Gifts Given and Received

I finally have pictures to show you of gifts I gave and received on Hanukkah, we had on Christmas Eve and Christmas presents given.

This is the Dolores Park Cowl I gave my mom. I used Berroco Air (ravelry link) that I had in my stash. It is a discontinued yarn. It was a quick knit that I found when reading FluffyKnitterDeb. This was made following the directions to a t. It took just a bit from the 2nd skein so I figured to make another but it is about 2" smaller. Still works as a neck warmer and can be pulled up to cover your head. mom thought it was great. The only place she goes out is to the mailbox so this works out great for the walk.
This is the scarf from the pattern "A Touch of Lace" scarfs. I love it!!!! The yarn I used I brought at Tuesday Morning. Went to two stores near my home and brought up every skein. It is Laines Du Nord Cashsilk, 67 yrs, I used 4 Skeins until I ran out.Great for a beginner lace person, like me. Working with this weight of yarn help so much. It is just the softest thing to wear. The color is more like a combo of light mauve/peachy. Try this one you will like it. It was my gift to my BFF of 39 yrs. I also gave her a huge bag hair products from our Upscale salons. Prive and too many to remember. Also included was hair brushes. I made smaller bags for her two Daughters.

Detail Plus the fingerless gloves to match

Remember this hat? I made it for Hannah. My BFF, oldest Grand-Daughter. She is 10. With left over yarn from the hat plus another skein I was able to fine I also made her a neck warmer. No pattern and it is sort of loose but she LOVED them. The fingerless gloves were the biggest hit, all the rage now, ya know.
My BFF, gave me THIS! A Dooney & Bourke hand bag. I look at these and Coach but they are out of my confort price limit. It will put away for special occasions
Here is the bag shown with my wallet. That is all that would fit into it.

She also gave me this book, that was on my wish list. Knitting from Cuff to Cuff.

This scarf is going to my Sister in New York. I started with elsebeth lavold Silky Cashmere Color Wine (another Tuesday Morning find, brought up all those too!) It is actually on the list as the 2nd thing I made for 2009

I received gift cards for Traders Joe, Barnes and Noble. L daughter #two gave me this calendar that I keep at work. I have to say I've had this calendar for 2007 & last year and was very disappointed with 2008 because they would include a pattern that would take three days. I want one for each day. This is the last year I am getting this calendar. I would look at the Stitch of Day or even the Yarn Harlot's new and 1st one.

I am leaving to day for the Knitting Retreat at the Lake. I'll be back Sunday and post more next week.

My Weekend wrap up

Yesterday I did nothing around the house. Sissy got me up around 5:30. I would have been up earlier if I had actually gotten up when she started her wake up ritual. So I watch TV and knitted up this cap. This hat is from the book 101 Designer one-skein Wonders. You can see the hat on the cover. The yarn is Moda Dea Sassy Stripes in Lucky colorway. This is the perfect yarn for a child.

I did not put the pompom as the designer did. I'm not a big fan of pompom's.

All day as I worked on it Sissy kept coming up and try to get my attention. So I would take breaks and comb her. What do I find? A flea!!!! So one if not both of the boys brought them into the house. So far I have found 4! I have checked Zorro who would be the most likely one to have passed it on but I can't find any on him. Now I have experience with fleas so I am looking for flea dirt. Nada. Stanley has been letting me give him a lot brush time too. He loves it. I also have not seen dirt on him. Both boys have white fur so you would think it would be easy. So I now need to give all 4 cats a flea bath. Pia should be easy. Zorro I think I can manage but neither Sissy or Stanley like being held. I have a plan in place and will wear several layers of long sleeved shirts. Do you think flea stuff at the neck will work without giving a bath? I don't think so. I would ask for help but I have 4 former sometimes still feral cats! They do not know other people. If you come into my house you will not see the girls. Zorro is the least fearful of people in the house but outside he keeps clear of the kids. The kids see me and tell me they see the cats and why can't they pet them. I have to tell them that they are wild and to stay away from them. They don't understand but it keeps the peace with the kids and the cats.

Does this fellow look like a flea carrier? I think so. I originally made this as a baby present but was not happy with it. So it is now the cats. Sissy got on it first but Zorro soon took it as his own.

Today I did the house work. I then went looking for something that I could put the hat on to take the pictures. I have a bag of stuffed animals and dolls but the hat was too big but while I was in my walk-in closet I pulled out some summer tops and tried them all on to see if they fit. They did but two did make it into the bag for one of the charities that picks up. So far I have three bags of cloths. I am slowly, key word here is slowly, getting things out of the house that I do not need. I have subscribed to Freecycle on Yahoo groups but so far the only thing I have posted was my Filter Queen vacuum. Two people wanted it but they did not follow through. I have two large pieces of Scan furniture that I posted on Craigs List but no takers. I have lowered the price twice. I'll probably try a third time but that will be the last time.

I had great success selling my audio books on EBay. I sold 29 books and made $400+ selling them at $8 and up including free shipping. I realize $300 after EBay & Pay Pal fees and shipping. I still have three bags of 37 books that did not sell. I'll try again later this summer.

Well, enough for now. I am going to get my next project together so I get something OTN. I am going to try Clapotis again. I want something I made to wear at work when the AC gets too cold. It is either too warm, too cold or just right. Plus, we are starting to think that the AC goes down around 3 in the afternoon. Then we have no air and it get stuffy. Our building is one of the older ones at Tysons Corner. If it isn't the AC it is the elevators.