mousy

This little Christmas mouse is watching the rain fall this morning.  I think he's hoping for snow :)

it's the piggies fault

I visited my Mom last weekend in Chico.  And she gave me gift cards to the quilt fabric store and yarn store.  And, I may have spent well over the gift card amounts both places and at a few others as well!!!!  Tee. hee.  But it was great fun!  Wanna see?

So, it doesn't look like much in the bag but it is stuffed full of 1/2 yard cuts. And yarn.

The quilt store was super fun, especially with Mom who was happy to share the fun with me!  So, I took a slow lap around the store seeing what collections they had before I started grabbing bolts.  There was a display table next to the cutting table and there was a fat quarter bundle of this Heather Ross print of piggies!  Oh those piggies just crack me up!  There are 3 colorways of pigs and then  coordinating prints.

And once I decided I had to have the piggies it was like I want this and this and this and and and.......

I've seen almost all of these prints online and have admired them on other people's blogs and in quilts. Which I know I should not covet but we don't have a quilt shop here that stocks anything close to such cute stuff.  The gal in the store was also fun, I'd pick something up and she'd be like "oh I didn't see that, that's cute.  Is there another one?"  I can tell I would not be able to work there unless I just worked for fabric!

After that we drove over to Heartstrings which is a cute little yarn shop.  They have a great selection of yarn and needles.  Since I had kind of gone way overboard at the fabric store I was quite restrained at the yarn shop.  I went in planning to buy circular needles so that I can attempt to do two at a time socks.  I also found some nice sock yarns to try.  The middle yarn was actually in the gift bag from my Mom that she found at a thrift store!  It's Opal yarn which I've been wanting to try as I've heard it's nice and holds up well.  I really like the colorway.

One of the places I love to go shopping at in Chico is the library!  The library has a book sale on Saturday mornings in the conference room.  The entire room is full of long tables covered in boxes FULL of books.  I used to go specifically to look for books on tape for Scott.  He had a love of books on tape or cd so I'd go there and scoop up some great deals!  It became something I liked as well so now I just like to go check it out.  I came away with a shopping bag full of books and one book on cd, which I think is a success.

Saturday night I met my best friend Jeannette to watch a Christmas music light show, which was really nice, fun and free!  

I have to say it was a really nice trip.  I grew up in Chico but have never wanted to move back "home".  Mostly because it never felt like home to me.  Usually when I visit I'm annoyed at the people and the traffic and the weather and and and.  This time though it was just nice to see Mom, we had fun shopping, and see Jeannette.  It was nice to get home to my puppy dogs who were sooooo happy for me to pick them up from the vet's office where I board them.

So Christmas is right around the corner!  I didn't end up putting up a tree.  I guess at this late in the game I won't.  Maybe I'll knit and sew up some ornaments and shoot for next year.

Happy mail!  Two sparkly glittery cards and herdy stitch markers from across the pond :)

I made it through my birthday

Just want to give a small update.  I made it through my birthday with no meltdowns!  The layer of sadness was there but I kept it together.  My Mom and Brother called to check on me, which was sweet.  I also had messages from Scott's family which I think I will always be surprised by - in a good way!  I am thankful that they still consider me part of their family.

And, Jan brought me a balloon!  I love balloons.  Flowers, yes, I love too.  Cake, eh.  But balloons?  Oh yeah!

I also wrote a bit in my journal which I haven't done for reals in months.  It felt good.  So begins my new year.

time just passes

My husband was 11 months and 26 days older than me.  Our birthdays are 5 days apart.  So, I'd have my birthday, and for 5 days we'd be the same age and then he'd have his and be a year older again.  He died when he was 37 and I 36.  The day after his angelversary, 4-5-14, I became officially older and the time has kept going.  And tomorrow I will be noticeably older than him by the number of years.  I will be 38.  

I have surpassed his amount of years.  I don't know how to put into words how odd and sad this makes me.  Unless you've experienced this I don't think you can understand.  I know that everyone just wants me to be thankful for what I had and grateful for what I do have.  And I am, I AM.  But, I have also always been a thinker, an overthinker mostly.  

And the other thing is that he brought magic to my life.  He was the adventure and fun.  There were so many things I didn't notice or care about before he came along and then for 17 years I had fun and magic and him.  Then suddenly I didn't.  I am exceedingly thankful that he introduced me to the things he did.  But, the contrast of what I have now is stark.  It would be like living in an environment of overgrown jungle and warmth and then being dropped into a cold desert.  Can you picture the difference?  

So, yes, I am thankful to be alive.  Tomorrow begins my personal new year.  God willing, I will wake up 38 years old.  I just will always wish he was still alive.  I will always check voicemail for his yearly birthday song singing message.  I will crave his touch and dream of his laughter.  I will be thankful that I knew those things so dearly.

As I've said previously, December is hard for me.  Monday will be his birthday and I will wish somehow to wake up and he will still be here.  My mind mostly knows he's gone but part of it and all of my heart still hope it's just the worst dream.  The best gift is that I knew him for 17 years.  I had his love and it still warms me.  

a little rusty with the crochet skills

I have a FO (finished object) to share and it's actually crochet!  First off, let me just say that I tried a new coffee blend today!  It's Starbuck's holiday blend for 2014.  I'm so used to drinking french roast by now that I'm not sure if I like it?  But, you know, add enough sugar cookie creamer and it tastes just fine!

So, I don't remember how long ago - not long though - like 2-3 weeks ago, Jan asked if I would make a pair of boot cuffs for her to give to her daughter for Christmas.  I think at the time I was still working on the grey Jul hat, so I said it would have to wait but I would start at the beginning of December to make sure I'd get them done in time.  And dang if December didn't just sneak right up! ha.  Yesterday I realized I'd better get busy if I was going to be serious about this project.  I snooped around Ravelry for free patterns and found a couple.  

Now, me being me I would want something with a little frill or ruffle.  I came across this pattern called Scalloped Boot Cuff and I thought it was cute!  It is a crochet pattern, very easy and quick!  So, I'm not the fastest crocheter ever so I had read other projects that people had made and they were like "finished in an hour!" "two cuffs made during a movie!" and that sort of thing.  Yeah.  Let's see, I watched a 2+ hour podcast and then 2 movies last night and 2 podcasts this morning and finished.   To be fair, I did have to rip back a couple times because my stitch count would either diminish or multiply in spots.  Teee Heee.  Knitting makes more sense to me than crochet, what can I say?

But!  the finished product is cute!  So, I stuck one of them on my paper towel roll so you could see it in "action".  I plan on making a pair in off white/cream, this is my test knit - but I think these would look cute peeking out the top of some boots.   I also bought a cream color yarn that has a bit of sparkle that I might make for myself :)

Update on other knitting projects: I am about to start the heel on my Dumbledore Hermione socks.  I was getting nervous that I might be developing second sock syndrome, but this week felt the urge to pick them back up!  After that is done I am feeling like I want to knit another little animal - maybe a Bakery Bear or Gelatto Giraffe, which are both patterns by Kay Jones who is one half of the Bakery Bears podcast, which I love.  Before I start that though, I feel I should finish up the sweater I started for my little fox - it is winter after all I don't want him to get cold!

Ummm.  So, that's pretty much it here.  It's 48 degrees out and foggy and gloomy so I will no doubt spend the rest of the day either knitting or maybe sewing?  What are you up to???

December snow dust

It is December 1st and I woke up to snow this morning!  As you can see, it's not very much, just a frosting really.  But what does it mean???  Will it be a white Christmas?