Good news… I have ONE CLEAN CLEAR table!  And it’s under a window, not shoved in a dark corner!  It will eventually be for my 3 sewing machines, right now it’s serving as organization and purge central.  Eventually I’ll get one more table upstairs and then I’ll have a huge table for crafting and cutting and pressing! Oh my! Progress?!

While cleaning and going through some of my patterns I’ve been contemplating what to make first once I have room.  It will probably be this, from the new Ottobre Woman (they’re Finnish).  (Did you know you can order individual copies or have a subscription directly from Ottobre?!  And you can do it all online and they come fast.  Love that.  Now if only Burda would do similar!)

This top looks like a simple and easy project.  I have 4 Ottobre Woman’s now.  Time to make something!  Their styles are not as fashion-forward as Burda, but a lot of nice simple styles and the size range is larger.

What I’d really like to make is the new plus-size pattern from Burda Style (below).  Maybe in the future… right now all I wear is knits, knits, knits.  Sweaters, t-shirts, knit tops.  I’m thinking that’s what I should be sewing! So cute though!  If I started wearing stuff like this to work, people might at work might wonder if I was leaving them for a new job   Much classier than my normal casual-geek-girl look.

Nadine Plus from Burda Style:

The original had way to much gathering going on for already fluffy figures.  It looks so much nicer with the smooth peplum and cuffs.

I’ve also been collecting knit wear inspirations for creating my own tops.  The selection of sewing patterns for knits is… sad.  Here’s my recent favorites from Banana Republic, Anthropologie, and Adidas.

Cheers!

I’m doing some charity knitting…  I have some 12″ sock legs knit by a lady in Klamath Falls on a Circular Sock Machine (example) that I’m adding feet too.  (It would take me ages to knit legs that long!)  These will go to a soldier in the Middle East or Afghanistan.  I join and organization called Socks For Soldiers that sends high quality socks and beanies and care packages to soldiers.  Evidently there ’s a huge waiting list and having the legs done on one of the hand crank machines really helps the socks get done faster.  Too bad I’m not a fan of Olive Drab!

Charles would like me to leave him alone.  Or alone with the knitting.

Spotted one of the new MAX trains being tested while I was out catching a ride with my bike to the Zoo.  Verdict:  I need to work on hills.  Pushed bike half way up hill to Sylvan.  Where there was a magical Starbucks I didn’t know about!  After an hour there knitting, I did the 3 miles home, all down hill in about 15 minutes.  Wheeeeeee!

I found this while cleaning out my bedroom.  I have no idea where it came from.  It appears to be a King George V Penny from 1919 (and not worth anything according to the internet).  Anyone in my family know where it came from?  Well worn on the back side!

Long time no posts!

I’ve been busy since I got back from Texas.  Besides lots of work I’ve been cooking a lot and working out.   January’s total is 6 pounds lost. Lots of knitting done during commute and tv but nothing finished… knitting post to come soon!  I will now treat you to a picture heavy post!

I dragged a friend out Sunday during the Superbowl to take some freeway light pictures. I managed not to take any pictures in January! First stop was Gustav’s Bierstube. They had an “Economic Stimulus” special with a personal fondue and an entree. (I got roasted pork loin and hot German Potato Salad, seemed a reasonably sensible choice).  The place was deserted!  Of course they still had the Superbowl on the TVs.

Next stop was US Grant Park next to Grant High School off of NE 33rd Avenue.  I had heard there was a Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden and I wanted to just futz around with the camera (having not used it for a month).  The “Garden” was really just 3 statues around a fountain (turned off of course).  The statues are just south of the playground off of 33rd (you can’t see the statues from 33rd).  I found them a little creepy.  Not quite my sculpture style.  These came out quite nice considering how dark it was getting. The three sculptures are of Ramona, Henry, and Ribsy.

Here’s my favorite shot of the day, from the playground at US Grant Park…

On to the freeway…  taken from the 12th avenue overpass over I-84.  The overpass is just south of Lloyd Center and the MAX stop.  It is an old overpass that has no high fence, making it great to set up a tripod.  It is really hard to find fence free overpasses in the area. This one also is near a nice curve in the freeway.  Unfortunately there is a streetlight over the freeway to the right causing glare problems.

