I found a new doll making program last night and decided to indulge. It's been a while since I did one so please bear with me. This is what I think I look like - or would do if I was twenty years younger and skinny again! (The wings are the tree hugger fairy in me! )

Doll Maker

I got some new books last week and thought I'd share so you can drool!


I think I've decided that making smaller items is definitely more my speed. I don't seem to be a sweater and afghan kind of girl. I need more immediate gratification than that. Never say never, though! I've got one of each that I need to finish right now and who knows what I'll feel like later.

I also ordered a spinning book this week. I keep imagining that I'll have all this wonderful time to spend on my interests come the long winter. But I've been thinking that for a while now so maybe it's all a dream that I'll forever pursue and never obtain! Ain't giving up the dream, though!

In the words of John Lennon, whatever gets you through the night! M

Sniffle, Cough, Cough

Feeling under the weather. The weather seems to be feeling under the weather, too, as it's trying very hard to snow today.

Bummer for both of us. M

Why Do I Teach? A Cosmic Question

Don't get me wrong. I really enjoy teaching. It's just that teaching English and Art to high school takes up a great deal of time with the marking and planning. Today, I'm marking essays for the Grade 12's and planning new lessons for the Grade 10's plus planning for the Art and Journalism students.

What I wouldn't give to be teaching Kindergarten again. That age group requires more intense energy during the day but I used to get more of my evenings and weekends to myself. (Anybody got a little cheese to go with my whine?) So why am I teaching high schoool, you might ask. Well, eventually, I hope to teach adults at the university level so I thought this would be a good opportunity to try out the older age group. I definitely miss the little kids, though!

Before I get on with my day of marking, etc, I thought I'd show you some pictures of my little place. I liken living here to living permanently at the cottage. I have a lake just steps from my door; my house is sparsely furnished but bright and cheerful; my driveway is sand and grass; we have one store that overcharges for everything; the nearest major centre is 5+ hours away and the nearest minor one is 2.5 hours away.

Front yard


Back deck


From the living room to the kitchen


From the kitchen to the living room

Not much has changed on the knitting front since yesterday. Thanks go out to Thora over at River Knits Mountain Purls for her advice on how to adjust sock yarn. Much appreciated!

Enjoy your Sunday, M

Mama's Gotta Brand New Toy

Yeah for me!!!


My new laptop finally arrived yesterday. I'm so thrilled to have my own computer again. I haven't had one since December when I left Vancouver and put mine in storage. I hope to have a slightly more regular blogging life now because I don't have to have permission to upload pictures or download programs or whatever. Not that people haven't been very generous but it's just not the same.

So please bear with me as this is going to be a bit of a picture heavy post.

Last week's snow

That's right. We had a snow storm last Friday and this is what it looked like at about 6:00 a.m. By lunchtime, it was already melting but still snowing. A bit of an odd weather day, I'd say!

This week it's all gone and has been for several days. In fact, it has been so warm that I've been out in t-shirts and sandals for several days now. Too bad they're aren't any leaves on the trees, though.


And now for some knitting news. My first self-striping sock. Ta da

One down . . .

I gotta tell ya, though, I'm not all that thrilled with it. I think I prefer to make socks with a heavier weight of yarn because this is so thin and my knitting is not very firm with it. But if I made it tighter, it wouldn't fit my foot. Anybody got any advice on this?


This is the start of my shawl, which I probably won't need now until fall but it's pretty enough to keep working on anyway. I have some yarn for a summer weight shawl that I'll start working on as soon as this one's done.

I also need to keep working on my swatches this weekend so I can get them finished and in the mail. Unfortunately, I also have a lot of marking and planning to do so the knitting may take a back seat until that's done. But, to be honest, I'm not sure a teacher's work is ever done. Then again, a knitter's work is never done either. Is this a personality flaw?

Hope you're having a great spring weekend, M

We've Got Company

I do have knitting to show you but I can't get the photos onto my computer right now. (It's a long, boring story that doesn't need repeating here.) For now, though, I thought I'd show you some snaps of our visitors for the weekend.

Jackson and Cricket are friends of Reuben and they've come to spend the weekend with us a couple of times now (when their teacher parents are away). They aren't exactly little guys so our house is full of energy when they come to stay.

Cricket

Jackson

I've got to say, though, that it's lots of fun when they come over. And Reuben has so much fun when they're here. It makes me consider (just for a second or two) getting another dog.

Reuben and Jackson

So far, I've been able to talk myself out of another dog but I don't know how much longer I can withstand the pressure! Ha!

As for knitting, I'm still working on some socks and a shawl, plus some more swatches for the Master Knitter Program.

