I'm ITCHY!!!

In knitting news I finished one of my Vog On socks. Yeah!! I had to keep my hands busy. I was itchy, very itchy. Here is a picture of just a little bit.(sorry the picture is dark)



Now just imagine this rash EVERYWHERE!!! I mean everywhere. I had to keep my hands busy so I would not scratch my skin off, so I knitted. I did finish one Vog On and I am about to cast on the second. Here is a picture.( my foot is a little swollen from the reaction so the sock is a little tight. I have been trying it on as I go so I know it will fit fine once the swelling is gone.)





I also knitted on Hubby’s sock. Actually I almost finished the one,then I tried it on Hubby’s foot and guess what? It was too big!! I swear these socks hate me (is that possible?) I have knitted, frogged,restarted, frogged again, started yet again.....Why? Because the gauge swatch LIED. I hate gauge swatches. I knit them and then cast on accordingly. Then I have to rip it all out and start over. I have no clue why I even bother.

Well I started them over again. I refuse to be defeated by a pair of socks. Here is what little progress I have.



I am tempted to break out the 00 and make a mate to the other sock. That one at least fits (somewhat).

I also knitted on some christmas stuff. I did not get to knit on the MS3, because well there is no way I can concentrate when I want to rip my skin off.

Hubby took me to my lys. I needed to pick up some buttons. I found these: sheep and cow buttons. Aren’t they cute!



I also picked up some new SWTC bamboo yarn.( yarn therapy)
The color is called Serendipity. Very pretty.



In other news:

Has anyone heard of Nuttin’ But Stringz? (a little warning music will play when you click that link) They are amazing. I first heard them on Jack Big Music Show on Noggin and then I went to see if iTunes had any of their music and well I am going to purchase their album. “Thunder” is my favorite (it is what I am listening to right now). They combine violins and hip hop and classical and well lots of different types of music in a very unique way.

My girls love the music and dance to it. It is a nice change from the sappy sweet kids music. That is why I like them to watch Jacks Big Music Show on Noggin- lots of different types of music and it is easy on the parents too.

A Good Run of Bad Luck.

Well I guess I got too excited and happy and it was decided that I would be kicked back into reality. It turns out that the drug that is working great and is helping me feel great and actually resume a somewhat normal life again- I am allergic to it. It seems if a person is allergic to Plaquenil it does not show up until 2-2.5 weeks into treatment. Well last night my leg itched, then I happen to look at my leg. It was covered in a rash, an itchy rash. Then I noticed it was on my arms,legs, chest and well I was covered. (I have had reactions to other meds and so I knew what it was) I call my Dr., and had to go see her again today. It was confirmed - I had a classic allergic reaction to the Plaquenil. Great just great. Of course it was going too good. I was feeling great with no bad side effects.

Now my problem is I have to wait 3-4 weeks for it to work out of my system and then I can start a new drug. While I wait I have to go back to 12.5 mg prednisone and no reducing for me for a few more months. I also have to decide if I want to start Drug A, which is less toxic to the system but (and this is a big but) I would have to shut and lock the door and throw away the key to ever having another baby. Then there is Drug B, no door locking but it is a stronger drug that can be more toxic.

Now Hubby and I have said and agreed that we would not have anymore kids and that is fine,but to me there is a big difference between shutting the door and locking it never to be opened again. There can be no changing of our minds once I start this drug. That is what I am having a problem with. I am only 30 and I know I have 3 wonderful children that I love with all my heart and I should be ok and happy - so why am I not?

A Good Run of Bad LuckWell I guess I

Happy Happy Joy Joy

YEAH!! YIPPEE!! Happy Happy Joy Joy!!
I went International.(well according to Hubby - I personally count Canada as International) If you look at my map in the side bar you will see a dots. It was sort of a challenge when Hubby saw that I put a map on the blog. He said he would be amazed if I went international, well amazed he is. A big thank you to my international readers who helped me stick it to him.=)

In knitting news I finally started MS3. I am on row 27. I know really far, but I have to knit it when the kids are in bed - so I get about an hour to work on it a day. Even though it is really small, I am loving it. I decided to double the yarn and I am using a size 4 needle. I am using a circular needle but I am thinking of switching to a dpn. The cable will not behave and is driving me nuts.



I worked on both pairs of socks and well I would show pictures but well you can not really see any difference from before. It’s slow going.

For those of you who have seen/heard about The Yarn Dying, I have something to show. This is a picture of the blue/green/yellow yarn knitted up. I like how the colors came out. Of course I have now clue how I did it.
From this:



To this:




Christmas knitting is going well. I started another project.
Other then that not much to report yet. I will have pictures of the secret projects soon.

Life Report: Dr. says I am doing well and the meds are working well. I am to reduce my dosage on the prednisone slowly, so I will be off of that soon. I am just happy that I can move without looking like one of the undead. (Hubby’s favorite thing to do is to make zombie noises behind me when I would move like that - in good fun of course - it always makes me laugh) I can pick up my children - even my 60 pound son. I am loving it. The only thing that is still around is the exhaustion. I am always tired. I get at least 7-8 hours a night but I could fall asleep right now. It could be from the RA, medication or heck having three kids around. (when does school start?) Considering where I was and where I am now - I would pick now. I can handle being tired all of the time.=).

