KNITTING & FOOTBALL

How's it going out there, fellow blogmates? We are now officially a week into the new year and all the celebrations are past. I'm slogging (is that a word?) thru all my post-holiday clutter busting. I'm really itching to sew, but won't let myself until all is fairly tidy again. I'll tackle my bedroom tomorrow. I have actually accomplished quite a bit this week. The dining room is shining which sure lifts my spirits. Many times it seems what should be a reasonable chore turns into more than I can finish in one day. Drat the ole arthritis! But my favorite saying is, "chip, chip, chip".

I am trying to knit this tea cozy for a friend who requested it. She a good friend and her mother passed away a couple of years ago. Her Mum was from Britain and always used a tea cozy like this. The one Lyn has now is worn and ravelling, so I told her I'd make her one. After all, I've been knitting since high school and have made lots of items.
But, this one may break me yet. The ripples or tucks are so difficult to handle-it's knitting two rows folded together and stitched. I need more fingers. Here's what I've come up with so far.

Has anyone out there ever made something similiar to this pattern? I will gladly take any helpful hints or pointers.

On a happier note, our Tennessee Titans football team is in the Playoffs. Tomorrow they play the Baltimore Ravens here in Nashville.

It's great they have the home field advantage. The Ravens are a big rival and a lot is at stake. We are ranked #1 in the southeast conference, but have not received much respect from sportswriters and broadcasters. We'll see what they say when we go to the Super Bowl! Hubby and I will certainly be glued to TV tomorrow watching this game. It's supposed to be cold and rainy-ugh. Go Titans!

Have a great weekend, friends, and we'll chat later. Nerm

EPIPHANY

Happy Epiphany to you. This is the twelfth day of Christmas if you celebrate the season this way. Some countries put more emphasis on it than the USA, but Catholics and Anglicans here celebrate it on Ephipany Sunday which this year was Jan 4th. It's the day the Three Wise Men visited Baby Jesus.
When my girls were young (do you get tired of hearing about them?), we would start the Wise Men in another room and they would move them everyday a little closer to the Manger Scene. It helped them experience the time frame of Christmas. Also showed them that Christmas didn't end on Christmas Day.

I'm still cleaning up, organzing and decluttering from Christmas. I'll probably finish by next Christmas with any luck! I'm anxious to start quilting, so maybe that will be my incentive to speed it up. This dreary, rainy weather we have been having is really getting me down. I need some cheerful sewing to pep me up. Take care, friends. Nerm

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Here we go into a new year. I'll repeat what I've read and heard from everyone, where did 2008 go? Do you make resolutions? I'm not terribly serious about them, but this year I truly want to declutter my house and simplify my life. Check back with me in a couple of months. LOL This being said by someone who loves fabric, yarn and anything paper. I must either produce more or buy less. Painful I'd say.

Last weekend we had another family get-together. SIL Danny's birthday is 27th and Morgan's is 22nd. So it seems they get combined every year. Now a thiry-something man and a 3 year old girl make an interesting combination! Fortunately Danny is pretty easy going about the whole thing. Here's the cake. It was Tinker Bell. Wish you could see Tink better--it was adorable. Loved the colors.
Dear hubby and I spent a quiet night at home on New Year's Eve. We are past the age of going out to party. Watched the ball drop, kissed and went to bed. Is that boring or what?

Recall I was a crafting fool for Christmas. Here is my grandbaby Morgan in a sweater I knitted her. I was so thrilled to see it fit her to a 'T'. It was knitted out of a cotton yarn with little blurbs of multicolor thruout. Fairly simple to make. What a cutie. ..Look at those big eyes.

Here's Tanner with a picture I painted for him. He loves anything with wheels on it, so I painted a highway and glued on die cut wooden vehicles with 3-D glue dots. I was really pleased with how it turned out. Love the bright turquoise color.

God bless you all throughout 2009. May you be healthy and happy and find love everywhere you look! Can't wait to see what we all accomplish this year. Luv, Nerm