Show me da gold!!!!!

CHARLOTTE IS DONE!!!!! Sorry for a slow post week but my priorities have been on finishing my shawl and fighting off some bad sinuses.

Thursday night I met up with some team Tennessee members during the S*n*B meetup at Davis Kidd. My sinuses were really getting to me and judging by the mistakes I found Friday, I had been knitting by the force. I made hubby take me to Starbuck's Friday for my favorite venti caramel frappucino affogato style with whip and that pumped me up. I took a break Saturday for our monthly massage date, church and dinner out at O'Charley's. He helped me block her last night and we finished at 12:21 AM CT, so roughly 9 1/2 hours to spare. She is completely dry this morning and beautiful. I will have pics later this week! I'll give specifics when I put up the pics.

In the midst of this I received my second package from my Secret Pal . I got me some good stuff!! My love of 80's music has been suitably indulged with CD's from Duran Duran, Eurythmics, and INXS. I also have a new sock pattern, Ann Norling's Adult Socks II and some great Knit Picks essential sock yarn in pine and navy. The kitty sticky notes are just adorable. Are the knitting markers made by you SP??

I'll have more on my next projects and sockapalooza tomorrow or Tuesday.

Secret Pal, Sockapalooza and a Poll

It's a new poll!! What is your favorite item to knit?? If it's not on my list then let me know in the comments.

BTW-Secret Pal... Thanks so much for my awesome gifties. My youngest has absconded with the pencil set but that's OK. My friend, Jenny, tried to steal the manicure set. After waving my metal detector over her and her luggage before her departure on Tuesday, I discovered her misdemeanor. Shame on her! The Ghiradelli Chocolate brought back memories of stopping in their store for free samples when we lived in Monterey, California. Strangely, no one tried to steal the stunning Cascade Quatro in #5018. I'm still coming up with ideas for it. Thank You again.

Sockapalooza- I'm planning on making the Embossed Leaves Socks from Interweave Knits winter 2005 in Regia 4 ply in a denim color- #5160 to get technical. I'm hoping to start them after the Knitting Olympics and after my jaywalkers or March 1st, whichever comes first.

My Virginia knitting buds- go on my map and check in-yeeesh!

It's is supposed to be very nasty weather for Memphis tomorrow-sleet, ice and general winter weather that the mid south is just not equipped for. So family and I have plenty of wood, have charged up the camping lanterns and I plan to spend a good portion of the day making Charlotte grow-up to row 80 as of this evening.

TTFN

I'm an artisan!!

I was reading on Knitter's Review, this thread about what kind of knitter you are. Well I am erratic an artisan. I can make that pattern my own. I have not the talents of my insane talented knitting friend, Mary, who can upon seeing a garment whip up a collection the likes of Debbie Bliss. I am more able to customize the item to my tastes. That is why my beautiful Charlotte's Web Shawl has been altered to suit my tastes. Rows 68-71 have been repeated in the first lace repeat pattern instead of frogging using 2nd lace pattern repeat on rows 70 & 71. I think it will look lovely with this
design feature. It is now up through row 74 and I am officially done with 2 colors.I may have an extra 2 rows of color #2 instead of color #3 but that will be a surprise design feature for all of us.

I finally have a few pictures. Remember the Felted Intarsia slippers I knitted for my sister-in-law? Here they are prefelted(that was up to her) with my cat, Zoe, admiring them. .
And here is the denim shawl as well...

And just so you can see that Memphis gets snow, here is my home last Friday...

The visit with Jenny was wonderful but tiring. A whirlwind of shopping and househunting for her totaled a great gal pal week in all. And then the men (hers & mine) returned. All good things must come to an end. At least we picked Frank up from his flight from Hawaii to a snowstorm here.

Olympics slow start

Just a quick note on my progress... The Charlotte's Web Shawl started off fine, a few problems with trying to get markers in the right place and keeping track of all the yarn overs. I began about 2:30 PM central time since I was out house hunting with my friend(they're thinking of buying an investment property in the area),I was up to about row 39-40 after about 4 hours of sporadic knitting. It SNOWED here in Memphis so had to take pictures, had to start a fire, had to dart off to the grocery store and beat off the rampaging Armageddon crowd to pick up a rotisserie chicken for dinner, and after I get back and settled down,I start thinking, "Gee when do I change to second color?" This is where I earned my first deduction. The judges, oops pattern, states at row 26!!!! It was easier to frog the whole thing than tink back the rows. So on a restart I am now, with color changes up through row 28.
The hubby returns from Hawaii today to the snowy wonderland of Memphis. I say it's poetic justice. But Jenny and I shall merrily continue our girl fest and maybe dress up Frank, paint his toenails in OPI's I'm not really a waitress, and include him in our happy all night gab sessions!

Team Tennessee!!

If you've noticed, I've figured out how to make buttons! I made one for myself and for Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics-Team Tennessee.
*If you live in TN
*If you have ever lived in TN
*If you've ever visited TN
*If you have relatives or friends in TN
*If you ever wanted to visit Graceland
*If you like BBQ
*If you like country music
*If you like the blues

If you qualify for any of the above- you're in! Leave your name in the comments and I'll post you under the Team TN button. If you didn't get it, the list is a bit Memphis oriented since that's where I live. But anything TN related works.

I have my nifty guest map link up but it's only me up there so go on over to my Bravenet map and tell me where you're from!

My friend arrives tomorrow so things might be quiet for postings since we'll be busy doing girl stuff. I'm also nuts because I'm registering my oldest daughter for high school classes. I'm trying to make sure she covers all of the requirements for the high school here and back in Virginia Beach since we'll be moving back there(hopefully!) in 2 years and that's where she'll actually graduate. Very overwhelming!

The jaywalkers are moving along. I have about 3-4 inches of the leg pattern. I was hoping to be up to the heel flap by Thursday but I doubt it. That means that as of Friday at 1pm central time, they'll be put aside for my Olympics entry-Charlotte's Web shawl.

Secret Pal-I'll let you know when my box(es) arrive(s). Hopefully the US mail gets it right this time!

The cat is running away again and more mice to play with!

First off my new poll seems to be lost at the bottom of my post on January 27 so here it is again...

Socks:DPN or Circs

Well the hubby is off on another business trip to Hawaii on Saturday. The good news: My best buddy Jenny is due to arrive on Tuesday or Wednesday and leave on the 14th. She's been living overseas, courtesy of the US Navy, for the past 3 years. I've only seen her for about 48 hours in all that time. So I'm looking forward to some girl bonding. The bad news: for those of you aware of the calendar, world events and the most popular knitalong, she's here at the start of Knitting Olympics!!! Roughly 5 days worth!!! Talk about pressure. Well I'll do my best but you might have to wait a week in between postings for updates.

The jaywalkers are cruising along. The first sock is done and I'm about 2 inches into the leg of the second. I'll need to take a break soon and swatch the shawl for the Olympics. I'm hoping to get the socks done before the Olympics.

If anyone out there is very blog savvy, I'd love to know how to add a third column to this without messing up my template. I'd appreciate any assistance. I'll need to be walked through step by step.