On July 26 my Hubby and I will mark 7 (WOW) years together.



I love him more then ever. He knows how to make me laugh no matter how bad things are going. He is really the love of my life. I would not change a single thing about him, even the things I really can not stand. A wise aunt of mine told me something one day that is so true (I can not remember exactly her words but they went something like this). It was about being able to live with and love the things that annoy you the most, not about wanting to change them. So true. I Love You Honey (Really Really).=)


Only 153 days until Christmas. Has anyone else started yet?

I have been knitting a little slow lately (I so can not wait until fall) so instead of finished items to show I have works in progress updates.

Hubby’s sock is coming along well. I am knitting this pair toe-down (I normally do toe up but I wanted a change of pace). The pattern is from Sensation Socks (love this book and I really want the new one)The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill in variegated blue and orange (Mets,Islanders, and Bear colors, of course).I am pass the gusset decrease and now on the foot.



I have doubled the yarn that I used on the first sock and that changed the needle size from 00 to 3. Much easier on my hands and I can knit for awhile.

This is my pair. Vog on from Knitty. The yarn is Memories in Rocky Mountain from Knitpicks. They are anklets and I am loving them. I just finished the decreases and now I am on the foot (these are also toe down).



MS3 update: I love the yarn my mommy bought me. It is beautiful. It is Jade Sapphire Exotic Fibres Lacey Lamb in a beautiful blue (picture does not do it justice). I swatched in 2 different needle sizes to see which needle size I needed.



There was a post about the yardage needed and it is only 780 yards. If I use what I swatched this stole will be like a cobweb stole, but I can double the yarn and it would be a little heavier. I am waiting for my needles to arrive so I have time to swatch again. The important question is at my gauge will 825 yards (the doubled length) be enough? Or should I stick to single yarn and have alot left over? (I know - the problems I have)

This teaser picture is a christmas gift. That is all I am saying. I love the yarn so I took a picture to show (again picture does no justice what so ever).




I have other things done/almost done that I just can not show just yet. I have pictures so when the items are in their new homes I will post about them.

In other news: We have a new additions to our family. My beloved (as beloved as a tree frog can be) died. That is the way of things. That left us with a fire-belly frog, 2 adults and 1 baby toad that we found in the yard (boys) and our The Anole (yes that is her name). Hubby wanted to get another anole so The Anole would not be lonely.

Here is the new anole (he is a Bahaman Anole). (He is shedding)



He is an adult. The Anole is still growing . She just finished shedding so she looks very pretty now.


(She is also a brown anole and a girl!! Great I am going to be grandmother to lizards, I can just see it)

This is Godzilla.





She is a Leopard Lizard. She is very pretty and laid back. (I am NOT going to do the handling on this one). She is Hubby’s new baby. I wish I took a picture when he was holding Godzilla. It was adorable. Godzilla eats crickets. The big ones, not the little ok almost cute crickets, no the big ugly loud chirping crickets. We bought 10 figuring that would do for now. Well as I type this the crickets are chirping. Did I mention they chirp loudly? Only the biggest are alive now (thank you toads) and I am hoping that Godzilla hurries up and feels like she is home and starts eating these noisy things. Everyone else is eyeing them but the few crickets that are left are to big to eat. Oh well, I doubt that they will keep me up at night - Hubby snores too loudly.=).

(Personal Note: Aunt I - If you are reading this before a certain girl’s birthday, please make sure she is not watching)

Happy Birthday my baby boy. Well you really are not a baby anymore, you are growing up so fast.







We tried to dye his mohawk red and blue for the forth but he could not wait and we rinsed way to early. The red turn his hair slightly pink and the blue did nada. Although he does look cute in a pink shower cap.






Yeah!! I finished something. Well actually I finished 2 things. My little cousin is having a birthday very soon. For her birthday I made her 2 things. The first thing is a bag. I based it on the Fat Bottom Bag from Happy Hooker (it is about crocheting - get your mind out of the gutter). (Hey Aunty - I learned how to link) Okay back to the bag - I changed the pattern and added a snap. I know big surprise I changed a pattern.




Second is the Pineapple Triangle Scarf (look another link - ok I am done now ; ) ) by Crochetmama. It is a cute scarf and I worked it up really quick while I was watching the All-Star game (Go National League - even though you guys lost). Then of course I blocked it to make it look pretty.



Then it was all dry and looking very lovely.




MS3 KAL (mystery stole 3 knit along) news: I swatched and it looked nice. (yes I shortened the swatch - I hate swatches, but I do knit them when I really need too) Here it is blocking.



Here it is all dry.



I just do not like the yarn for this project. It is Knitpicks Shadow in Redwood Forest Heather. It is a pretty yarn but I have seen the charts for the first 2 clues and the two really do not go. My Mommy (A.K.A. an angel) is surprising me with new lace weight yarn on saturday. Yeah I can not wait.

