Caffeine good!

Last night I read on knittinghelp about a copy cat recipe site. Being a former culinary student and all around lover of cooking I thought I would check it out. I found quite a few recipes I really want to try. But one in particular really caught my eye. The copy of Dunkin Donuts coolata. I love coolatas in the summertime! I made one this morning with a few mods. I omitted the hazelnut syrup because the I had hazelnut coffee, I used homemade chocolate syrup and instead of just milk I used 1/2 Coffee mate and 1/2 milk. It wasn't exactly like a what I would get from DD but it was darn good. As I was drinking it I was inspired to start working on one of the oddball baby blankets that showed up here yesterday. I actually received two yesterday. I already had one here and soon I'll be getting a preemie blanket! Oy! But I LOVE working on them! I'll post picts as soon as my camera is charged of the goodies that came with the blankets. I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again knitter really are the most generous people!I'm about half way through my 1st section on Red Roses now. I'm doing 2 sections and probably a border on it.I most likely would have finished it but, Bentley(my dog) needed to go out so I took him. It has been 100 degrees here for days and finally yesterday the heat wave ended and it cooled off. I have a garden around my mail box that was being overrun with weeds. When walking past it with Bentley, I decided to start weeding the garden while it was still in the shade. An hour later I was done. I'm so excited! I've been eyeing different flowers to put in it and now it is ready to go! I was shocked to see that a few annuals I planted last year came back but were hidden by the weeds. B , after he went potty, was so cute he just laid down in the shade and took a nap while I was working. I don't know if it was the "coolata" , that I 'm feeling better or a combination but it sure feels good to get things accomplished again . Especially after a week or so of feeling like a slug!
xoxo,
Holly

I don't want to whine....

But I am sooo frustrated right now. It seems as if everything in my life is conspiring against my knitting. Summer school is kicking my booty. What was I thinking trying to take Chem , Medical TerminologyII and Stats all together? I have a bad cold that is taking for-evah to clear up. It's so so hot outside. And I was just diagnosed with Insulin Resistance. The IR requires a special diet that doesn't seem too hard to follow, but it's just another thing to deal with. I really want to know how people handle it all. I know as soon as I feel better every thing will seem less dire, but for now I just want to curl up on the couch with a good movie and some knitting. Unfortunately I have way too much schoolwork to do it.

Ok I'm done whining- really!! I feel better just putting it out there!

On the knitting front here is my WIP /need to finish list
1. PIF gifts( I would link to them but they are supposed to be a surprise!)
2. Mom's sitcom chic
3. Chemo hat for Dotty
4. NIU healing blanket squares
5. Ongoing Oddball baby blankets

I'm really excited to have gotten my Great American Aran Afghan pattern yesterday! I like the idea of this afghan since it is a bunch of squares. A few seem a little over my my skill level but I think in the long run I will be a better knitter for having done them. There is a GAAA along on blogger and Ravelry. I'm pondering what yarn I should use. I'm also not sure what color. I love the idea of a cream aran afghan but the thought of the dog and cat hair in this house makes me a little hesitant. I'm leaning toward something washable. Any suggestions would be very appreciated! I have no idea when I will start it but I will be sure to blog about it when I do. I've learned so much from other people's blog post about it.

If you have read all this and are still here thank you!
xoxo,
Holly

To my PIF angels

I have not forgotten you! And I have not flaked out on this! I know my 6 months has come and gone. Life has seriously gotten in the way of my knitting. I am so so so sorry!! I am working on your gifts and will hopefully be contacting you soon to send them out. Please forgive me. I promise if I had a choice I would have finished my gifts long before my deadline. Thanks for being patient!! You all are the best! xoxo, Holly

Giving it another go

Blogging that is! Somehow in the midst of this past semester I have totally stopped blogging. I really wanted this to be an accurate record of what I was working on and for whom. But somehow I have let it fall to the wayside. Lately I have been fairly prolific with my knitting. I suppose it doesn't hurt that every thing I have done has been for babies, but still! I mostly have been working on the Oddball charity baby blankets. I have also made 2 blankets for new babies in my life . The first one I made was originally going to go to my cousin for her new baby but once I started the second one I knew it was perfect for her. I then decided to give the first to my friend's baby. I love both blankets each are beautiful in their own way.
The first blanket I did was the Pinwheel baby blanket.

