Alas.

Remember this?

All the makings of a perfectly lovely table runner. I had so wanted to have this ready for our Thanksgiving table, but at this point it doesn't seem as though that is going to happen. Too many other projects, I'm afraid. I'm working on some custom orders for one of Mike's co-workers, in addition to slowly finishing and preparing to list some other pieces on Etsy. Here's as far as I've been able to get on the table runner:

There's still quite a bit more to go on the dark brown end, then to felt it and then needle felt the overdesign. If only I could just stay awake around the clock. That would really help.

Mike actually asked if I would knit him some socks! HA HA HA HA HA HA! I told him that none of us would be getting anything hand knit by me for a while. He turned away, dejected, while muttering, "Well, maybe when you retire and this is just a hobby again..." I felt bad, so I offered to find a sock knitter on Etsy for him. He perked up a little then.

I am all for counting my blessings, so here they are:

1. I'm doing what I've always wanted to do, needlecrafting and finding a viable way to make a living from it (eventually).
2. I made my first sale on Etsy last night, a hand-painted fingering weight yarn called Koi.
3. My children are healthy and my husband has actually not left me due to my crazy notions (see blessing number one).
4. I'm making some great new friends on Twitter and in my community because of my passion for knitting and fibers.
5. Although I become overwhelmed by it all and call it quits on almost a nightly basis, I am the boss so I just rehire myself the next morning.

I'm gazing fondly at my unfinished table runner, folded neatly on the shelf over there. Even if Thanksgiving comes and goes without it making its debut, I will gladly give thanks because in spite of not being able to do it all, I'm doing all right.

Lamb of God Farm

Today's weather can best be described as blustery. Big, round, bursts of wind are scattering leaves, sending them swirling in mid air. It's chilly. It's rainy, too. But not yesterday. Yesterday was glorious. Sunny, mild, light sweater weather for sure. It was on such a beautiful day that Mike, the girls and I visited Lamb of God Farm in Big Rock. It's owned by the Lehrers, the same family that owns Esther's Place where I get a large amount of my fiber and yarn.

Those brussel sprouts were so good.

October Goals

I learned that this blog hosts a Monthly Goals Meetup for crafters who are looking to make a career out of their craft. Of course, being the right-brained, artsy, romantic that I am, this is just what I need! So I'll be posting my goals each month for your perusal and, hopefully, support. Feel free to leave comments and hold me accountable. I need it!

My goals for the month of October:

1. Finish two table runners and post on Etsy.

2. Dye all of the yarn I have ready and post on Etsy.

3. Do more to promote my blog and shop.

4. Do more to promote other crafters that I like.

5. Get more involved with the EtsyKnitters Team.

6. Buy new spindle and get to spinning.

7. Nail down packaging.

8. Really push my campaign to get my friends and family to buy handmade for the holidays.

Time To #beatcancer Once And For All

I like this. I'm an activist at heart, I think. When I learned about the campaign to #beatcancer, and the fact that Ebay/Paypal and MillerCoors are donating a penny for every blog, tweet, and facebook update. I got excited. Here's to doing all we can to defeat Public Enemy Number One.

A-viral we will go, a-viral we will go, hi, ho, the merry-oh, a-viral we will go!#beatcancer!

New Stuff A-cookin'

With the holiday season here, I've started working on some new items for the Shop and for our home. Right now I'm super excited about this idea I have for a felted table runner suitable for Thanksgiving or any fall table. Here's a preview of the colors: oatmeal heather, chocolate heather, and turquoise (the jury is still out on that tan roving). I'll be combining wet and needle felting techniques to create it. I can't wait to see it all done.

I do have to say that I have a true love-hate relationship with stockinette stitch, of which the knitted base consists almost entirely. While you can just race through row after row, knitting and purling, that's the problem. The row after row of knitting and purling. I have to resist the urge to just add a row of friggin' bobbles already. My cable needle beckons. But I must persevere. The design is already set in my mind and simplicity is key here.

But, you may ask, what's up with the turquoise? Right. The turquoise. Not the usual you'd expect to see on a Thanksgiving table, I guess. I briefly considered using a more traditionally autumnal color like rust or pumpkin orange. But I like mixing things up a bit. A nod to tradition, rather than a strict adherence to the expected. I don't mind the strange mix of a warm and cool color palette. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it turns out, but my hunch is it'll be fine.

I've got a couple of table runner ideas cooking (pardon the pun, please). Three actually. I just hope with preparing for my own family festivities (Lordy, it's almost Halloween already! We haven't even been to the pumpkin patch yet.) I'll have time to create all of these yummy ideas I have brewing for the holiday table (seriously, I just can't stop it with the puns).

Chloe has decided to be a mermaid this year. Mae chose Abby Caddaby from Sesame Street. I just hope it's not freezing for trick or treating so they don't end up having to hide their costumes under heavy coats. That's no fun.

Last year, Mike was a Black Bart-type cowboy guy in a black cowboy hat and shirt. Twirly mustache. I was a cowgirl circa the 50's, complete with pigtails and pencilled on freckles. My brother and sister-in-law came along dressed as a pirate and wench. There are pictures of this somewhere. I can't find them in our family album file. If I do...well, I still can't promise that I'll post them. It may be too embarrassing.

In other words, we set a dangerous precedent and now every day Chloe asks, "What's your costume going to be, Mommy?" I just want to crawl into bed with a book on tape and my knitting every night. When am I going to come up with a costume? Stay tuned for more news on that.