Elk Hunt 2012

Todd just got home from a hunting trip to Colorado with his Uncle, Cousin, and a family friend.  It was a management hunt on a private ranch, meaning they could only shoot what their guide told them to shoot (older, mature bulls that were not going to be trophy bulls and they wanted them killed before they started to decline health wise).  I just had one request - bring home meat!

 

 

Despite too warm weather the first 3 days of their hunt (70's and sunny), the last 2 were better (snow and 30's/40's) and everyone was successful.

 

 

Todd was pretty happy with his bull elk.

 



 

The last time he went out to Colorado (before he took a digital camera), 4 rolls of film were not enough for him.  He took pictures of EVERYTHING the last few trips - where they stayed, the scenery, the hunting.  This time?  I got 17 photos.  And no scenery.

 

 

I always threaten that I want to go on these hunting trips - not for the hunting but for the scenery, to take long walks, etc.  I think I'm going to have to push the issue one of these years if I'm not going to get any pictures of where they are actually at!!!

 

There was one accident on the trip - when Todd shot his gun it recoiled or something and sliced his thumb open.  It still looks pretty nasty - and he did say that if he had been nearer than 6 hours to a hospital, he would have probably gone and gotten stitches.

They couldn't get pictures of everyone's elk racks together on the trip - so when they got to our house I took a few as they were unloading and sorting through all the gear. 

It's not the same as on top of a mountain, with snow and trees and canyons for miles around but....

I guess it does make a good picture of just how successful everyone was!

 

And while Todd was gone - I was busy......very, very busy!  This is my sewing room before it got cleaned and painted and the furniture rearranged:

 

And this was my living room after I emptied out the sewing room so I could clean and paint it.  A few more finishing/organizing details and I'll be back with pictures of my new rooms.  Let's just say that 11 days is not really enough time to clean, paint and organize 2 big rooms!

Happy Halloween!!!

Every year I keep expecting Jessie to say she is too old for trick or treat.  And every year I am pleasantly surprised when she wants to dress up and hike through our little town collecting candy.

 

This year her and her bestie wanted to be a box of nerds.  Of course, they mention this the weekend before Halloween.  Kelseigh's mom was stumped, but we quickly came up with this:

 

 

2 cardboard boxes, spray painted for the base coat, and then the girls drew and painted the rest of it.  I brought some webbing (like what you would put on a tote bag) at JoAnn's and cut holes in the boxes and safety pinned it all together.

I had the brilliant idea to buy white tights and use RIT dye to get them the right colors, but actually, sweat pants and sweat shirts from Aeropostale worked just fine!

We ended up with 3 adults and 6 kids walking around.  It would have been 4 adults but our trick or treating was postponed from Wednesday to Sunday evening due to Hurricane Sandy and all the rain we had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  And Todd left on a hunting trip on Saturday so he lucked out.

We did decide the nerds costume was pretty fitting for Jessie and Kelseigh.

I think herding cats would have been easier than keeping track of these kids!

Tyler wanted to be Michael Myers.  So a pair of blue dickie work pants and a blue work shirt were sewn together and we painted his face white and put the blood on it.   This picture was a couple weeks ago for his Boy Scouts Halloween Party - which I did not put as much "blood" on him.

This was last night during trick or treating - much better!

I've been busy painting and cleaning - I'll be back later with any luck to show my finished sewing room!

Busy busy!!!

I have been busy crafting and creating....and in between those fun pursuits there has been lots of volleyball:

Football:

 I got a quilt back from Kristie who does my machine quilting for me.  And no, I didn't make this quilt but I love it.  I need to find the perfect binding fabric and get it bound...along with the other half a dozen quilts that I have done but for the bindings.....

 I've knit this sweater....in about 2 weeks I might add.  And I have 2 more sweaters on the needles that I'm hoping to have done this weekend/early next week.  This one just might be my most favorite sweater yet - Aidez.  Looks complicated but is very quick and easily memorized.

