Inspiration

Yesterday, I got our our Christmas decorations. Last year we were in a house where there was essentially one pretty small room to decorate. Now, we have a family room and a living room that could use some festivity. I put out what we had and it got lost in a larger rooms. We don't have our tree yet but our nativity set, stockings and little nick-nacks did add much Christmas to the place.

Today I stopped at Joann's and bought some lit garland and a 4 ft fake tree in a planter. Perfect! One room with the real tree and one with a smaller fake one. I got inspiration as soon as I picked it up! I am going to knit some of the mini-sweaters from Last Minute Knitted Gifts for ornaments. I finally found a use for the huge pile of leftover sock yarn I have!!!

Here come the pictures (and an update)

Ok, so the weekend turned out nothing like I had hoped. Hubby pulled a muscle in his back on Friday and has been laid up and drugged up ever since. I got some of our Xmas decorations up but didn't really get any crafting related stuff done.

I do have pictures though!

First up, the finished but not blocked Clapotis. This is for a Holiday Gift Exchange.

Clapotis from Knitty
Yarn: Knitpicks Essential
Needles: Denise size 8

Next, my revised Saturday Market Bag. I used some revisions on Ravelry to make this more of a shopping bag than a over the shoulder bag. My new goal is to bring reusable bags to the grocery store.

Saturday Market Bag with Revisions
Yarn: Peaches n' Cream
Needles: Denise size 15 and 10

I also started some socks this weekend. I have not has any socks on the needles for about 2 months! I am using the Lava Flow pattern from Sock Bug.

Weekend Plans

I hoped to start my weekend off early by visiting my brother, who is dressed up like a turkey today and standing outside the Dahlia Bakery. I guess they have a huge line there before Thanksgiving and he was chosen as the lucky employee to get dressed up and entertain the customers.

Off to my parent's tomorrow. We are still not sure if hubby has the day off but if he does we will hits his parent's too. Another year of 2 Thanksgiving dinners!

My main plan is to get the zipper sewn into my EPS sweater. It has been sitting next to my bed for about a month waiting for the zipper. I also have 2 pairs of pants to hem. If I get in the right mood, I may paint too. I bought some canvases last week but have to wait until the inspiration hits.

Permanently Positively Punished

I have two balls of yarn that are going into timeout. I have started a scarf pattern 4 times with it and it just has not looked good. Too tight, too loose, too wide... Forget it. I have to have time away from that yarn for now. Off to start a Saturday Market Bag with a new yarn.

I'm back!

It is amazing how tired you can feel after getting back from Vegas. It was good. I walked the trade show and found some good ideas for marketing. I ate at Mario Batali's B&B Ristorante one night where the bartender kept giving me free wine. I paid $13 for what should have been 1/4 litre or 1.5 glasses. He refilled that once and then gave me 2 glasses of Moscato with dessert. I was feeling it after that but dinner was great and well worth the $50.

I also took one more step closer to true geekiness and saw Donny Osmond in concert. I loved the Donny and Marie show when I was a kid so way not. The ticket was only $25 from the half-price ticket place and I know I could have easier gambled that away in an hour and a half. I have to say I was amazed at how many middle-aged scantily dressed women stormed the stage when he came out. Really? What makes you think a 50 year old Mormon is going to take you back to his hotel room. I was waiting for the underwear to start flying.

One Day More

The past week has been a bitch but I have gotten through it and tomorrow I leave for Vegas. It is my first time to be there by myself (ok, the Pres and VP are going too but staying in a different hotel). I am thinking of things that I want to do there but hubby wouldn't. Go to the museums at the Venetian and Bellagio, Avoid the buffets and eat at a Mario Batali restaurant, etc..

I did get some knitting done and finished my Clapotis for a gift exchange. yeah! I forgot how much I love that pattern. I will take some pics but that may not be for a bit.

I am off to finish packing!

Packing my Bags

About a month ago, I asked my boss if I could go to the Global Gaming Conference in Vegas. 700 vendors full of casino related items/services. I never heard back so I thought it was a done deal. Well, this morning I was asked if I was still interested. Ah, ya! So next week at this time I will be in Vegas as part of a 4 day work trip. I am excited but also feeling overwhelmed. Everything I had planned to do next week has to get done before I go. Between now and the end of the month we are filming 3 TV commericals, hosting a casting call for a national reality show (think Phil) and buying over 100 gifts for the employee parties. Yikes- add in Thanksgiving, a Seahawks game and now Vegas and that is one hell of a full month! At least I can look forward to a good 2 hours each way of solid airplane knitting.

WTF is this?!

You guessed it, there is an actual picture of a WIP on my blog. It has been forever since I have posted one. This is the Morning Surf Scarf I started earlier this week. It is mindless enough that I could knit in between trick or treaters on Halloween but fun enough to keep my attention. The yarn color is perfect too.