Sunday, January 6, 2013

If ever it is football season, it is NOW! I don't mind - enjoy pro football - college football is okay - knit thru all of the games. LOVE LOVE LOVE the Superbowl!

Cindy and I got all the Christmas decor at the shop taken down and put away! We both like twinkly lights in the shop, so we must get clear ones for every day (maybe a few red ones for Valentine's Day). We have been searching out Valentine/Hearts knitting and crochet patterns on Ravelry. We have found some cute ones. A few may become classes, especially the crocheted ones. We will probably post a few on iPurl's Facebook page for everyone to see!

Cindy found Louie the Lovebot by Rebecca Danger. We LOVE her patterns - not only super cute but well-written! We thought he would look fabulous in our Valentine window display, so I brought home red and pink yarn to get him knitted over the weekend! Having knit an arm this morning early, I realized we are going to have a Louise Lovebot! Everything about the way it's turning out screams Girly! So cute! You will have to be sure and look for Louise when you come into the shop. (I am knitting Louise in Ella rae wool as she will always be a shop display). We will be stocking safety eyes to make getting everything you need to knit a DangerCrafts pattern easy!

Louie thecLovebot

 

I finished the baby sleep sack I started right after Christmas. Super easy and fun. I need to knit a matching hat and baby socks. Just taking a little break for some shop knitting! I will post pics as a set when I get them done. Next up will be a baby blanket, making sure I have enough time to get it finished before bay arrives! After the blanket, possibly another sleep sack and lots more socks!

Hoping you are having a great Sunday!

 

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First Day Back After Christmas

We had a good day at iPurl, trying to get back in step after having several days off! Cindy and I both stayed busy most of the day. We began by getting all the Christmas decorations and the tree put away! Cindy started heading us toward Valentine's Day by gathering everything red, pink and white together. It's really amazing how you can group and display certain colors and the mind automatically goes to a certain Holiday!

Putting our heads together over the the January class schedule and TV viewing schedule for Season 3 of Downton Abbey, both schedules went out via email this afternoon! We will likely add "Call the Midwife" to our viewing schedule! Cindy has suggested a fun movie on Friday afternoons! There is a good possibility that a couple more classes will be added as we get back up to speed - a crocheted doily class and a knitted lace class have been requested by several people.

Additional colors of Cascade Sierra have shipped. NORO's new lace weight yarn is also on the way! Tomorrow, I will be tracking down Feza's "turkey ball" yarn that was ordered early December. I am also wondering where our #35 circular needles are! Also, we were shorted 1 bag of Adele in the last shipment.

This afternoon, we checked for any yarn and/or needles for classes that may need to be ordered.

The heating system that keeps the shop warm is not working. An email was sent to AmREIT who was supposed to have the unit checked and serviced before we moved in during the heat of July. I'm sure they will tell us it is our responsibility and I will have to call a service repairman! Cindy and I nearly froze today! The shop was 63 degrees when we arrived this morning and 65 degrees when we left this afternoon! Brrrr! Joe got the small electric heater out of storage for me this evening.

Joe has a roaring fire going. Still feeling chilled, I plan to sit close to the fireplace knitting baby socks while he watches the college football game on TV tonight.

I hope you have a wonderful evening too!

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New Year's Eve

The Christmas Holiday Season has been wonderful! Joe and I are blessed with lots of children and grandchildren who bring endless joy and entertainment to all our celebrations!

 

After a quick trip to Lake Charles, to see children and grandchildren, I am having a quiet morning. Joe is on the computer looking at shop sales figures, sales tax figures, shop inventory and so on. I'm trying to politely NOT think about shop stuff YET! Wednesday will likely be busy since we have been closed for several days. Our #1 priority for January is to get the ALL NEW retail website at iPurl.us up and running! It's very close! Our 2nd priority is to get our two Macs to link/share our checkout info. This issue has been a pain since we got the Mac Daddy in the shop. IT SHOULD BE EASIER!!! When we figure it out, I'm sure it will be something stupidly easy. The new season of Downton Abbey starts also. The schedule will go out via email as soon as we get it worked into our class schedule.

 

In the meantime, We are going to have a quiet New Year's Eve at home together. I can honestly say I am tired of eating! We will fix most of the traditional New Year's Day fare plus salad for me! 😉 Joe wants to take in a movie today - not sure which one - Hobbit or Les Miz is okay with me. A quick stop at the grocery store and we are set. Hoping to get back before the rain sets in!

