Time to Decompress

The last few months of 2010 were a little more overwhelming than normally anticipated, so I've spent the last few weeks focused on yarn and my standard routine.
I'm on my third sweater of the year (to the armholes already). The picture is of a shawlette also finished in January, really it was an excuse to try out a new yarn in a lovely bright colorway.
There will be more knitting. Most will be of the overly intricate lace variety as I have at least two shawls I have every intent to finish before the year is out. Along with seven more shirts, all of the short or no sleeve variety as well as embroidery, cross stitch and some minimal artsy type painting (as well as attempting to learn to spin properly in any left over spare moments) I figure I am pretty well set for things to do between loads of laundry and correcting papers.
While this is not everything I plan on doing during 2011, it certainly seems like some of the most fun thus far!

This about sums it up

The holidays were filled with all sorts of randomness for us. Cartoon hats, fluffy animal slippers(white tigers and sea turtles) , lots of yummy things to eat and one set of bunny salt and pepper shakers in an indelicate pose.

We have survived the holidays

And finally got snow today! There will be Christmas pictures in the near future.

I will catch up after New Year's

With pictures and everything! Right now, I am just more than a little pre-occupied. There's gifts to finish knitting, cookies still in need of baking, and presents still to be wrapped as well as all the standard housework paired with Husband working a lot of overtime. It's taking more than a little conscious effort to not stay in my pj's all day, curl up with my tea and a book and just let everything go hang. Ah well, back to being responsible. Maybe I will have a truffle or two to keep me going. ;-)

I'm over 30. Where's the fashion for me?

Be forewarned, this is a bit of a rant. I discovered a major point of irritation to me personally this morning and I am really wondering if anyone else has noticed.
I am a woman over 30. I have a dressy, all adult holiday party to attend in the near future. I have a dress picked out, Liz Claiborne wine and black floor length velvet. I am a bit nervous as I have been out of the social arena for quite some time, so I start looking up current styles. This is where the problems start. I start noticing almost everything targets females under 30, and while I could still wear much of what is offered, all too often the looks were inappropriate for meeting your husband's boss for the first time.
I found a page with a list of what I shouldn't wear, which was decidedly unhelpful. I did not need to be told a micro mini or regular mini skirt would be inappropriate for my age or that I should avoid glitter because it accentuates wrinkles.
Where is the style? Where is the elegance? Am I forsaken by the fashion industry courtesy of my over 25 status? I don't want a matronly version of some twenty-something's club wear or even a slightly less sparkly version of her showy holiday dress, vintage inspired or not.
I want glamour that isn't the neon and flash kind. I want clothes that are tailored, feminine, and have a bit of slink to them even if you are wearing a three piece suit.
I have no desire to look like some plastic fashion doll. I have wrinkles and I earned them. I would like clothes that respect that and the fact that women over 30 are sexy, without having to dress like they are barely twenty.

Really and Truly Thankful for the Internet

I lost a friend I've known since high school in a car accident on Saturday. This morning, almost one hundred friends, many from those same high school days, have been able to come together to mourn the loss off such a wonderful woman. It isn't the same as crying together in person, but it does let us cry together.

Ummm Happy Halloween?

Suffice to say silly costumes were worn, treats were consumed, and pumpkins were carved. There is even photographic evidence around here somewhere to prove it.
I have been primarily consumed with gift knitting. Eight hats have been completed, four in the last week alone. One out of yarn that stuck to itself constantly. Another was my first proper colorwork project. The rest are acrylic, not my favorite but washable, in dare I say, eye-searing colors. Button eyes have been painted and one holiday menu planned.
I've also been tending my winter garden. It takes a bit more research and work to have green growing things when it's below freezing at night now, but possible. I have radish seedlings to prove it.

I've been busy!

I am really really pleased with how things turned out! Yes I used purple and gold. It's kind of freeing not using a neutral color! I used cream stencil paint and a paint sponge with great success and minimal mess, (unless you count having gold fingers).
I decided this morning that what I really needed with my costume for Halloween was a green silk blouse. Not long after, I realized I had more than enough faux silk in a dark forest green laying about to make the design I had been pondering. Guess who is going to finish designing, cutting out and stitching together a whole new shirt out of scraps to go with her costume in time for Sunday night? Did I also mention I am having company over that night? I am not deluded! I like to think of myself as a bit overly ambitious and vaguely super hero-esque. ;-)

I love paint!

Paint is so amazingly fantastic! It really is a inexpensive way to work a major transformation in your house, while feeding my need to play interior designer.
Today I was experimenting on my laundry doors with a lovely shade of mahogany brown to see if I could get the Victorian-type look of elegant wood doors with matching frames. To my great delight, it seems to have been a success! It should be noted that I had chickened out of trying this before, just painting the edges, worried that it would be too dark. Now I am wondering what took me so long to make the jump and do it!
I will be adding some elegant (and maybe some odd) stencils done in an antique gold/brass colored paint and eventually some curtains for the archways in the living room.
Even better is the fact that it can all get done in two weeks or less primarily with supplies already on hand.
I will take pictures once I have a door in decent light properly painted.

It's October!

Which means first and foremost, joyous birthday wishes must go out to my lovely sister, Mara-girl and my grandfather!
It means the painted skulls can be put on the front porch, that the kids have their costumes all figured out and are eager to put them together and that I have not a single clue as to a costume at all. My darling husband even has one figured out for this year. I'm feeling a bit behind. Hopefully inspiration will strike this weekend. If the costume muse doesn't visit me, I may have to start picking other people's brains.

A Hurried Update

As my computer time is limited, there will be minor coverage of major events.

Happy Birthday Girls! (Yes, this is late. I'm sorry but I haven't had a computer for days!) Three girls, two generations, one week of birthdays. I still find it amazing.
One of the places we went for Daughter's birthday was The Chocolate Cartel . I highly recommend them!

Holiday gift knitting has commenced, along with the "Ack! It's cold in the morning!" knitting of wool socks and warm sweaters for me so I can continue to knit the gifts. I am finding it difficult to focus though as The Sanguine Gryphon has posted it's fall 2010 patterns

I admit having given in to Spatterdash, Zylphia Pilots Her Airship, and Innsmouth Bodice already. Two of my greatest weaknesses combined, knitting and steampunk. I also have a deep love for this yarn as well as it's other haunted location compatriots, but there is a very personal adoration of the Winchester Mystery House.

Halloween decorations are already in progress and my confused tomato plants are just starting to fruit. Enough herb tea has been mixed to last me through the winter months. Sewing will soon commence as the upstairs is no longer roasting at midday. New Dutch Hex signs are being designed and painted.

I believe that covers most things, hopefully I will be able to add more detail and pictures in the next week or two.