The Year of the Weddings

No I haven't said the words "I do." But it seems to be a favorite phrase this year for people I know. I already dedicated a post to Laura and Michael and their wedding at the beginnig of this month. I have talked to her only once since the wedding (she's been busy being a wife) and they are extremely happy!

This Saturday my cousin is getting married. My Aunt has taken on the project of making the bride's dress, the two bridesmaid dresses, and her ow dress. I think she is insae but its what she loves doing so more power to her! Sarah and I have never really gotten alog extremely well, but we are older know so... Congrats Sarah!

Most important of all - I got a phone call from my best friend the other day. Jess and I grew up together. We've been best friends since the first grade when she first moved here.

We have bee inseperable ever since. At the start of my freshmen year of college we both got into our first real relationship. While I have since broken up with my first love she has hit a hole in one and is ENGAGED to her first true love. His name is Ryan. And I approve. Her dad took pictures of them today for their engagement announcments. Are they not the cutest couple? And she looks so happy - and that's what really matters. I was the first to know after her parets (of course). I haven't seen her in person since she told me, but I want to see her ASAP.

I've been thinking about her a lot. I've been thinking about how we used to be little and how that seemed like yesterday. How for my 16th birthday she took me to see NSYNC at Madison Square Garden or how we went together on a church trip to Austria and had one of the best times of our lives. But we have obviously grown up and we are growing into beautiful women (or atleast I like to think so!).

Jess I love you so much! CONGRATS!! (Oh, I think I'm gonna cry)

A Few of My Favorite Things

I finished the Felted tote by the deadline that I had set for myself - well, minus a bead for a finishing touch. We are having a little trouble finding just the right sort of bead. But here is a picture as I promised (except for the bead) of Mom's final felted tote birthday present. Now I can focus my full attention to knitting those friendship bracelets and get started on a few infant hats. Those may just have to be my vacation projects. For now a break from felting.

Did I ever tell you that before I was a knitter I was a scrapbooker? In fact I still am a scrapbooker. However, because it is much more difficult to carry around with me and it isn't as easy to pick up and take along on the car ride along I don't get as much of it done nor as quickly as I get my knitting projects fiished. This eveing I had finally had a good chunk of time to set up my scrapbooking things and work on my newest album for awhile. - my United States of America Presidents album. See I've made it my life goal to visit all the Presidential homes and libraries/museums. I own a book telling me of all the the prsidents and their historic homes and libraries if they have one. So far, I have visited three of four sites for Franklin D. Rooselvelt. The fourth site is in Georgia - which would mean a 16 hour drive for me. So that one will have to wait for now.

In less than two weeks we leave for vacation and while we are gone I will get to visit James Buchanan's home called Wheatland in Lancaster, PA as well as the National Historic Site for Dwight D. Eisenhower in Gettysburg, PA - the only place that the Eisenhower's ever really called home. How exciting!

Just a Quickie...

This is going to be a very short post simply to let you know I'm still alive - well, barely. I got what I had been asking for all summer since being home from Israel - a job. In fact, I got two of them and after tomorrow I will have worked about 45 hours. And let me tell you, I am exhausted! The good news is Dad is off my back about finding a job and now I can give Purl what she deserves - gas. The bad news is my time to post here is limited. It's only temporary - and I will do my best to keep updating as frequently as possible.

I reached the deadline that I had made for myself for Mom's felted tote bag. I finished it! Pictures will be posted tomorrow or Sunday. Since the tote is finished I have begun work on a few minor things - having not gotten farther than a row or two on each of the projects. By the time I get home from work I am lucky my eyes are still awake to knit, let alone actually being sucessful at it. Therefore, for example, the hat pattern with the yarn overs and the switching from knitting to purling is more of a challenge than I would have hoped for.

Since I have tomorrow off from work until 6:30 I think the family has made plans to go to the beach. I am looking forward to it a lot! I'm gonna grab a nice book and do nothing - something I haven't been able to do all week!
While it won't be as nice as the Mediteranean...or the Sea of Galilee...
- I suppose the Atlantic will do just fine!

I LOVE Surprises!

My secret pal left an anonymously comment on my blog the other day warning me that my July skein of yarn would be arriving in the mail no later than Wednesday or Thursday. I was pleasantly surprised when I got a package in the mail today with the return address coming from OR! I got a cute little note saying that she chose this yarn for the name of the color: Oregon Lakes. It came wrapped so beautifully!

Do you "knot" agree that it was so pretty the way it was wrapped? I almost - almost - didn't want to open it up. But boy was I glad when I did open it up! Inside was this: Is it not beautiful? I am in complete love. The colorway is beautiful! It is Oregon wool and Mohair that is handpainted by Susan Schrandt. The picture does not do the yarn justice. Thank you soooo so much Secret Pal! You have been fantastic!

I began felting my mom's purse today! It needs to go through the washing maching one or two more times and then I will post pictures. In the mean time, this is what it looked like before it was felted: I personally like it better felted. I am going to have it done by the 15th! I bought the brads (purse bottoms) for it yesterday and can put those on when it is finished felting! Then I begin work on the list of things that I have left to be knitted - there is always something to be knit!

