Keeping it Simple

 Even though I have not been posting about it, the Wolf Pup has been in action for a while now.

 One orange dish towel is done and the second burgundy one is near the halfway point. I am taking my time with this project because I really enjoy weaving and I want this project to last a long time before I have to go through the drama of warping again.

Speaking of warping, all that extra cotton I was left with when I miscounted the wraps, has been mercifully just going along for the ride. As I wind, I just pull it back and let it hang and so far (fingers crossed) there have been no issues.

Two-fers

 I had forgotten how much fun it is to knit off a sock blank. I used to hate the tangling but since I started weaving this little bit of intertwining of yarn seems small potatoes. That's Daddio's crazy sock blank and I think it is turning out rather nicely.

I even started another two at a time sock project but this time I am knitting two very different socks at the same time-just for the fun of it.

Ice!

 I've been in a very cold place where I took a ride down a very cold slide.

 It was only 9 degrees.

 9 degrees is cold. You people who live where it gets that cold have my sympathies. I still have a headache from it.

 The Mister and I went to the Ice! exhibit at National Harbor.

 You can see we had a lot of fun.

 They make you wear these big blue coats so you don't freeze anything important off. I loved my coat. I wanted to keep it but they said no.

 Everything was made of carved ice.

 I got to drive an ice taxi. Not really but I got to sit in it. Beep, beep.

 As if it wasn't cold enough, I shoved my head in a giant ice snowflake.

There was an enormous nativity scene that was sculpted of clear ice with a light show. Everyone was oohing and ahhing over it but I thought it was scary. I've seen too much Dr. Who. I know what things that look like this can do to you.

It was weird to come back out into the relative warmth of a 40 degree day. My camera took a while to adjust as did my head.
We ended the day with lunch where I had a Chicago veggie dog that was yummo. I was so hungry that I forgot to take a photo of it. I felt like I had just walked through Alaska-still do.

December Woolly Wednesday: Something Pumpkin

 With all the frantic holiday knitting going on, my wheels and spindles have been gathering dust. All that fiber I put away for winter will have to wait until the new year.

I have been trying to put a few inches on the Ladybug whenever I get a moment because I love this orange overdyed BFL. Someday it will be a part of a stripey sweater-but not until I finish the three sweaters I already have in progress that are also gathering dust. Since cleaning has taken a back seat around here these days, I'm talking about a lot of dust.

Random Holiday Junk

 I promised myself last year that I would make my own Christmas cards this year. I've been collecting doo-dads for weeks now.

 I have no real plan or even a decent idea as what I am going to do with all this stuff.

 I'm sure I'll figure something out. I loved this little punches...

...but I confess I had to go to You Tube to figure out how to use them. I had no idea where the paper went.

My favorite part of the treasure hunt for paper crafting supplies was finding these in Paper Source. Dots are my favorite candy and Christmas Dots are the best of all. I am going to go hide these so hopefully Santa will fill my stocking with even more.

In the Christmas Kitchen

 Yesterday was fruitcake day.

 I had been playing a little fast and loose with the recipe for the past few years with so-so results so this year I stuck to the recipe.

 I even measured out the fruit instead of just dumping it in.

 During the baking time I treated myself to a non veggie breakfast-a rarity these days. I even had some weak coffee in my Christmas cup and saucer. The ghost of gall bladders past does not let me indulge in such things on a regular basis anymore but today, I am happy to say, it must have been looking the other way. I felt fine.

The little samples I baked in a mini muffin tin turned out very yummy. That's good news. Last year I had to re-bake.

 The loaves looked good enough to eat so I am counting this year a win. Right now they are glazed with brandy and wrapped tightly for the duration. I'll be seeing them again around the 16th when this newly turned 60 year old will be indulging herself mightily.

I finished the day's cook-a-thon with some lentil soup in the crockpot that was all gone by bedtime. I had a very full tummy by day's end-and a sink full of dishes.

December with Daddio

 Daddio lives for December. All year long he talks about nothing but making quilted Christmas things. I spend all year hemming his giant piles of scrappy potholders and table runners.

 I'm really tired of helping him make the same old, same old month after month but no matter how hard I try to redirect his creative energy it always comes back to Christmas.

 I am getting a bit better with the machine stippling. I suppose it's all the practice.

Now he is cutting out strips for me to weave Christmas rag rugs.

We discovered that he can glue the strips together with fabric glue and he really likes this.
All this is so strange from a guy who won't celebrate Christmas. He has no tree, no decorations, he gives no gifts and we have to drag him out to come to dinner with any of us. I just don't get it but I suppose this is one of those things that I'm not meant to understand.