Alrighty now I am going to veg out in front of a fan and try to cool off.

A short rambling.

It is hot. Today with humidity it feels like 98 degrees. Eww!! I really can not take the heat and the humidity. It is hard for me to breathe and it aggravates my RA. I also really do not feel like doing anything - cooking, cleaning,knitting or moving. I really need to knit. I have so much to do and my bag is sitting by my feet with 7 works in progress. I just have no energy to do it.
Today I went to the eye doctor. It was so much fun!!! (yes I am being sarcastic) He had to dilate my eyes so everything is blurry right now. Good news though - I am okayed to begin a new medication. Hopefully it will put the RA in remission. Pill count is now up to 8.5. Not to bad.
Tomorrow my oldest turns six. Where did the time go. Parents everywhere say this all the time, and I am going to say it. It seemed like just yesterday I brought him into this world. He still amazes me everyday. Today we were putting his dinosaurs together and he knew the names of all of them. He reads to me and remembers everything. He is becoming a pokemon expert and is becoming a real artist. His pictures are amazing. Everyday I say to myself when did he grow up.
Well I am off to try and get something done today. I hope the weather breaks soon.



168 days knitting days until Christmas

Just a short knitting vent....

ok. I just have to vent here.Has anyone ever have something (for example here a scarf, but it doen’t have to be knitting) that in theory should be nice and easy but becomes a real thorn?

I have this yarn, it is a really pretty color , and it is also one of those yarns that goes from thick (bulky)to thin (almost lace weight). Maybe that is the problem. It just doesn’t look right and I wind up frogging and frogging

I have tried to knit it ,oh about 20 times now. It feels like it just does not want to be knitted. I have searched patterns on the internet and now I am trying to write my own pattern. In the beginning it seemed like this scarf would be one of those easy and quick knits but it just is not happening and it is so driving me up the wall.

It is perfect for someone on my christmas list (yes I started), so back I go.

Ta-Da here are the results

So last thursday I brought my kids and hubby outside to kool-aid dye yarn. It was a great day for it. It was going to be a very hot and sunny day. We went out at about 9:30 and it was already 85. I had those disposable roasting pans lined with black garbage bags. I had the kool-aid in those little pint water bottles and my hubby took a big nail and made a whole in each top. I wanted to use those sports tops but I didn't have enough and I did not want to hear the 3 kiddies bicker over who had what. We all had a lot of fun and even my hubby got into it.

It might have been too hot. The yarn soaked up the dye really quick. I had 30 of those pint bottles and it was not enough. We were dyeing 3 hanks of peruvian bulky and 2 dk swish from Knitpicks. I split up the hanks into smaller hanks so the kids had more to dye. It should have been enough. I had one half hank of dk leftover and since it was already soaked I chose to use food coloring I had laying around. Then the bags were tied up and placed in the middle of the yard to bake.



After about 5 hours i had no more patience for waiting and ran out and grabbed a bag. When i opened the bag the was clear water dripping out. Yeah they were done. I rinsed each one and hung them up to dry. I wanted to hang them outside but mother nature decided to break the heat with lots of rain and thunderstorms, so i hung them from the shower rod in my bathroom.



Then I waited, and waited, and waited. All I kept thinking was "A watched pot never boils". Well I figured by the next day they would be dry. Wrong. The weather changed. It was now 70 and overcast/icky. The hanks stayed in the bathroom. By lunchtime i was done waiting. Bring on the fan.



While i was waiting I made this.


It is made from leftover yarn that I dyed with leftover henna. I named it my leftover headband. I forgot how fun it can be to just grab yarn and needles and not really have an idea what to make. It was done before the yarn.



I also worked on my Hubby's sock. Yes singular. I have been working on this sock for about a year now. Size 00 and RA do not like each other. I can knit about a row or 2 and that is about it. My fingers hurt and I can not hold the needles anymore. So it has taken me a while. I did them toe up and when i reached this point Hubby said it was long enough. Yeah. Yipee. well after 3 tries at binding off loose enough (I always have a problem with this. I finally used size 3 needle.)



I tried it on him. And it didn't fit quite right. It turns out my darling Hubby has a wide heel. Of course the heel I turned was not wide enough. It pulled the ankle ribbing down.



Well since I refuse to frog this and redo, since it took about 4 months of work to get it done, I started a new pair. I am going the other way and I also doubled the yarn. Now I am using size 3 dpn. Much easier on my hands.

Okay The yarn at this point is now dry and here are the pics.

Food coloring.


Tie dyed attempt.


The kid's and hubby's.( only some of them - something happened to the other pic)For some reason the colors did not come out as bright with this yarn (I mixed the kool-aid the same way for all of the bottles)


Here is the food coloring, tie dye and my attempt at self stripping sock yarn (in the middle). I am hoping it will work, but I love how the colors came out so I think I will like it anyhow.


Here is a shot of all of the yarn balled. (To me it doesn't look like the same amount as I started with.)


We all had fun and my kids want to do it again. I have plans for the bulky yarn my kids dyed but I can not discuss what here since I do not want to give it away (just in case those certain people read this)