Finally!

Erm's Birthday Socks have been renamed the Busted Toe Socks!

Friday Erm picked me up at work and we headed down to the MGM Grand at Foxwoods for the night! I don't have any pics because... no camera. And my phone was dying so I couldn't even take crappy phone pics. We checked into our room and got dressed and went down to grab a bite to eat before the Earth Wind & Fire and Chicago concert! This weekend was Erm's birthday present. The show was GREAT! Then we hit the blackjack tables which was also great :)

Saturday morning we got room service breakfast and got on the road to drive up to Kennebunkport, Maine. We love it up there, its so relaxing and there are lots of great restaurants to sit outside and enjoy the ocean at. We usually stay right in Kennebunkport, but this time we stayed at the Kennebunk Inn, which we cannot recommend enough! The staff was so friendly and helpful, our suite was HUGE and a steal for the price, and the restaurant was delicious. Erm's best friend and his fiance joined us for this leg of the trip, as a surprise for Erm, and they stayed with us at the Inn. He was so happy and surprised to see them!

Yesterday we had brunch at Federal Jacks, one of our favorite places in Kennebunkport. We also had lunch there the day before. Its a brewpub where they have Shipyard beer, which is just fantastic. The brunch blew us away, we stuffed ourselves and got on the road to see Erm's family and mine, and then finally got home last night to settle in and get ready for the week.

On the car ride from Connecticut to Maine, I finally finished those socks! Here they are, phone pictures and all:

Pattern: Uptown Boot Socks (Ravelry Link) by Jennifer Appleby

Size: Men's 12

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solid in Slate, 420 yds; Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Select Semi Solids, Slate (just to finish the toe)

The second sock also boasts the best toe I have kitchnered yet. :) The crappy phone picture doesn't do it justice. I'll take a better one when I have a camera!

Lesson Learned

So! After the dreaded Rusted Root disaster, I needed a quick hit to get my knitting mojo back. The other night my mom and I went to Yarn and Fiber in Derry NH so she could find some yarn she was looking for. It sometimes feels like cheating when I visit another LYS, but this was the first time in over a year I've been somewhere other than Knit Pickings (who is having a HUGE sale right now) around here, so I didn't feel TOO bad.

While there, I laid eyes on the Great American Afghan and fell in love... if it weren't for my Sock Yarn Blankie, I would be buying all supplies for this RIGHTNOW but I need to keep myself in check. (although there is that sale at KP...)

They had a sample of it at the store and its GORGEOUS! I get all choked up when I look at it... it makes me think of Christmas, and being up north, and fireplaces, and movies, and Christmas, and chilly days, and tea, and Christmas...

My mom didn't find the yarn she was looking for, but it was great to check out the shop! And, I got more yarn to finish Erm's Original Birthday Socks! (Pic of the first one here). Only problem is that is a variegated yarn, and the socks are solid. Its the same color, Slate, but the new yarn is all different shades of it. Its actually very pretty and I will be using the majority of the skein for myself. BUT, I finished those two pattern repeats and have started toe decreases, so hooray! Erm says he doesn't mind having a different colored toe on one of them. I think it will add a bit of whimsy to these socks.

I plan on finishing these socks in the car tonight. This is Birthday Surprise weekend for Erm! Lots of car time. We're spanning 4 of the six New England states this weekend, doing all sorts of fun stuff. Maybe I'll have crappy phone pictures on Monday!

After these socks are done (tonight), I need to start a new project. Yes, I can start my new pair of socks for me. But... I have had my eye on the Coquette Lace Tube Top (Ravelry link) from Fitted Knits. I figure I can't be gun-shy about starting new projects, either. I packed my knitting bag with both circulars, the book and yarn needed to start this project. Here's my dilemma... everyone on Ravelry says this cute top knits up way too big. I think we know that's not a problem for me, however, I'm trying to figure out the best way to overcome it. The pattern calls for a 5 for the ribbing and a 7 for the body of the top. I brought a 5 and a 6. I also am going to knit it about 4 inches too small. And I think I'll add some waist shaping. I know one thing... I'll definitely be trying this one on as I go! Hopefully all goes well and I don't have a meltdown tomorrow on the way from Connecticut to Maine, because that would make for a looooooong car ride!

Its official

I was going to wait til tomorrow to post this, but I couldn't wait.


I came home and was very excited to see that the Rusted Root was dry. I went about my normal business before unpinning it and putting it on. The anticipation was killing me as I pulled it off my new blocking foam thingie and looked at it with admiration. The stitches are even, the lace is lovely and the color is my favorite color. So I put it on and went downstairs and asked Erm to take a pic for all of you...

Its ridiculous! I should have done this beforehand, maybe it would have saved me the disappointment...

That is a size small tshirt in white. Its a little baggy on me, but you get the picture.

So, my new mission is to find something new to conquer. But, I also have to find someone to give this labor of love to...

This just in

This just in... the Rusted Root is STILL super small. I checked on it this morning. Its taking a long time to dry so I may stretch it out and repin it. Or maybe I should just leave it alone. I've never had something be THIS SMALL. Has anyone ever successfully blocked something that you thought would never be big enough?

