you make my day

I don't say it enough. To anyone. "You make my day." I'm lucky to be surrounded by children who are joyful, a husband who is loving, friends who are generous, and I absolutely need to say it more: You make my day.

Hilary gave me a "You Make My Day Award" today. Hilary's blog is one I look at often, but I don't know that I've ever posted a comment. It's featured down there on the left with all of the other blogs I find inspiring. When you click on Hilary's blog, you might first notice the Latin (one of my favorite aspects of the yarniad), and you will notice the fine knitting and sewing projects that are featured, but by far, the most important things you will notice at the yarniad is that Hilary fills her life with fun. It seems like Hilary's the type of blogger you would want to meet in person and then make your very best friend.

So what is the "You Make My Day Award", you ask? The purpose of this award: Give the award to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland. Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so they can pass it on. Beware you may get the award several times. So here goes:

I am reciprocating the award and sending it firstly to Hilary for the yarniad. See reasons above. Thanks for such a special treat today. It truly made my day! The fact that anyone at all reads my blog is a wonder...

Sometimes I feel like a stalker, but Leslie is who I wish I could be. Leslie's blog, a friend to knit with, is overflowing with beautiful knits, super-cute sewing projects, delicious food and totally squeezable children. a friend to knit with reminds me on a daily basis to have fun with my kids.

Angry Chicken is my sewing fantasy blog. Amy's work is always fresh but retro-looking, and I love her book, bend-the-rules sewing. (In fact, I gave multiple copies out for holiday gifts this year.) Any of the crafts featured on Angry Chicken are inpiring.

house on hill road gets a "You Make My Day". Erin's blog is just plain fun. Apparently, I wish I could sew, because I look at these blogs and drool. Erin's may make me drool the most. Her kids' projects are beyond cute, too.

techknitting might not be as "adorable" or "squeezable" as the aforementioned blogs, but it surely has made more than a few of my days. If I've got a question about knitting techniques, this is the first stop I make. The simple fact that anyone would put so much energy into a free and frequently updated site is amazing.

splityarn is the next blog awarded. Caro makes my day. Especially when she posted photos of herself wearing her completed Twist sweater. Talk about inspiration!

Kirsten's blog, Through the Loops!, is another blog with great photos, lots of beautiful knitting, and two amazingly talented daughters who are also crafty.

Scout's Swag is my favorite place to shop -- and sometimes nothing makes me happier than shopping. I'm sure you're all very familiar with Scout, her shop, and her blog.

Peaknit's blog is great, but Stacey herself is even sweeter.

Lastly, the "You Make My Day Award" goes to Strands of Me. Natalie's such a warm person, and her blog is just the sort of blog I read when I need to feel more like a friend than a fan.

Thanks to everyone for your blogs. You all really do make my day.

two of a kind

Laurel was very excited to wear these to school today.


Although I didn't get a shot of her full outfit, I should have. She had the socks peeking over some brown suede boots, and was wearing a khaki skirt, white collared shirt, and a brown with turquoise polka-dotted headband. If it wasn't obvious before, these are her favorite colors in the crayon box.

Thanks to Leslie (for the instructional booklet) and Georgia (for the pretty pink needles), I am attempting my first Magic Loop'd socks. The socks will be for my husband, and they're made with Knit Picks Felici in "Firefighter" on a size 2 circular. I'm not sure if this method is for me; it's possible that I'm one of those types of people that learn a particular way to do something and can't do the same thing in any other way.


The Fiber Trends booklet that Leslie sent really is helpful, and I'm thinking that after this pair, I'll try a toe-up (which would also be a new skill for me) on the circulars.

nearly knee socks

I love knitting. And I love it when my kids love what I've knit them.

Laurel has eyed this sKnitches yarn in "Planetary" since I got it from eBay last spring. (Funnily enough, someone who has now become a "blog friend" was the seller! Such a small world!!) Laurel wears a uniform to school, and has nurtured an interest in knee socks to spice up her white-khaki-navy plainness.

I had attempted knee socks for her this summer, but they just weren't working. Using this non-pattern resulted in miscalculations on MY part and thusly produced a sock that was huge in the calf. I had to put it all down and walk away.

On Thursday, I decided it was time to get these things on the needles. Once I guesstimated at the cast-on stitch number, then worked out the initial increase numbers, I just kept sliding it on her leg to double-check the way things were turning out. The first one is done, and other than realizing I need to re-kitchener the toe with more stitches, I think it's pretty awesome!



You should have seen me knitting the foot of this sock, though. I was sweating bullets. I only have 300 yards of this yarn, and I really don't know how many yards it takes to make these socks. Using a scale, I measured two equal amounts and then wound those into center-pull balls. Towards the end of the ball -- and thankfully the end of the foot -- I kept glancing down to see how many colors were down there... As soon as I saw I had only one green length down there, I got a little jittery. I have 26 inches left of yarn.

Again with the quick knitting... This sport-weight yarn certainly is a help; I see now why people knit with sport-weight. She'd like for these socks to be done by Tuesday. At first I thought that would be impossible, but I'm sorta thinking it might be do-able. As long as I don't run out of yarn. But if I do, the gracious owner of sKnitches has already agreed to help me out! Hooray for helpful indie dyers!!

things I look forward to in the coming year

1. the ocean
2. freshly baked criossants
3. putting on clothes right out of the dryer
4. Annika's delight on her first day of kindergarten
5. a crisp, clean calendar
6. sunset
7. first watermelon lemonade of the season
8. anniversary dinner
9. knitting the advent calendar-to-be
10. working through my stash
11. first day of fall
12. my kids in new bathing suits
13. soft, green grass
14. tomatoes
15. t-shirt weather
16. knitting time
17. card night with the girls
18. making new friends
19. becoming the master of my sewing machine
20. lazy summer mornings
21. February -- not January! -- at the gym
22. reading new books
23. learning more about my 2-year-old
24. cuddling
25. "mommy, I love you"

Best wishes for a great 2008.