pjbknit

A Few Little Things

The new light is up over the new bathroom vanity. It's high up because it goes over the top of the original mirror which is going back on the wall. DH and I both claim credit for picking out the light fixture with the porcelain tips to match the Bancroft faucet. I wish I had taken before photos. Imagine 50 year old rectangular metal floral looking fixtures and turquoise Kohler sinks, toilet and bathtub.

Delta (gasp) tub faucet (bought probably in protest against price of Kohler Bancroft fixtures.)  We couldn't find a tub faucet w/o the shower parts.

Kohler Shower Locker.  Look, the shelves actually serendipitously (is that a word and is it spelled right?) match the glass in the tile trim.

In other news, I participated in a tea swap with other Plurk-people. Two I actually know in real life, even! Here are my goodies from April:

Really pretty floral mug, and tea, tea, tea!
Adagio chocolate and apple chais and ginger peach tea
Mighty Leaf, in types I actually don't have: Organic Earl Grey (DH's fave, so he can share those), Organic Darjeeling Estate and Organic Breakfast, as well as Bombay Chai. Which should I try first?

We have a daffodil bud.

Hot Cocoa Swap Questionnaire

Hot Cocoa Swap Questionnaire

The Yarn…

1. Do you knit, crochet, or do both? I do both

2. What is your favorite one-skein project? socks! What item do you find you knit the most of? socks

3. Do you like using a particular type of needle or hook? (wood, metal, straight, circular) Is there something you’ve been wanting to try, or a particular size you always seem to be short on? Circular. I do not not need any needles.

4. What’s on your needles\hook right now? Simple Yet Effective Shawl, Faery Ring and Concetta cardi What’s your oldest UFO (unfinished object)? Still the helmet liner started years ago.

5. What are your favorite types of yarns? Are you allergic to any yarns, or just hate working with something? Anything type/brand of yarn you’ve been dying to try? handpainted sock yarns from indie dyers are my favorite. I don’t like working with cotton.

7. What are your favorite colors? Brights? Pastels? More muted colors? Variegated? Are there that make you want to stab yourself in the eye with your needles? Jewel tones, purple, hot pink, turquoise. don’t like really bright lime green

8. What is your favorite knit accessory, your fancy needles? stitch markers? your yarn cutter? What do you have TOO many of? What do you wish you had? I love stitch markers.

The Chocolate

1. Do you prefer boxed/packets, or something homemade? either one

2. Marshmallows or whipped cream? marshmallows

3. Do you use any ‘add ins’? sometimes butterscotch or peppermint schnapps, LOL

4. Are you a year round cocoa drinker or just in the winter months? winter

5. Do you like flavored cocoas or are you just a ’straight chocolate’ kind of person? I like flavored ones

6. Do you enjoy cocoa from restaurants or shops like Starbucks? What are some of your favorites? peppermint from Starbucks

7. You’ve just made the perfect cup of cocoa – is it in a thick mug, or a thinner cup? Where would you sit to drink it? thick mug. on the sofa with my knitting

8. You’re enjoying that perfect cup, what treats will you enjoy with it? Are they sweet or salty? Crunchy? Soft and flaky? biscotti, gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies

It’s all YOU!

1. Do you have other hobbies like spinning or scrapbooking? sewing, machine embroidery

2. Do you collect anything? refrigerator magnets and mugs.

3. What is your favorite part of Winter? Christmas

4. What sort of scents do you enjoy? vanilla and lavender Any difference in what you like for your house versus what you like for your body? no

5. Are you allergic to anything? strong, flowery smells and smoke make me cough and/or give me a headache

6. Are you on Ravelry? yes What’s your ID? pknitsox

7. How would you spend an ideal winter afternoon/day? knitting or reading

8. What’s your favorite animal? cat

Totally Non-Knitting Post

Except for the yarn in my Hot Cocoa Swap 2 package, from Rachel, not far away in Alabama. Purple yarn, cocoa mix biscotti and chocolate sprinkles. My Blah Buster Buddy is a crocheted pink cupcake with creamy frosting and a cherry. She also made wintry looking stitch markers with blue beads and silver stars that matched snowflake candles and blue lollipops.. Goodies were in a basket with a snowman.

The tomatoes are doing well in the Aerogarden. I have raised the lights two notches.


Laisses les bon temps rouler. I made pralines from a microwave recipe. The background is a KitchenAid silicone mat. Have not gotten to the King Cake yet.

In this corner, the Muffinator. Aaaaannnd in this corner, the Cookie Lab Monster. At least Muffin stopped chewing on me, and chewed on bestest friend Cookie.

And the winner-Muffinator

The reason the yellow water hose is there is to wash piles of puppy poop off the patio. She is passed out in the shade after a dispute with Doofus, the American Bulldog , over the Nylabone that resulted in much screaming and a bleeding Muffin ear. We had to comfort her and stop the bleeding.

Hot Cocoa Swap Questionnaire

My Questionnaire for the Hot Cocoa Swap 2 is here.