Sigma 10-20mm wide-angle lens (Judging by the lovely stars from the streetlights I should have taken off the filter). 20 second exposure, aperture f/32, ISO 320 (stupid me).  This one was taken early at 5:51pm and there’s more lovely blue sky.

6:10 pm with my Nikon kit lens (18-105mm i think).  15 seconds at f/36, ISO 320, focal length 98mm.  I love the neon-y light trails and the Made in Oregon sign!

Whew!  Finally made it to Texas and back.  I had a wonderful vacation and here are a few photos I managed to capture.

Snowmageddon still continuing here.  Most December snow in 40 years AND IT IS STILL SNOWING.  Contemplating hiking 3/4 mile to bus stop with backpack if I have to make my plane Thursday.  No one may get any presents, but they’ll get me!

Gresham and Vernonia have just declared “Emergency Status” and help from the National Guard.  Too much snow, too many power outages, etc.

My car is in this picture.  It’s like Where’s Waldo!

It’s also my birthday today.  Ick.  I decided I was going to make a cake.  We’re down to 3 eggs and a little over a cup of milk. The mixes take 3 eggs.  I found a “One Bowl Chocolate Cake” recipe in the Better Homes and Garndes New Cook Book that takes 1 egg.  I had to substitute butter for shortening (woo!).

Here’s my sad little chocolate cake iced up…

Bah. The whole Portland metro area is stuck indoors. I’m supposed to be in Texas. Crazy week that ended with a sprained ankle, ER visit, broken car, snowstorm and no way to get to the airport (I called two cab companies for 15 minutes and all I got was busy signal). That’s all I have to say about that I now have a Continental flight scheduled for Christmas Day. Will I make it? Who knows.

View out the front door… there’s more today! Plus a nice hard layer of ice.

Huddling under blankets….

*yawn*

Has it melted yet?????

Hunkering down at the BFs with him and his cat and my knitting.  I need more wool sweaters!  Still can’t believe my sister got snow in Texas before we did!

I think I forgot to wrapup after the 30 day challenge! Summary: 6.5 pounds lost.  (I could have done better)  I got lazy at the end (shocker!).  I really enjoyed it and I think I’ll try it again in January, after the holidays!

I did get this done yesterday… very little processing done on it.  Wandered down to the Eastbank Esplande with Devin to attempt to get some sunset shots.  The sunset we pretty uneventful but we stayed a while later on a floating pier and kept shooting long exposures.  This was probably 45 min after sunset.  30 sec exposure at f/29.  I love the blues.  You can click and go to the flickr page and see bigger versions.  I’m so happy with it!!!!!!

And here’s a very short video.  No set up… i just heard the geese coming and hit the video button.

I’m really good at the rambling…

So Week 3 of the 30 day challenge I got totally wiped out by a cold.  No brainpower, no willpower, blah, blah, blah.  Finally feeling better and back on track to end this week.  My only goal is to lose a few more pounds by the end of the week!  Today’s food is another sauteed onion/spinach/feta frittata and a “pizza” made with whole wheat english muffing crust.  I found some turkey pepperoni and light salame.  I would have made those the whole day’s meal but the pepperoni and salame are really high in sodium.  I also fit in some Mexican Hot Chocolate from Moonstruck. Yum!  I need to make up a recipe to duplicate it (and lighten it up!)

For some eye candy… Thelonious by Cookie A. in Knit Picks Gloss Sock Yarn, color Cosmos.  These took me four months!  I did do some other socks in between becuase these were so hard.  I knit them on a smaller needle than it called for (I’m crazy) and did the medium size and it came out wonderfully.  They feel really good.  (I’m sure the silk in the yarn helps too).  If you’re a Cookie A. fan, she has a book coming out in April. Pre-Order on amazon… Sock Innovation: Knitting Techniques & Patterns for One-of-a-Kind Socks.  There’s a pdf preview here.  I’m drooling!!  Here’s some mediocre pictures of my Theloniouses

Thelonious

Thelonious with Shoes