Diary of a pumpkin

From garden to table!

When I got home....

Yeah, this was waiting for me when I got home (the snow, not the garden lady head). Sigh.

Knitting Retreat

I just got back from the Knitter's Review retreat. Back in October, I decided to cancel because school was too crazy, and I also felt guilty about leaving my family for 4 days. Then I decided to uncancel - because it was my birthday present to myself. My 40th passed by without a lot of comment, so I did something I love and don't get to share with others very often. I do know people in my town that knit, but they are not really KNITTERS (in other words, as obsessive as me), and honestly, they probably think I'm rather odd. So I spent the weekend with people I don't know very well, but that love the same thing I do, and they totally get it.
You can see my roommate Jayme, spinning. She was so much fun, and so talented (way younger than me too, which I try not to hate her for). She showed me how to spin on a spindle - I need to practice a lot more, but you can see what we did. She was next to Elizabeth, also fun and who won the trip to the retreat (which I try not to hate her for).
The large pile is the FREE stuff I got, from the goodie bag and stash lounge. I know! Try not to hate me. The small pile is the stuff I bought - wasn't I good? I bought a beautiful spindle from Foxfire Fiber. I did order some custom-dyed-just-for-me gorgeous yarn from Briar Rose Fibers, but I haven't payed for it yet, so that doesn't count.
I am going to make the sweater Anne Hanson was wearing, it was a beautiful lace cardigan. Its not on her site yet, but it will be soon. You can go to Anne's blog to see way better pictures of the event. She is best known for her gorgeous shawls, but she also is an expert sweater knitter. I took her class on fit and now a lot more about knitting a sweater makes sense. She is just as pretty and cool as she looks, by the way! I had a high school moment when I struck up a conversation with her and she and I were laughing about blogging - I was thinking "the cool kid is talking to me"! I really enjoyed meeting her (ok, I may have a knitting crush on Anne Hanson - hope she's not scared).
I also had breakfast with Ann Bud! I know! All I said, "please pass the creamer" - I was afraid to look too dorky. For the 3 people who read my blog, Ann Bud is a really famous knit designer and author. She rocks, totally.
Also met Melanie Falick, the author of one of my favorite books, "Weekend Knitting" - really the book that started my obsession I think. She is actually kinda shy, which surprised me, but was gracious with all us crazy knitters crowding around her all the time. I'll have more to post when some of the lovely ladies from the retreat send me their pictures - I forgot my camera and my phone pictures are really terrible!
But it was just what I needed - and I remembered that life is what is happening now, not what is going to happen when my PhD is finished....

Margaret's birthday present

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Originally uploaded by carolbeech1

This is the secret project I was working on for Margaret's birthday. I can post now because she already has it. Its so lovely that she almost didn't get it!
Stats: Ishbel by Isolda
Yarn: Malabrigo Merinocash, colorway Tuareg from Little Knits
Beads: silver lined aqua triangles from Earthfaire

Sometimes you have a perfect marriage of pattern, yarn, and finishing touches. This is one of the great ones.

When Margaret sends me photos of her wearing it at her birthday party, I will post those. It looks good on me, but she is going to look amazing!

New shop

Those of you who know me know that I love to shop online. Well, there is a new fabric shop called Hawthorne Threads that just opened - well, they used to sell on Etsy and in fact were one of the places where the beautiful fabric of my quilt (below) came from! Now they have their own shop, and it looks really cool. I am in danger of developing a fabric stash as well as a yarn stash! That's a problem because I hardly ever sew. But I can convince my mom to make me stuff!

Knitted stuff

I've finished some knitted stuff! No, Margaret - this isn't your present! No less than 3 dear book club ladies are pregnant right now and I've got to get with the baby knitting! Um, everyone that I hinted that I might make you something for Christmas - doesn't look good. I am also working on a sweater vest for myself - because if I don't get to have knitted stuff too, I feel deprived.

My daughter is different

Here's my idea for a tutu - so cute!
Here's her's scary and fancy!

Trying to be good...

My favorite appetizer at the Fireside Grill is blue cheese chips - they make homemade potato chips and put this yummy blue cheese sauce over the top (I think there may be some veggies on top too, but who cares?). After I finally found some Kettles Baked chips (only at the Co-OP) I thought I could reproduce it at home. I used Hungry Girls cheese sauce recipe and substituted 1 oz of blue cheese for the cheddar, and then added a dash of onion powder and white pepper. I thought it was great! You also get 20 chips per serving of the Baked Kettles and its only 2 WW pts. Yay!