 

And I'm hoping to put the finishing touches on Jessie's room in the next couple of days (curtains and a wall hanging) and then I can show you more.  I think we've finally nailed it in her room on the colors and reflecting her bright, bubbly personality.  We will have a teenager in just 2 short months (yikes) and I think this room is a keepr for her for a while anyhow.  But first, I have to get her to clean  her room so I can take some pictures.  

 

 

 

 

We are off at some point this weekend for a steer sale in PA to buy Tyler's steer.  Hard to believe that next year he will be showing steers, heifers and pigs right along with Jessie.  Where has the time gone??????  

While our fair is long past, this picture still makes me teary....especially with all the talk of swine flu going around and how u shouldn't get too close to the pigs....and yes, she is still crying over selling "chad" and "turbo"......

I made a quilt...

Back in June, 2011, Heater Peterson's new fabric line, Deck the Halls, arrived in stores.  I of course, jumped on the bandwagon and ordered 2 fat quarter packs plus some assorted yardage.  I absolutely love her fabric.  And when the fabric arrived it was too pretty to cut into.  So it sat there.....

Last December (the 23rd to be exact), I got the brilliant idea that I would make 2 Christmas lap quilts for my Mom and I.  And one of them would be my Mom's Christmas present.  In the interest of saving time, I cut both quilt tops out in their entirety, and started sewing on my Mom's quilt.  I got 7 blocks out of 24 done. 

This past Tuesday, I dragged both quilt tops out again.  And started back in on it.  I'm not sure why I waited so long.  I LOVE this quilt.  I love it so much, I really want to keep it for myself.  But then I look at the next lap quilt out of the same fabric that is cut out, and the rest of the fabric and realize that I have enough of this fabric line to make at least 2 lap quilts plus maybe a table runner or two.

So I sucked it up and sewed.  After about 6 hours, the top is DONE!  I ordered the backing for it today from Heather, and if the planets and stars all align, I will have it done shortly,

This is her Patchwork Posies quilt pattern, found in her book Living Large 2.  It measures 53 x 70 ish - so a very good lap sized quilt. 

 

Now I'm anxious to start on my own Christmas quilts.  ........

Starting over....

Yes, I just up and disappeared last spring, didn't I?  All I can say is we have been so insanely, hecticly busy this past spring ans summer....but it's all been good!

 

Jessie and I went on her school trip to D.C. for 4 days - how incredible! 

 

The kids showed their cattle all over Ohio this spring and early summer.  Then the first week of August, we took 2 heifers to Medina County Fair:

 

Jessie and Header - Reserve Champion Crossbred heifer at Medina County Fair:

 

Tyler and Zlady - Champion Maine Anjou heifer at Medina County Fair (the little twerp is getting this showing thing down pat):

Jessie started playing volleyball for the 7th grade team at the Middle School (which is including lots of hours of practice!)

Jessie showed at the Wayne County Fair.  Her steer went 4th in his class (it was rumored to be the toughest class at the fair with 5 incredibly good calves), and she won her Jr. Showmanship class with 19 kids in the ring.

She took Header and Zlady to the fair and went Grand Champion and Reserve Champion AOB heifers, and then went on to have Supreme Champion Female with Header and reserve Supreme Champion female with Zlady.  Thankfully we got our good friends' son Zach to show Header:)  She also won her Jr. Showmanship class with her heifer.

She also had her pig at the fair.  Where she won her showmanship class on Monday and got 2nd in her market class on Tuesday.

In between both county fairs, I painted her bedroom.  This isn't the greatest picture, but it's a lovely greenish aqua color.  I'm still working on making curtains, pillows and you can see the dust ruffle I have just a little bit to finish up with:

And we finally got the water damage in our bedroom fixed, and it too has been painted, new carpeting and I'm finishing up the curtains, pillows, dust ruffle and table toppers in there.

I did not plant a garden this year - much simpler to go to my amish neighbor and buy my produce to can and freeze. 

Now that the fairs are behind us, hopefully things will slow down a little bit.  And I'll have 2 finished bedrooms to show off shortly......

Later,
Kris

Striped Hoodie and other goodies

I thought last week spring had sprung here....it was in the 70's and 80's, we were out in the barn washing calves in capris and tshirts.

