Quite a long post

Like everyone else, we've been quite busy around here chez DaisyFrog. We've gone through an expensive, harrowing ordeal with one of our cats, but I'll save that story for another day. Or maybe I won't tell it at all, because the little bastard now appears to be fine after eating something that disagreed with him.

Anyhoo, how about some FOs?

This here is a lovely tea cozy crafted for my brother. Being the Renaissance man that he is, Glennjamin enjoys his daily tea, and so I made him a tea cozy. The gray is Plymouth Encore Worsted, the red is Malabrigo, and the pattern is from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. I crocheted it instead of knitting it because it needed to be finished in a timely fashion. I am fairly pleased with it, although it is a bit large. Whatever. Glennjamin seemed pleased.

Here is the same thing, this one for my father. This was also crocheted (hdc) in Plymouth Encore Worsted, and the size came out better on this one. I created a very subtle pattern by crocheting in the round in one direction for 3 rows, then reversing for three rows, and so on. I am pleased with it! This was a quick and easy project.

This here is a bear for my cousin's son who is about 17 months old. The head and body are done, I just need to crochet the arms and legs and sew it together. This is loosely based on Camilla Engman's Bedfellows pattern from The Happy Hooker. I think it's going to look pretty dang cute when it is finished.

Here is my first Bainbridge Scarf, pattern by Minty Fresh. Again, it is crocheted instead of knitted. I created the ribbed effect by crocheting through the back loop only on each row. I'm happy with it except for the little tassel-y things at the end of the ties, but I broke the yarn too short, so I didn't have enough to weave it in. Stupid on my part. I am making another one of these in dark green mercerized cotton. Please excuse my waddle in the above picture.

Tis the season to treat oneself! These books were availabe on Amazon.com for only $10.17 each; how could I resist? The patterns in Lacy Crochet are really pretty and not too futzy or prissy in my opionion.

The patterns in Amigurumi appear to be well laid-out. I need practice in crocheting various shapes, and this book will most certainly provide me with that practice!

My family was waaaaaaay good to me at Christmas this year. I got some music - if I weren't married, and if Eddie Vedder weren't married, I would marry him based simply on his cover of "Hard Sun". Holy moly, that is one mighty fine song. And who woulda thunk that Robert Plant and Allison Krauss are a vocal and artistic match made in heaven? Not me, but that they are. Whoa. And I haven't listened to Gomez or Norah Jones yet, but honestly, how bad can they be?

And of course, I got me some booky-wookies. (Not like Chewbacca, no.) I love Crochet Me. It is one mighty fine book. I am definitely making the Victorian Shrug/Wrap from the cover. I also love Amy O'Neill Houck's Babydoll Dress. *Le sigh* So many patterns, so little time.

I think Annie Modesitt is brilliant. I don't like all of her patterns, but I admire her creativity and lack of attention to the rules. This book is gorgeous. There are about 10 patterns in here that I want to make.

My neighbor Anne Marie gave me this book, and it friggin' ROCKS. It basically gives you recipes for eighty bajillion sweaters, with different options for sleeves, bodies, pockets, cardigans, pullovers, collars, and whatever else you can think of. I will be using this A LOT.


This here is Dulcinea. You may remember me mentioning that my dad has a Blythe doll named Bridget. I knit her an outfit. When Dad first got Bridget, I really thought he had gone around the bend. But the more I looked at her, and the more I looked at other Blythe dolls, the more I realized that I actually kind of liked them. A lot. So my dear Dad surprised me and got me Dulcinea for Christmas. She is a Medieval Mood reissue, just in case you were wondering. She is pictured above with Hemingway.

Dad also got me this Jizo statue. Jizo is the protector of women, children, and travelers; coincidentally, I happen to be all three of those things. Neat, huh? Isn't he cute? He will be residing next to my happy fat Buddha.

And now for the piece de resistance. Oh yeah. Those are roller skates baby. Quadline Dominions with 100 mm wheels. Are they sweet or what? WT got these bad boys for me for Christmas, and I LOVE THEM. I can't wait for the weather to get nice (oh wait - I live on the eastern seaboard. That won't happen until June) so I can skate my ass off. Literally. My ass needs to be skated off, as well as my waddle and my spare tire. So not only am I going to kick some retro 70s ass, I'm going to look good doing it. Okay, maybe not look good WHILE I'm doing it, but I'll look good AFTER I do it. I'm sure I'll look like a moron while I'm doing it. Because that's how I roll. Ha! Get it? Roll? Roller skates? Tee hee hee!

I need some sleep.

***

So you may or may not have noticed that my yarn diet ticker is missing from the top of my blog. Yeah, I blew the diet about 10 days before it officially ended. Whatever, good enough. I will probably start a new diet shortly. So you wanna know what I bought?

• Cotton Ease in Almond for Zephyr Gal's Juliet
• Cotton Ease in Indigo for Zephyr Gal's Tree Jacket
• Red Heart Soft Yarn in Off White to make a layette for my cousin's wife
• Red Heart Heathers in Blue to make a layette for our pregnant lesbian friends
• Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy in Vivid Green and Cool Blue (blue in stash) for Edna Hart's Marly Boatneck from the latest issue of Knitscene
• Casco Bay Sport in Pale Blue and Brick Red for Regina Rioux Gonzalez's Singular Tee, also from the latest issue of Knitscene
• Classic Elite Four Seasons in Barn Red and Natural to make Cathy Carron's Cabana Tee, also from the latest issue of Knitscene (can you tell I like this issue?)

I also at some point want to make (from the latest issue of Knitscene) Katie Himmelberg's Phiaro Scarf, Kathy Zimmerman's Wildflower Tee, Ann Budd's First Time Tube Socks, and Cecily Glowik's Pebble Hoodie. Because, you know, I have all the time in the world.

***

I can't believe that Christmas break is almost over and it's almost time to go back to work. I am going to see friends this weekened, and Banana and WT and I are going to Longwood Gardens on Monday. Monday night we are hosting our annual New Year's Eve bash, where Anne Marie comes over, gets drunk, laughs silently, and slaps her knee. A good time is had by all.

I wish you all a lovely rest of your holiday season, and a wonderful 2008, where all of your dreams come true. :o)

Thanks for stopping by.