A stitch here and a stitch there...

Not much cross stitch. I really like the 'Home is Where the Cat is' (Margaret Sherry), but it's really attention intensive. I'm still getting the hang of those 1/2 stitches (I've never used those in any previous pieces I've stitched). I'm not used to how she marks them on her charts, and I'm always missing one or more here or there, so I really have to make an effort to look over the chart a couple times to make absolutely sure that I've got them all.


I have been doing mindless knitting, which are projects that have parts that you can just go with.



I finished knitting the second multi-color anklet over Memorial Day holiday (the very end of May for my non-US readers), but just finished up the toe part this morning, so they're a complete set.

The pink anklet was also completed this morning, and I'll be casting on it's partner later today. I call these the Silly String socks, because the yarn looks exactly like Silly String.

The top sock (the purple-y one with the needles still attached) is the one I mucked up a while back. I still haven't gotten up the courage to tackle it yet, but I'll be working towards that one soon.

Abner helped.




I started up my Mum's birthday present earlier this week (her birthday is mid-August). It's a round neck, long sleeved, raglan cardigan in a wonderful Autumny-brown. I'm using a slightly smaller needle size than what's called for because I want it to be a warmer, jacket sweater.

What you're looking at in the above picture is the round neckline and shoulders I've completed so far. (It looks bunchy because I'm not using a long circular needle)

Here's the pattern I'm using:



What's really cool about Knitting Pure and Simple patterns is that you make the garmet in one piece, and don't have to piece together different parts at the end. This makes it a pretty quick knit. Once the body is complete, then I'll knit on the neck band and front ribbing and then sew on buttons.


Before you think I'm all sweet and a totally wonderful daughter (I am, but in this case, there's a little caveat :o), I started a sweater for her maybe three years ago, and it was meant to be a birthday gift for her in 2004, but it gave me such fits (the diagonally knitted pieces) that she never got the sweater, so I've decided to just forget that one for now and actually make her one she might actually get to wear in her life time. :o)


I'll finish off with a kitty pic from earlier this morning. Cats always know where to get the sun.:

SAT - Final Progress

As I posted before, for the June Stitch-A-Thon at The Robin's Nest, I spent some time with a little kitty. Actually three, if you count my usual stitching partners.



I also think I'm going to modify the wording to say 'Home is where the cat is' to 'Home is where the cats are'.

Out and about

We decided to go to the air show today, and it was so cool! DH is the one who's really into military planes, but I like going, and it was a chance to get in some exercise and sun while having fun together. I've posted before how DH flies all the time using his MS Flight Simulator, and every time we'd walk by a plane, I'd ask him if he's flown it.


A really big cargo plane:



Another plane (DH will hang his head in shame, because I have no clue what plane this is even though he patiently named them for me as we saw each one)



The really cool formation by the Thunderbirds. (this was my favorite):



And the two of us sitting in the shade, under a plane wing, watching the show:

Home is where the cats are

OK, I promised a picture of the latest start, but I just didn't have enough done to show. I wanted to get a little more done today during lunch, but DH and I just couldn't stay inside.

The weather here is just gorgeous: low 70's, low humidity, and brilliantly sunny in a sapphire sky, so DH and I went for a walk during lunch. We work in the suburbs in a business park (same company), and our building parking lot backs the most adorable little neighborhood, so we stroll through there during lunch when the weather is nice.



Ignore all those black lines. The only good piece of white fabric I could find was from a previous start of Meow.com that I just couldn't get into.

To give perspective, the dark vertical spot is the kittie's left paw hanging down. Here's a picture with the chart and picture:




I'll also be working on this for the Stitch-A-Thon at the Robin's Nest this weekend.

Shhh! Flora is napping.

As I've posted before, I haven't been cross stitching all that much. I think my run with Flora has slowed to a trickle. It's been fun, but we were starting to feel like we were joined at the hip, and we both need a break. So, she's going into the basket for a little nap. I'll get back to her maybe a little later this summer.

Here she is so far:



And a closeup of the bottom right corner where I've been stitching:




I've started Home is Where the Cat Is by Margaret Sherry. (From Jenna's site!) Right now, it's just a blob of about 10 dark grey stitches. I plan to work on it during lunch today, so maybe I can sneak in a better starting picture later today. And just in time for Stitch-A-Thon Weekend at the Robin's Nest!


And on a healthy note, I'm almost back to the 20 pounds I lost last fall!! (Just three pounds away!) I've been back to eating healthy (mostly!) and have been on my elliptical 20 minutes, every other day. Getting started with an exercise routine is so hard for me (like trying to budge a boulder), but once I get started, it gets easier, and if I'm totally honest, it's fun, too. (But don't tell anyone I ever said/typed that! :o)



And a happy, happy birthday, to my Dad! 73 years young today!



This was from my Mum's Birthday party last year at our house. (Mum is totally overwhelmed by the calm and reserved demeanor of my Dad (on the left) and DH (on the right)...

My life, statistically speaking

Just to prove to you all that I'm still here, I found this on Jenna's blog and thought I'd take a try.

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	8
Mind:	7.5
Body:	7
Spirit:	9.2
Friends/Family:	6.1
Love:	9.1
Finance:	9.4
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

My craft of choice has been reading, and unlike some really gifted knitters out there, I can't read and knit at the same time. (and especially not cross stitch!)

I've been enjoying Charlaine Harris. She has a wonderfully quirky style (and subject matters) in her writing. I've been enjoying her series where a Southern barmaid has a vampire for a boyfriend, and her Aurora Teagarden series (another Southern lady who has an interest in murders and seems to find herself in the middle of them).

And, I can't forget Melissa de la Cruz. OK, these are cleaned up Jackie Collins trash for older teenagers, but they're fun, mindless reads! I've been reading her Au Pair series.

So much for the 'fine literature' question in the quiz above... :o)