Sockie and Hood

Today I got my Wee Tiny Sock in the mail from Cathy, all the way from Minnesota. I would link to her blog, but the address is on the desktop in another room. We heard a loud bang behind the desktop during a thunderstorm, and I think the ethernet card is dead. However, I am getting a wireless signal, so I am blogging from the notebook. First, sockie. It is resting atop a card from Cara (January One blog)

Next is the hood on CPH, sorry for the dark photo, it was raining cats and dogs and thundering and lightning badly. I did a three needle bindoff for the seam in the top. I am resting and mentally preparing now before attempting to pick up eleventy-zillion stitches or so for the front and hood rib trim.

New Project

So here is my new project. A wee tiny sock for the Wee Tiny Sock Swap. I think I am knitting on toothpicks. Socks that Rock (lightweight, I think) in Hot Flash. The first leftover yarn I laid my hands on.

Hot Cocoa Swap and One Sock

I got my Hot Cocoa Swap package today, from Nelda the Knitting Nurse! It was full of chocolate and goodies, including the cutest little knit kitty-cat. There is Bellagio hot cocoa, bittersweet and mint, too. Also a mug in the center of the photo, with hearts and a red inside. We sampled the chocolate, and might have hot cocoa and Outrageous chocolate covered marshmallows later.  The yarn is from Yarn Oddity, by Ms. Pixie Riot "The Birds will Still be Singing." Click for larger.

Look at the stitch markers!

I also finished one of my Annetrelac socks the other day, when I needed a break after finishing the back of CPH, blocking here:

The sock, in Thank Ewe sock yarn colorway Winter Chill, posed with the daffodils. I think the camera focused on the daffodils, but this was still the best shot.

Closeup of entrelac to make up for blurriness:

Hot Cocoa Swap Questionnaire

Cocoa:

1. What is your favorite way to drink cocoa? Prepared with milk? Water? from home made recipe or store bought?, In a tea cup, or big mug?

I prefer a homemade recipe made with milk and Hershey’s cocoa powder, in a big mug with one of my homemade peppermint marshmallows. Sometimes with peppermint or butterscotch schnapps, and/or Godiva liqueur. See http://pjbknit.typepad.com/pjbknit/2007/12/peppermint-mars.html

2. Marshmallows or whipped cream? Marshmallows if at home, whipped cream at Books- a-Million or Starbucks. Sometimes whipped cream with butterscotch schnapps, if I am in an appropriate restaurant..

Yarn/Knitting/Crochet

1. What is your favorite type of yarn? Sock yarn in wool or  wool/nylon blends. I also like soft wool and wool/silk blends in dk or worsted weight. In what colors? Hot pink, red, purple, turquoise any related colors..

 2. Do you knit or crochet (or both)? I can crochet, but I knit more often

3. What are your favorite type of needles, would you like to try something new? CIRCS!!! I have tried DPNS, short circs, and two circs. My favorite needle, as I knit so many socks, is Addi or Knit Picks 2.5mm 40” or 32” circs for Magic Loop.

4. Do you have a healthy supply of notions? Oh yes, but I love collecting stitch markers.

5. What one thing do you keep thinking you need to buy for your knitting habit (outside of yarn)? The only thing I have contemplated is the round 64-peg sock loom on http://decoraccentsinc.com/sock_knitters.html

6. What is your favorite 'quick knit/crochet' pattern (quick gratification)? Something for felting.

Miscellaneous

1. What is your favorite thing to do in the Winter? Read, watch TV, listen to the radio. Knit on heavier projects like sweaters.

2. What is your favorite animal? Cat

3. Do you get the 'winter blahs'? A little, when the sky is gray .

4. What is your favorite way to beat the blahs? Cast on a new project, or shop for bargains

5. What is the thing you are most looking forward to this spring? A trip to Las Vegas for Spring Break!

6. What are your favorite treat? Chocolate

7. What is your favorite board game? Don’t really  have one.

8. Do you have any children (furry or human)? 6 doggie ones.

9. Do you have any allergies or special considerations your partner should know about? I am extremely sensitive to strong smells, especially perfumy-type and smoke.

Secret Pal Stuff

I got a package from my Secret Pal 11. Look how she wrapped everything up. It had a lavender theme. I smelled gifties to see if any were edible. The chocolate was easier to guess.

Here are the goodies unwrapped. Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in Jewels,  lavender hand  soap and candles, chocolate, blue and lavender  beaded stitch markers.

Hot Socks Swap Package

I got my long-awaited Hot Socks Swap package today, from Nicole in Germany. The Regia Havanna color yarn is very nice, but look, she sent lots of chocolate and some good-smelling tea. Everything was wrapped separately in apple green flowered paper, shown next to the yarn.  It was like Christmas early. She mailed the box in late October, so it took a little over a month. Wonder where it's been? The tea, strawberry-vanilla and Roobios-vanilla scented the box nicely. Did I mention she sent chocolate?? There was also a green apple mug and green apple candles. There was a little zipper bag, in apple green fabric, with Addi dpns, too. And chocolate...