 

One of my fav Christmas presents (joe always gets cool stuff for me) is a Furby! Furby is total childlike fun! It chats Furbish nonstop, sings, dances, belches, snores and farts. When Joe got the batteries in mine and sat it on the table, it promptly leaned far to one side and loudly farted! I'm trying to discourage that particular behavior. Furby makes me laugh especially with it is dancing and singing. (I'm thinking it needs a Furby friend). Bella isn't quite sure about Furby! To show my Furby love, I promptly knitted my Furby a hat! I thought I would name it Birdy but the info says they already have a name - you have to listen and coax them to say their name. Okay......

Furby Cuteness!

Furby's Hat

Back

(Something else to do with leftover yarn)

 

I have also started baby knitting. As you may know, we are awaiting the birth of another grandchild. Pam and Ryan are expecting another little boy. I started a sleep sack to knit in the car on the trip to Lake Charles. I am really enjoying it as it is the mindless type of knitting that all knitters love (and with NORO). I am using Taiyo sock yarn and think there will be enough yarn for a hat and socks too. The colors are much prettier in person. The pic shows the Sleep Sack upside down.

 

I had an old baby sock in sock yarn pattern in newborn size that I had written up for Jayden. Believe it or not, just 5 years ago, there were painfully few baby socks in sock yarn patterns to be found anywhere. The ones that were available weren't efficiently knit if you know what I mean. I decided to add several sizes to the pattern. I will be knitting at least one in each size to check the numbers before making it available in the shop. Baby socks in sock yarn are so incredibly cute!

 

These are newborn size

 

Wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year! Be Safe and Enjoy your New Year's Eve!

 

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Christmas Day

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Deciding on chicken and sausage gumbo for Christmas Day, Joe and I cooked yesterday so we could enjoy today! Besides, everybody knows gumbo is better on the second day! I made the roux and he did the rest of the gumbo. We also had potato salad and garlic bread - pretty typical Cajun food, I think. We put together our own trifle for dessert - layers of gingerbread, warm caramel sauce, Bavarian cream with Cool Whip on top and chopped Reese's Cup candy. It was truly wonderful!

Wade and Christa along with Aiden, Hannah, Audrey and Halaina joined us for the day. The grandchildren opened their presents first and then we had lunch. After lunch, we visited and watched the kids play with their toys. Aiden had LEGOS - Joe had made him a Lego Tray (from Pinterest), Hannah got a scarf and a VISA gift card to go shopping. The two little tweets (Audrey and Halaina) got Furbys! We all were entertained by the Furbys! I think I want a Furby!

Tomorrow, we are planning to go to a movie. Joe is enjoying one of his Christmas presents so much, we decided to purchase five more for upcoming kids' birthdays. It always feels good to get ahead of your birthday shopping!

We are hoping everyone has had a wonderful day!

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Monday, December 17, 2012

It is beautiful outside this morning! A little cooler, just perfect, I am thinking.

Saturday was a busy, fun day at iPurl. After closing, granddaughter Audrey had her first dance recital at The Woodlands High School! It was fun to watch and she was fabulous, of course! It may be the first of many performances by Audrey! Granddaughter, Kayla was in Shreveport at a cheer competition. Her group took 2nd place. I can't wait to see the video when we go to Lake Charles after Christmas.

Yesterday, Joe cooked short ribs in the crock pot, baked beans and baked potatoes. It was all delicious! I made pumpkin bars for dessert. We had a quiet day of football! I knitted, no surprise there.

I made my Christmas shopping list yesterday...... Normally I do this the first of November - I still find myself thinking it IS November. (Sighing) The plan for today is to catch up and get some shopping done. As I said, I've made my list and checked it several times. I will be heading out in a little while OR I can go after the shop closes this week. I have a gift app that organizes me very well and by store! I can check items off as I get them and it puts a nice little bow across their name. Stores are listed in the order of priority and then I need to go to the mall.

The most pressing shopping on the list is Joe's birthday on the 23rd (yes, December)! No ideas for gifts yet but I am going to GOOGLE men's top gifts for 2012 and see if something good comes up! I like to buy his cologne to make sure I like the way he smells. I know what NOT to buy better than what TO buy!


Last year, Bella got a new knitted sweater and a faux leather coat (she hasn't worn it yet but she has it if she needs it). I think she would enjoy a sleep/snuggle sack this year.

