Back to the 'ol routine...

OK, so now that Xmas is over and most everything has been gifted, I can finally post about what I've been knitting. It's about damn time.

But first..."What I did on Xmas Day" by Donna

I got up. I got dressed. I drove to AmpuT's house for brunching and chatting. She drove us to the theatre to see Apocalypto. I drove home. A wondrous day it was...got some quality face time with a new friend and watched a really good movie.

And second...What Spencer and I made for each other for Xmas (we agreed to make our gifts this year)...

Spencer got a pillow made from a thrift store shirt and an embroidered patch (a bonsai tree) I bought back in May. He loves it - it's very soft and comfy.




I got two awesome hand drawn pictures. One of his own composition...




And one he spotted online and thought I would like (he pulls up images he likes and then draws them freehand).




They will be framed and hung in the hallway. Not just at Xmas. 'Cause I love them. And I want to see them. Every day.

Right now they are pretty much the only decorations on my tree.




Although I have added a few more ornaments that I've made this year since this picture was taken. Oh, and some beaded garland left over from a school project. Pathetic, I know, but hey. This year, the tree is up and decorated - if only half-assed decorated. Decorated none-the-less. (Just out of range of the camera are 3 boxes worth of Xmas decorations that never made it out of the boxes.)

Seen in my cubicle at work. All my co-workers decorated my white board tree! How festive. Santa even left a few small blue boxes (as in Tiffany Jewelers) on my tree. I've been a very good girl...



And in the Lobby of our building...the Annual Holiday Children's Art display. Spencer's is on the left up at the top. Once we get it back, I'll scan it and show it off again since you really can't see it in the photo. It's really cool.




Almost to the knitting folks...just one more thing to show you all...




Yes, it's called Wull. And for a good reason. It has wool in it. Just 3%, but still there is wool. And I'm sensitive to wool. And my enabler Mom sent this to me (she got a good deal on it) - it's soft, it's squishy, it's one of my fav colors. And then there's the wool. Only 3% though, so I'm hoping I can handle it. So far so good. I've been fondling it for a few days now and all seems to be OK. But can she knit with it? We shall soon see.

OK OK, Xmas knitting time!

First, my first attempt at wire knitting with beads.




Saw the ones that Grumperina made and just had to make some too. I didn't buy the book though since this was the only pattern I knew I would use, so I just went home, got out my wire, and my big bag o' beads and went for it. Worked out pretty good.

So I went to the store for more votive holders, more wire, and of course, a visit to the Bead Lady at the Ashby Flea Market. Not everyone can use green in their decor you know...




I needed 20 of these suckers. Silver colored wire and clear beads that have rainbow colors in them depending on how the light strikes them. Very pretty and oh so awesome when the candle inside is lit. Oh yeah, I've got 6 more to go...

Next up some "Totally Tubular" from Stitch 'N Bitch Nation.

One for Mom... (still needed the weaving in of ends here in this photo)




...and one for Sis...




Notice that there are no bobbles on this one like on Mom's. After knitting all those damn bobbles on Mom's, I decided that I don't like knitting bobbles. Therefore, I switched it to a simple lacy stitch. Now they can tell them apart too.

And there you have it. My secret Xmas knitting. Two tubes and 14 votive candle wraps. Phew! Now to make the last 6 candle wraps, and continue on with my other knitting projects that have been on hold:

1. Gary's Cigar gloves (working on the second one)
2. Two scarves in progress
3. Phoenix (my beaded scarf)

Still need to start:

1. Gerson's wine wrap (and he has requested a Kittyville hat)
2. two upside down elf hats (we were going to use them as stockings this year, but we never got to decorating, so these are for next year)
3. some wrist warmers to go with Mom and Sis's Xmas tubes
4. something out of the Wull

Ah...it feels good to be back to my chaotic knitting...I did miss you so...