Think Pink!

The Think Pink Challenge!

I was listening to Rhonda Bell's podcast Knitting News Cast the other day (episode 13). She was telling her listeners about the Think Pink Challenge. After checking out there website, I decided I should pass the word along to the rest of you - especially if you knit or crochet. She is hoping to get people to knit, crochet, or with any other sort of creative skill (sewing, etc.) 1,000 pink scarves for women facing breast cancer. By taking the time to knit these scarves, and praying for the health and healing of their recipients in the process, we can make a tremendous difference in the lives of these women. Check out her blog for more information on where to send them and by when. I am going to try to knit atleast one scarf for this wonderful charity. I hope you are able to participate. Pass the word on to everyone you know!

Other Knitting News

In other knitting related news I am nearly done with Mom's felted purse. I am hoping to felt it tomorrow and put the finishing touches on it shortly after that. In the mean time I have a waiting list of projects to get done. My local yarn store just had their 4th of July Sale to clear out the summer yarns to make room for the fall yarns. I bought yarn for Ann Norlin's Kids Fruit Cap pattern. I have 2 friends who are pregnant and due in October so I am going to make their new additons pumpkin caps! I think they will look adorable. I also have a baby's hat pattern that I want to knit out of the One Skein pattern book for my secret pal. And that only begins to list the projects I want to get done!

Knit Like the Wind!

As Brenda Dayne has so kindly instructed us to do in the introduction to her podcast, I have "knit like the wind" this past week. My mom's birthday was June 15th. I knew in March what I wanted to knit her (the Chic Shopping Bag in Pursenalities). By Easter time I had all the yarn needed for the purse and it was wound from hank to ball with the secret help of Joyce. And despite all that I still didn't get it finished in time for her birthday. I had too many projects planned and not enough time (I'm sure you remember my crazy-stress-filled entries in April/Early May). And so I've decided that if I can't get a finished project to my mom for her birthday despite being planned 3 months in advance, I will not (I repeat NOT) deliever this purse a month late to her. The purse must be felted with button sewed on and everything no later than July 15th. I think I can do it. Today I cast-off the body of the bag!

It is huge! It is the biggest felted project I've ever made. I need to sew the bottom to the rest of the purse (that's why there is that extra flap at the bottom), finish knitting the handles,attach the handles to the purse, shape the purse, felt the bag, sew on the button, and attach purse bottoms to add a professional touch! Think I can do it all in 10 days?

To make my task harder (cause I like to do crazy stuff to myself) I decided today that it would be fun to start the swatch for the Baby Hat in One Skein - possibly the final gift for my secret pal, possibly for one of the other 3 pregnant women I know. Also, did I tell you that I got a fantastic little present in the mail the other day from the ever-so-wonderful Holly?! Well, I did! She sent me the prettiest button. And ya know what? It goes perfectly with the skein of yarn my secret pal sent me in June! See for yourself:

Then the so wonderful online knitting magazine Knitty recently released the summer issue. And in addtion to their great articles I have fallen in love with nearly all the patterns in this issue (especially this one).

My local yarn shop is having a sale to clear out the summer stuff to bring in the autumn yarns. Perhaps I can find some good finds for all the projects I want to knit... and there are so many of them!

Til Death Do Us Part

I'm back home and with one less single friend. Congrats Laura!

Sarah and I got down to Maryland on Friday afternoon in really good time which was a surprise to us since we thought there would be heavy traffic considering it's July 4th Weekend. With no real plans to attend to on Friday we found ourselves in a rather cute little town: Ellicott City. We had a wonderful lunch at Tea on the Tiber where we enjoyed afternoon tea (I had a pot of Green Tea Tropical that was absolutely amazing), a plate fun of fresh fruit and cheese, and scones (I had a chocolate chip one). We were lucky to be seated because they normally are so busy that reservations are needed. I'm glad we were able to experience this cute little place.

After lunch we wandered across the street to The Celtic Knot Yarn Shop. Sarah and I wasted atleast an hour there despite the place lacking temporarily air conditioning. I bought my Secret Pal her skein of yarn for the month a July. It is a hank of Cascade 220 Quatro (color # 9435). I am addicted to felting and I especially love felting with cascade so I thought I'd pass the love on to my SP. I hope she enjoys it.

The wedding was Saturday. At the request of the bride we arrived at the church at 2:00 (even though the wedding began at 5:00) and helped her get into her dress and be with her one last time as Miss Laura. She looked absolutely amazing. Don't you agree?! The ceremony was beautiful with both the mothers starting the ceremony by lighting the two candles for the unity candle lighting that Laura and Michael would do later in the ceremony.

She isn't coming back to Gordon in the fall. She and Michael will be living in Maryland while he finishes up school at the University of Maryland. I think she'll be taking classes at a community college nearby. She's all grown up. She is Mrs. Vargo. She is a wife!

I still can't believe it. My friends are growing up. I didn't think it would happen so soon. I'm so happy for her though. I love you Laura!

P.S. I forgive you, Laura, for letting your Dad give away that wool. Atleast this time.