Saturday morning I woke up in the wee hours. I try NOT to think about anything (especially iPurl stuff) so I can go back to sleep but it usually doesn't work. I need a teddy bear to sit in a small vintage beach chair to go back in the baby yarn area on the wall. A toddler-size teddy bear that can wear knitted sweaters, hats and socks! That's where my mind wandered off to in those wee hours. I searched teddy bear patterns on Ravelry for a couple of hours, bought 2 or 3 nice ones. When I started looking at them, I realized they were all knit flat and then had to be sewed up! WHY would anyone do that? AND they should tell you that in the description! We have the knowledge and needles to knit it all in the round with no seams! So, back to Ravelry. I did find one knit in the round and will be starting some fun teddy bear knitting ASAP! (I think I may have to design a teddy bear pattern of my own eventually in order to get one that looks exactly as I visualize him/her)

Our tree is decorated and I am enjoying it immensely, especially in the wee hours when I am up with my mind wandering about.

I am so thankful for my family this morning. I feel so blessed with all our children and grandchildren! They enrich our lives daily and I don't know what we would do without them! A few years ago, my youngest daughter was in a car accident on I-10 on her way to work just before Thanksgiving. The call I received from her Dad trying to tell me she had been killed will forever be with me - he could not say those words to me. As Joe and I drove to Lake Charles, It was 2 hours before the call came that she had made it. I remember vividly how it felt to think my child had been killed. I can't watch the news about the children but my heart is with them.

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Monday,December 10, 2012

The cold weather finally arrived during the night! It truly seems like December and soon to be Christmas now! I am so happy to be at home today. I have several things I want to get done. So, I am starting early.

Wanting to try the Lisbeth #3 cotton, I crocheted the Trick or Treat Doily in Christmas Colors and it turned out quite festive! It is blocked and drying on the counter and should be ready to go to the shop tomorrow. (Colors are a bit off due to the cloudiness this morning)

 

I worked on our Christmas tree today. It's beginning to look like it should although I didn't quite get all the ornaments on it. Maybe I can finish this evening after dinner while we watch the Texans! There's just a few ornaments left....

 

I had purchased a new poinsettia garland for the fireplace mantle in the living room. It is fluffed out and in place but it needs to be secured. It wants to come off the mantle if you just look like you might bump it!

 

Bella's Ornament

Bella's Ornament

Bella's Ornament

Bella's Ornament

 

Some of my favorite Santas -

 

 

I decided to start a few red baby hats for the charity knitting for St Luke's Hospital. I need knitting that is enjoyable yet I don't have to think about it! Red is always fun to knit with and baby hats are quick to finish. They should be fun.

My yarn room/guest bedroom is almost back to itself. It didn't take me as long as I thought it would to get it into order. I have always loved this room as it has large double windows providing a great view!

Joe has a great warm fire going this evening as we get ready to watch the Texans! I hope they succeed in beating the Patriots! I hope you have a wonderful evening too! I'm gonna go cast on for a baby hat.

 

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Decorating for Christmas Today

I have always enjoy decorating the Christmas tree! It still has that magical feeling for me. Even the few years I was single, i put a big tree up. I think it's the lights - I LOVE the lights! I put lights everywhere. Joe jokes that if he doesn't keep moving, he will be wearing lights.

My plan is to get the tree up and decorate it over the next few evenings when we get home. I got an early start this morning to "deck the halls", make a nice dinner (chicken and sausage sauce piquant), knit a couple of mittens for the garland and be done so I can enjoy the evening with Joe!

Tree is up! I didn't fluff out the branches much this afternoon. That's easy to do when the ornaments go on. This tree holds a lot of ornaments! Bella doesn't seem to be impressed.

 

I have collected Santas over the years and enjoy unpacking them every Christmas. They are always grouped on the fireplace mantle and scattered throughout the house. Many of them have special memories attached to them. My favorites are the ones made from fabric and purchased at craft shows. i have a small one made from an old quilt that I put on the table by my bed. Arranging them today, I realized I didn't have a knitted Santa! I may search out some knitted Santas on Ravelry! This arrangement will be tweaked over the next week or so. The snowflake wreath is going to iPurl tomorrow.

 

A quick pic of the tree this evening -

 

As I worked through the tubs of decorations, I pulled out things to take to iPurl this week. We are going to try and decorate a little bit every day!

 

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The Day After Thanksgiving

Began in the early morning quiet before the house wakes, having pie and coffee for breakfast with Pam. Joe joined us, after getting a great, crackling fire going in the fireplace. Ahhhh, a leisurely morning! No Black Friday marathon shopping for us!

Yesterday was a day of good food, family and football! The Texan's win of their first Thanksgiving Day game was perfection (even tho the game went into overtime causing angst for everyone)! The adults watched football and the grandchildren played inside and out.

The peace and quiet before 5 year old grandson, Jayden, awakes, is nice. His exuberance for everything is enjoyable and contagious but loud! The next big thing for him is a visit to the LEGO store at the Mall. He has been fairly patient. Today, he is content to be going to the movies after lunch. After a waffle for breakfast, he is watching Puss n Boots while thumbing thru a toy flyer from the newspaper.