Used Bernat Cotton Tots yarn in very berry and strawberry.

The second blanket was originally a pattern for a dishcloth. I love way the dishcloth looks so I decided to try and turn it into a baby blanket. I used Bernat Camouflage yarn in go girl. Here's a pic of the blanket with its inspiration. I really wish I had a better pic of this blanket. It really is much prettier in person!


I need to upload more pictures from my camera so I can show off everything else I have been doing lately. Thanks for stopping by!

xoxo,
Holly

Sigh of relief!

I am so happy. I only have one more ufo from my original list. Andy's hat is done, Malden's sweater is done, Craig's never ending scarf is done, and Mom's calorimetry is done. I am a very relieved knitter. I only have my socks to finish. Of course I also have the log cabin blankets that are a continuing charity project.
I am disappointed that my batteries in my camera were dead so I have to rely on my brothers to actually take pictures of these gifts while being worn and email them to me so I can post them here. It could happen!!
Tomorrow I am going to buy a replacement needle for my socks. Right now one of the needles is really hard to work with. I knit tightly and the join is not smooth at all making it difficult for me to really get in a rhythm when I am working on them. I am debating between going to Micheal's or buying from Knit Picks. I love my options needles so much but I am antsy to get back to my socks. Decisions, decisions!

UFO list progress report

Hi and Happy Monday!

I know I just posted my ufo list in my last post but my knitting diet challenge has helped my whittle away a couple of the projects. I'll find out tomorrow about my weight ; ) .
Here is my list of UFO's as posted last post with an update
1. Craig's Ohio State scarf - only one more red striped section and one and half more gray sections.
2. My socks- haven't touched
3. Malden's sweater redo - starting later this week
4. Mom's calorimetry
5. Andy's hat - haven't even thought about it!
6. My crocheted Log cabin square for the Charity Log Cabin round robin- being mailed tomorrow!

Craig's scarf is my Achilles heel as far as UFOs go. I work on it for a couple of nights then I am so bored I have the work on something else. This is to avoid poking my eyes out with my new Options. So tonight I will be back knitting on it. I am getting sooo close to finishing it I... must... press... on.

I just noticed that I am more worried about my UFOs than I am my homework. This is a bit disturbing to me. But I suppose it is the price one pays when they have such an addiction.

My UFO list

I joined a weight loss challenge on KH. Here are the guidelines
To join, you have to pledge the following:
1.) To work on an UFO at least 1/2 hour each day
2.) To pick up an UFO instead of nibbling
3.) To decrease your stash along with your weight
4.) To post pics of your FOs
5.) To share your joys and frustrations whether weight or yarn
6.) To share links to free patterns you are working on that are terrific!

In order to keep myself honest I thought I would post my ufo's here.
1. Craig's Ohio State scarf
2. My socks
3. Malden's sweater redo
4. Mom's calorimetry
5. Andy's hat
6. My crocheted Log cabin square for the Charity Log Cabin round robin

Craig's scarf has the most time in it but still has the longest to go. I am probably about18 inches away from being done.
Malden's sweater is a pretty simple fix I just need to reknit the bottom portion to make it a little bigger for him. His neck is much bigger now than when I first measured him and the collar of the sweater was absolutely choking him.
Mom's cal is the same thing I just need to make it bigger
Andy's hat was a complete disaster and I frogged before I even gave it to him. Thankfully he doesn't really mind but I want to get it done soon as it was a Christmas present. The log cabin square has to be done by the 14th so i can mail on the 15th. I am not too worried about it but I need to get it done!

My goal for this week is to work on Craig's scarf instead of nibbling at night and get it done! I am pretty sure I can do it.