Hopefully I'll have a new camera soon to post some fun pics. I am still working on Erm's Earl Grey's and I may be taking a trip to the store to get yarn to finish his original birthday socks. But I have to start something new... with the lightning speed I finished the Root at, I'm wondering if its smarter to start something I want to be able to wear within the next 4 months, or a fall/winter sweater.

I have to share a blog I found... its Healthy Tipping Point. I don't even remember how I came across it... I think I was looking for a healthy recipe for something. About a month ago I had a little wake-up call and decided I needed to exercise more, eat better, and drink more water. Sounds simple, but as someone all past coworkers refer to as "The Girl with the Hollow Leg", it has been tough for me to cut down on my eating. I actually haven't cut DOWN, just try to balance more, and count my calories, and eat more fruits and veggies. I feel so much better, have lots more energy, and my desire to exercise has come back. From what I can tell, the author of said blog had a similar epiphany and has been focusing on health as well. What's great about her blog is that it gives fun and creative ideas and ways to eat, and think of food as fuel instead of entertainment. Its very motivating!

Point of no return?

Well, I finished the Rusted Root. I've tried it on many times and although I try my best to suck in all that I can, it is still skin tight on me. This morning I took the plunge and dunked, rinsed, squeezed, rolled, and pinned in a final attempt to block it and get some more room out of it.

A few weeks ago I was at the craft store and came across my new exciting knitting purchase:

Its a foam kiddie mini golf set! It was on sale for $10. I had been putting things on towels and on top of cookie racks to block them and really was getting sick of it. This was a much more professional alternative. This is what it looks like all set up:

In addition to the foam being a much better and more reliable surface for blocking, how could you be in a bad mood with all those bright colors? Oh, and I apologize for the awful pics, they were taken with my phone. I can't wait to get a new camera.

I was so entertained by all the colors and shapes that I almost forgot how depressing this sweater is.

I mean, its still super cute, and I still love it, but I'm afraid that its going to always be waaaaay too small for me and I'm going to need to give it to someone. Yes, I got gague. No, I didn't try it on as I went, even though it was knitted top down. I had so much faith in my knitting and all that I figured it wasn't worth the effort of taking it off the circ to try it on and then putting it back on. So, I guess I got what was coming to me. Regardless of what happens with this bad boy, I learned a LOT about what I should and shouldn't be doing with my knitting.

And now I need to go for a run and remove myself from the blocking, or I'll just go in there and keep readjusting it.

Go figure

Well, I finished my mystery project (finally!) and was able to return to knitting after a way-too-long hiatus. I am almost done the Rusted Root, I only have ribbing on a sleeve and the neckline to finish. However, I am without a camera! So I have no pictures, which is sad because they would be funny. After over a year of working on that sweater, I put it on and it may as well be made of spandex! It is skin tight, everywhere. I put it on in the bathroom and came out and all my polite husband could say was "um... its a little tight...". I'll find a way to get pics before I block it. I HOPE when I block it I get some more room into it, I think its wishful thinking, though. I believe this is going to end up being a gift... which would normally make me sad because I was so excited about wearing it this summer, but I've been working on it for so long that I just want to finish it and start something else!

Since I have no pictures, I will do the Friday fill-in. Have a great weekend!

1. I grew up thinking a lot of things would just stay the way they are.

2. Gmail was the last website I was at before coming here.

3. Why don't you just curl up on your couch with a blankie and a movie on this yukky day?

4. Running helps me relax.

5. Thanks for the emails and comments on my blog!

6. Ignorance is very off-putting.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging out with my friend Keely and her dog, tomorrow my plans include the gym, projects, and hanging out with friends and Sunday, I want to play golf with my husband!

What I do

Part of my job is running my high school community service group called Helping Hands. I took over this group this past fall and decided that we needed a focus for the year. That focus is helping people with cancer, and helping kids with cancer when we can. Most of my group is juniors, and junior year has become the most important year academically for kids now, because those are the grades that colleges really look at for admissions. My kids put in so much of their time to be part of Helping Hands, they really go above and beyond what I had expected! This year we ran a book drive for Dana Farber Cancer Institute, participated in town fundraisers, and our biggest fundraiser was a BowlAThon we hosted to raise money for a 12 year old girl in town who had her leg amputated in January after a failed attempt at limb salvage... she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma three years ago. We raised $9000 for her family to put toward a prosthetic that would allow her to play softball again!

This past weekend we participated in Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society's biggest fundraiser. Its an overnight event usually held at a college or high school track where someone from your team has to be on the track at all times. There are raffles (I won a Yankee Candle basket!), music, games, etc. It is FUN and I encourage everyone to do it at least once! I am proud to say that although I set our goal low for this event, the kids tripled what we expected to raise for the ACS, and we still have more money coming in. We were there from 2pm on Saturday to 8am on Sunday (I got a whopping 45 mins of sleep) and they were respectful and wonderful the whole time. I couldn't be happier!

Our flag!

We invited Justine to be our guest and walk the Survivor Lap

Being silly setting up... the pool contributed to our beach theme :)