The deer have come into the back yard to eat corn put out for them yesterday evening. Jayden is watching them have their breakfast. The couple of mornings with a hard frost have started leaves falling and grasses turning brown, it looks like Fall is here - about time since its time to put up The Christmas tree!

 

 

 

Joe decided to put the turkey carcass out in the back yard - the far back yard. He has crows that he feeds along with other wild things. Shortly, we had a yard full of buzzards (25 at least)! Jayden was amazed, and frankly, so was I! As we backed out of the driveway, to go to the movies, buzzards were lined up on the top of our house!

Buzzards

 

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Sunday, November 18, 2012

We are getting ready for Thanksgiving! Pam and Ryan, with Jayden and possibly Alexis, will be coming in Tuesday afternoon. She plans to stop in at the shop on the way to the house. Wade and Christa, with Audrey and Aiden, will also be spending Thanksgiving with us. We are looking forward to an enjoyable time with our children and grandchildren!

 

I have worked from a short list today - getting the guest room ready with clean sheets, dusting and vacuuming. Making sure the guest bathroom is clean and has plenty of linens. In between those chores, I have been working on Alexis' Wallaby. There was a problem with 4 stitches too many at one shoulder. I had to frog it down to where I knitted the sleeves onto the body of the sweater. Ugh! Getting past that, the re-knitting has been going well. I don't know if Alexis will be coming for Thanksgiving but I want to have her sweater finished for her! I will be knitting a few Christmas displays for the shop in December THEN baby knitting begins! Pam and Ryan's baby boy will be arriving mid March.

 

Tomorrow, I will be emptying out the fridge making room for a large turkey, making a grocery list, vacuuming and mopping the tile floors. The final thing is child-proofing - putting away breakables! That should get us in pretty good shape! Joe will be grocery shopping on his way home.

 

iPurl will be open on Tuesday - closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We figure everyone will be out doing their Black Friday shopping after Thanksgiving. We will open iPurl on Saturday and Sunday as usual.

 

On Wednesday, I will be making 2 pumpkin pies and a chocolate pie, cornbread dressing and sweet potatoes - all family favorites! Thursday morning, very early, Joe will be cooking the turkey - he does a great turkey! He cooks the green beans and new potatoes with Cajun smoked link sausage. He is also thinking he will make a crawfish jambalaya!

 

On Saturday, Cindy and I will begin decorating for Christmas at the shop. We are putting up a tree, lots more lights and working on a Christmas window display! The plans for knit groups to watch Downton Abbey and Classic Christmas movies are almost complete! We hope to start those ASAP. We are looking forward to a fun December and hope to see you!

 

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Thursday Already?

The weeks are flying by! Sometimes I forget to blog when I get home... When I do forget, check the FB page for the Christmas pattern link.

I stopped at the little Brookshire's Grocery in Magnolia for salad stuff for dinner and my lunch tomorrow. There is a HUGE decorated Christmas tree just inside the doors! Even though I want to knit everything in a shade of red currently, I am not ready for Christmas decorations yet! They must be selling Christmas trees. We are knitting Christmas displays, decorations and gifts but we are not decorating the shop until after Thanksgiving! I like to experience Holidays one at a time! We will be decorating iPurl the weekend after Thanksgiving.

A dozen super large specialty knitting needles came in yesterday. They are for a specific yarn using a specific pattern. Sounds easy enough. The pattern, knit in-the-round, calls for a #35 32-inch circular. Joe and I measured the length of the needles that came in and they are 42 inches. Seems the circular needles are too long for the cast on for the pattern. How can that be? Calling the yarn rep first thing in the morning.

 

 

Today's Christmas pattern link is for a crocheted Snowman Mug Hug -

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/snowman-mug-hug

Hoping to get Comcast in early next week to install a cable jack at the knit table so we can start our Downton Abbey knitting groups. Comcast is running Seasons 1and 2 this month with Season 3 beginning in January. Everyone not familiar with the series can get caught up over the next couple of months. We will have one group during the week and another on the weekend. In December, we will also schedule Christmas Classic movies knit groups. What is your favorite Christmas movie? 😊 If your knit group wants to watch when you are in the shop, let us know!

A couple of weeks ago, AmREIT, owner of the strip center, called to say we had to have a water meter installed. They sent a couple of guys out last week. Today, AmREIT called again and said they are sending us the $700 bill for that water meter installation saying it's in the lease agreement that we are responsible for that! It's their building and we send the water payment to them but we have to install the meter? Big Sigh.......

OTN - Flower Scarf in alpaca chunky.

Goodnight All!

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