And this week it's been in the 40's and 50's.  Oh well - I had finished up a sweater a couple weeks ago and this just gives me another chance to wear it!

When I first fell in love with Plucky Knitter yarn last fall, at one of her updates she had 3 skien mystery colorwork kits in her worsted weight yarn.  You don't know what colors you are going to get, but you will get 3 of them.  Somehow in the update frenzy, I ended up with 2 kits.

But it was not a great loss, as both kits had the same color green in them.  And each kit had a grey that was similar.  So I started sometime in February knitting this striped hoodie.  I had been wanting a striped hoodie, but couldn't find a pattern that I liked and that used 5 different colors.

So I made it up as I went along.

I love it when a gamble pays off and it ends up being a sweater I will actually wear and love.  I think this one will be good all year round.  It's warm enough inside with a long sleeved tshirt under it, but the first time I wore it (Saint Patrick's Day) I had a tank top underneath it. 

Tyler was my "photographer" and he couldn't get a decent shot of the hood - but it's big enough to cover your ears and stay up, but not so big to be sloppy.

Pattern - my own.
Size - 36"
Yarn - Plucky Knitter Primo Worsted
Needle - size 6

And I've been working on another test knit for Thea - this will be Charleston Tea out of Plucky Knitter Sport in the colorway Bisque.  I'm in love with the shading of this yarn.  Subtle varigation and incredibly soft.

However, size 5 needles and my wrists are not good for all of the time knitting, so last night I cast on for Liesl.  Again in Plucky Knitter Primo Worsted in the colorway Honey Wilkes.  This one I'm taking a gamle on - the sizes of the cardi are 34 and 38.  I went up a few needles from the pattern (started with a size 10 and am gradually increasing to a size 11), and made the 34.  I've been on a diet that is actually working for me, and in the last month I'm down just about 15 lbs.  And knowing how lace looks best when it's blocked rather agressively, I didn't want it to end up too big, which I was afraid would happen if I knit the 38 (lately I've been knitting 36" sweaters and they are a little large now).  So I did the high neckline and the 34 with the cap sleeves. 

I started last night about 7 p.m. and by 11:30 had this much done.  I did try it on and it appears if I block it well it will fit just fine.  But I have a backup plan....if it's too small I'll give it to Jessie and I'll just make myself a new one.  Ever since I knit her legwarmers she has been wanting a sweater (and in fact keeps eyeing the test knit I'm currently working on) so this could kill 2 birds with one stone.  And if it fits me, well, I have some single skiens of Plucky Knitter yarn so I'll just make her the smaller size.  Win, win, right?

This weekend I'll get lots of knitting time in - Jessie has a basketball shootout tonight and tomorrow and tomorrow Tyler also has his Pinewood Derby.  And Todd is headed back for a quick trip to PA to pick up the bull we are going to use this summer.  And if the weatherman was correct, we are in for a cold and rainy weekend and I intend to knit the weekend away:)

Have a great weekend!
Kris

Vernors Legwarmers

Jessie has been after me to buy her a pair of knitted legwarmers...and I'm sorry but something as tiny as a pair of legwarmers - I should buy them?  Not.   And it just so happened that Thea was getting ready to send a pair out for testing...I had the plucky sport in my stash....so I volunteered.

Plucky Knitter yarn is amazing.  simply amazing.  And I had to think about it for a day or two before using some of my plucky stash on a pair of legwarmers for Jessie....

But I did and I am so glad I did!

I made her pick a dark color - this is Bohemian Blue.  I had an idea that she would like them and didn't want a light color for her - this girl loves her animals and the outdoors.

For Jessie, who has the cute, skinny little legs, I knit the pattern but I only knit 4 repeats of the medallion cable instead of 5 (this means I only cast on 80 stitches instead of 100).  And they are still a little large on her.  I knit hers to be 11" long, but after she wore them for several days, she has since requested that I add a couple inches to them (which I'm thinking will happen this spring/summer when she is done wearing them).  However, she first wore them to school last friday, and she wore them Saturday and Sunday (under her pj pants after basketball - what can I say?  It was a lazy weekend at our house)....I'm thinking they may have been worn to bed one night - she said her room was cold.  And I saw the on her little legs this morning as she walked out the door.