I've been very busy doing some set designs for a local production of a play by one of my colleagues. I'm quite proud of how they turned out and I'll hopefully have some photos for you in the next several days. I've got some snaps of my students, too, so I'll try to get them posted as well.

Until next time, hope you're having a great day, M

I Can't Believe I Did That!

I have just been getting my final SP4 package ready for mailing. I was getting everything in an envelope and thinking about how much fun it has been to spoil this person rotten. And then it hit me!!! . . .

I forgot to publicly thank my own secret pal for the package she sent me back in February. I am so sorry, Secret Pal 4. I know I sent you an email to thank you but because I received it just before I left Swift Current to start my new job, I completely screwed up and forgot to post a picture of all my lovely goodies on my blog. Bad Blogger, Bad Blogger!!

Now, unfortunately, I can't find the picture I took of my goodies. And the lovely treats were almost immediately packed up and taken to storage along with the rest of my life because I could only transport that which I could carry in my little car.

I was spoiled rotten, though, and I want to make sure my Secret Pal knows that her kindness has been very much appreciated. It's so nice to know that someone out there has undertaken the task of spoiling me. It just gives me a glow all over.

Hoping to be as good a secret pal for my buddy, M

SOCKAPALOOZA SOCKS!!!

They're here!! They're here!!

Thanks so much to Liz over at What's The Name of That Blog?. She's been so worried that my socks were lost in the mail. But here's proof positive that they've arrived safe and sound.


This photo doesn't show off the colours even near enough. Trust me when I say they're gorgeous and absolutely perfect!

On that note, hope you're all keeping your toes nice and warm, M

Looky What I Made!

Isn't felting the most wonderful thing? I've never done it before and I was so amazed by the transformation.

Prefelting


Postfelting

These are the Knitty.com Fuzzy Feet I mentioned a few posts ago. I'd like to try another felting project very soon. So I was thinking about trying the French Market Bag from Knitty. I've always really liked the shape of it.

I received some Super Socks sock yarn in the mail today. I got it from Mary Maxim, where it was on sale last month. I can't wait to get started on it. Believe it or not, I've never done any self-striping socks before so wish me much luck.

For those of you already enjoying spring weather, I know it's on the way soon. We've got some new birds at the birdfeeder who weren't there last week.

This was taken on Easter Sunday with our fresh snow which is all gone now, but it shows you the bird feeder outside my kitchen window.


This is the view I get to wake up to every morning. It's off my back deck so is essentially my back yard. Is it any wonder I am already so attached to the place.

The people here are fantastically friendly, some of my students are really beginning to "get" what I'm teaching, and Reuben is a happy, snow-frolicking dog. Even Saracat is enjoying all the space and loves to explore under the deck. I think I'll have to stay for a while!

Wishing you all a great view, a friendly neighbour and a happy pet to share your day with, M

Yeah for Photos!

Let us be thankful for small mercies!

This is a snap of the star bonnet I made from Weekend Knitting. It's the pattern on which I based Danger's Maple Leaf hat (see several posts back)and I thought I'd try one of their patterns.


I think it's really cute but I don't have anyone to give it to as of yet. Is there a name for stash that has been knitted up already? Is that how this would be classified?

Here's a picture of my little snow cottage. This was taken a couple of weeks ago and things have melted considerably since then. But we still have enough to make me want to leave my car parked right there until spring!


Happy knitting all!

Nearest LYS - Only a 5 hour drive

I did a quick trip to Saskatoon on Wednesday to get groceries, teaching supplies and knitting supplies. I came back on Thursday.

An unexpected downside to having these resources so far away is that I discovered I can spend a great deal of money in a very short period of time. I'm not sure how I feel about this. A little worried, I think.

It was a lot of driving in two days but I actually really enjoyed it. There is nothing so beautiful as my beloved prairie and I have always loved to drive through the landscape of my home. It actually changes quite a lot between here and Saskatoon but it's all still breathtaking to me - especially the illuminating light that we get here.

I have also managed to do some knitting over the last week. I made two pairs of Fuzzy Feet from knitty.com for my cousins. I hope they like them. It was my first attempt at felting and I was very excited about the transformation that took place in the washer. Can't wait to felt something else.

Some stash enhancing took place in Saskatoon plus I picked up another of my bins full of yarn from my grandmother's house. I should have enough supplies to get me through to my next trip south. I also ordered the next level of the Master Knitters Program from TGKA to keep me busy - in case I don't have enough to do with teaching. (Hah!)

Hope you're all looking forward to a gorgeous spring, M