A happy meeting of worlds

With my blog name, how could I resist the chocolate swap? Here's my swap package all dressed up and ready to go. The funny thing is that my swap partner lives in Portland, OR. Alternate commitments prevented us from meeting up at OFFF, but maybe next year?



If you look in the side-bar you can see I've been a real joiner this week but I'm hoping this will encourage me to

write up the pattern for these scarves

expand my tea stash (it's so pitiful right now and all boxed up)

finish some languishing socks (very, very old Socka mix in neutrals) and start some new ones

and work my way through some of my fibre stash!

Oregon beauty

The view from our room at the Rivershore Hotel. I don't know what kind of beds they have, but they were incredibly comfortable.


My Sheila buttons. My macro lens is packed but I hope I've captured some of the depth and beauty of her buttons. I've asked for a sweater's worth of the indigo/white/green one.

In other news, the Flame and I took possession of our new home yesterday. The move will be in two stages as we will probably divide our time between new and old until the current house is sold. I'm hoping to find my 1st River Rapids Sock packed into a box when I start unpacking. I finished Sock #2 en-route to Canby but it's a mystery where #1 has disappeared to.

All OFFFer it.

My trip South was just what the doctors had ordered.

3 days of friends, fun, interesting discoveries, music and sunshine.


This was interesting. The flavour and mouth-feel are both a bit wierd. I would not recommend it unless you like unusually thick beverages that are hard to drink but not satisfyingly thick enough to feel like a milkshake. The research I do for all of you .

Canby and Oregon City were filled with lovely, friendly people. There was a wonderful view from our hotel room up the river and the fairgrounds were just a short drive away.

My favourite picture? Tina and her new bunny!



I was lucky enough to spend a little bit of time with the PNW contingent of FT out in the grass and was so pleased to finally meet Sheila.

I came home with several of her buttons, I'll try and take a picture but they have so much depth and detail it may be hard to truly capture their beauty. My new circulars should arrive soon. In my excitement, I left without a cord!

So close I can paint it.

That just doesn't sound right.

It's the end of the line for the house and I. Time for a well deserved break, no matter what happens, I'm headed South for OFFF tomorrow night.


The high point of this week has been the receipt of my sockapaloooza package. Thanks to Mia for making sure it got to me. I'm quite delighted with my socks and the stress level around here has made for a rapid decline in the chocolate stash. I'm hoping to try out the MegaBoots Stretch after my next engagement.

Making progress

It's going to be another 2 weeks (didn't I say this last week?) before the house is done but progress is being made and hopefully I'll have carpet on the stairs when I get home.

It hasn't been all house-work around here.

I made a neat find at Home Depot. (OK, the trip was for more house stuff) If you don't have a Daiso in your neck of the woods to get my neat blocking squares, this may be a good, if bulkier solution.


I have become the master of quick cooking using pantry staples. If you take Kraft Dinner, add sour cream, parmesan, peas and chicken cooked with leeks and garlic and serve with a side salad, dinner is quick and surprisingly tasty.

I leave you with something I call 'sock, resting on newly painted door'.

Friday treat

Cream on top, organic vanilla yogurt and chocolate sauce on the bottom.

This isn't yogurt, this is dessert in a cup.

Yum.

I have to figure out where I can get this in Vancouver (I brought this back from Bellevue carefully packed in a cooler, with ice).

If I sit nicely,

will you give me another treat?

Mackenzie came down to hall to visit a couple of times yesterday. She knows exactly where the dog treats are kept in my desk.

I'm hoping to get the toe of the first River Rapids sock done at lunch today - pictures as soon as that happens! Socks go so quickly if you pick them up when they are half done.

Leafing out all over.

I know it's not really Spring, but it sure feels like it now that I've finished my socks and my african violets are in bloom again.



Project specs : Leaf Lace Socks by Fiber Trends

Yarn : Fleece Artist Merino in Amethyst

Needles : 2.5mm Regia sock needles, the little short ones that are no longer made :(

Started : July 14, 2006
Finished : September 4, 2006

I can't believe these wonderful socks took me so long to knit. I blame the house renovations that ate (and are still eating) my knitting time. This is a great, meditative, logical pattern and the half repeats on the sides of the instep are really pretty. This yarn both softens and relaxes a bit when washed so while I was concerned the toe was a bit snug, it's a perfect fit now.


Time for me to get back to work on my River Rapid socks languishingly sadly from the Trek-Along and rest up for...

Labouring on and better news.

Still alive, still working on the house. The Flame and I are hoping to be done in 2 weeks.

The kitchen cabinets arrived.


I sent out my Knit Sock Kit Swap package. (I hope she likes it.)


Best of all, I received my KSKS package! My pal totally rocked. My super-cool bag was made from a felted sweater and a tie. There is even a pocket and a divider inside. The whole package brought dreams of fall weather and colours.


The chocolates have been devoured and the binder with patterns and information is perfect for me. I loved the fact that she used sock pictures from my blog. My slightly compulsive organizational streak must have shown! Once I finish the leaf lace socks and get packed and moved, I'll be giving the 2 circular method a try. (Also, the new KP circulars which I haven't seen yet - double yay!)

The little sock blocker key chain is going to get finished before I move though. It is just too cute. Here's a close-up of the absolutely gorgeous yarn from Plain & Fancy Sheep & Wool Co. in Purple Storm.



A big thank you to my wonderful pal.