Thanks to a hard snowfall yesterday, when we finally got back home from the orthodontist this afternoon, and before she rushed to change for basketball, I was able to grab a couple pictures of them.

On Friday, I got no fewer than 4 texts from her friends - could I make them a pair of these?  I'm thinking birthday and Christmas presents for them all - however - they will not be getting plucky yarn...sorry girls!  And Jessie has since asked for another pair in a lighter color.  I heard through the grapevine that there will be 3 different patterns of these legwarmers, so I just may make Jessie wait until the next pair comes out....I'm mean that way.

A little tip - I tried knitting these magic loop and on double pointed needles - but had tension issues both ways.  So I brought a pair of size 4 12" addi's - which worked like a charm.  It worked so well that I may rip out the first legwarmer and reknit it on the 12" needles. 




And now I'm off to start on my pair - but I'm still debating on the color - tan, dark brown or light blue.......

ADD knitting

I've been knitting lots....and lots....and lots......

but it's all been smaller projects.  Like this scarf:

Black Cherry Lambic by Thea at Baby Cocktails.  A friend has a bday coming up, so she asked if I would knit her a scarf for her birthday.  She picked out the color - Coral and the yarn is Valley Yarns Longmeadow.  Very pretty and very soft in real life.  I did make the scarf narrower than the actual pattern.  And me - I ordered enough of this yarn that I should be able to make myself the cowl out of this pattern in the same yarn.....at some point!

Absinthe Gloves by Thea at Baby Cocktails.  And yes, I finally found the perfect buttons out of my Mom's jar of old buttons! Can I also say I've been wearing these gloves a lot (especially in the mornings when it's 28 degrees out) and they are keeping my hands toasty warm during the wait for the school bus and the drive to work.  And trust me - if you have double pointed needles the fingers are not hard at all - just don't work on them when you need to be paying attention to anything else:)

Star Crossed Love Vest - I finished this one up last November or December.  And I've actually worn it more than quite a bit.  I used some of my stash yarn - Berroco Peruvia - just 3 skiens.  I was worried about this one - the pattern is only written for a size 32 but I was able to add a cable repeat and 2 ribbing repeats in the back and after a good wet block it fits and I find I do wear it quite often.

Mint Hat - again by Thea at Baby Cocktails.  A good friend of ours was diagnosed with breast cancer last fall.  And she wanted a hat but not a pink hat....she is a teacher at one of our local schools, and their school colors are green and white - so I knit her this green hat out of Cascade 220.  We were over there a few weeks ago for dinner, and this was the yarn she picked out (I had several different yarns in similar shades of green).  It was a very quick knit and very easy.  I wish she would have picked a softer yarn, but she says this will be perfect for when her hair starts to grow back in and she can't wear her wig anymore.

Sidecar Mittens - by Thea at Baby Cocktails.  I've had these in mind for a while now, and after knitting my Absinthe Gloves realized I would need a second pair.  Originally I had thought of making these into gloves, but I do like them as mittens.  The teal yarn is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino DK (wonderfully soft and squishy) and the cuff are out of a discontinued yarn - bugga sock yarn in the colorway tarantula hawk.  I should have knit the cuff in the round on size 2 double pointed needles - but didn't want to fiddle with tiny needles so I knit them flat and then seamed them up. 

And finally - the latest test knit that I have done for Thea - here is just a sneak peak - but let's just say I made these for Jessie first (she has the cute, skinny legs) and I don't think she has taken them off yet.  And yes, I did start on a pair for me.....These were knit out of plucky knitter sport weight yarn on a size 4 12" circular needle (gulp!!!) and it took me the better part of the first one to figure out my tension.  So if I can ever peel them off of her little legs, I may reknit the one, and knit them both a little longer so they last through next year.  Is it a good sign that the first day they were done, she wore them to school and after just about 2 hours and school I had texts from 3 of her friends wanting to know if I would knit her a pair?  Of course, Jessie also had to text me - she thought that brown leather boots would go fabulous with these.....