet for a wool cardigan, but when it is, I will be ready!

Fiona Cardigan knitted with Jamieson's Soft Shetland

Accomplishments!

I frequently tell my children that they will have a great sense of accomplishment when they work hard on something and finish it.  It's really just something I say to try to get them to do their homework.  Well, I am very proud of finishing many projects that have been sitting around, causing me guilt:

Here are the mittens that I started in July.  The yarn is Nashua Julia which is half-off at WEBS right now.  Temptation!  I over-dyed mine.  I'm a little fixated on Pumpkin this year.

Here are the Hermione Mittens that I started in the spring.  My friend said, "I thought you finished them a long time ago."  Sort of anti-climactic.

New Mittens.  Because I can only finish so many projects before the urge to cast on overwhelms me!  These will be felted when the mate is done.  As you can see, I am in a mitten phase.

I have more pictures, but I'll save them for tomorrow.  Peace to you!