whackadoodle coconut

I received my package in the mail from my swap partner this weekend.  so awesome to see the work she put into it.  I really enjoyed opening everything. from left to right, a light blue beret in the pattern "Thicket", handmade card telling me more about my swap partner and the handmade gifts, hand dyed local Polworth fiber for spinning, coffee/chocolate bar from Boulder Co, handmade leaf and fox stitch markers, and a project bag with a dalek stamped on the front. this was a real treat to receive.

my first spinzilla event and I did great!  I spun 3257 yards of yarn and at this point not sure what I'll do with it?!  some I will use in color work for a sweater I have in the queue and others not sure at all.  there's a lot of wool, some mixed with silk and alpaca.  I have some gradients and solids.  all of which I am quite proud of.

hi.  remember me?  I'm whackadoodle coconut. this week (and actually the last few months) have been quite busy for us around ye olde household.  I've been working on getting the house straightened up, cleaned up and organized.  makes a girl feel better knowing everything is in it's place.  so this week with the heat and prepping for spinzilla, I've been practicing my spinning and finishing up a couple projects. First - the evolution of the yarn I've had in my stash for over a year now.  I thought it was a nice mix of spring time colors, but I never really liked the way they looked together on my test spin.  then I had an idea, what if I blended the colors like I did with my sherbet yarn?  and voila! and here it is.  the evolution of yarn!  it's a nice mix of bulky yarn.  I think it looks like cotton candy and my husband said it looked like yarn for a baby.  I'd agree with that.  it is fresh, pastel and...

today is chore day.  I haven't even begun the chores, been dealing with other "work" for the moment.  I plan to get everything done and finish a pair of French press slippers while everything is magically getting done. hoping to get the chores done early, well early is relevant. then get on to finish knitting, finish miss peregrine and relax a little with some yoga. besides if I finish my knitted projects in the queue then I can buy more yarn.

so, I've set a schedule of sorts for my week.  I like to start with finishing the chores on Monday, crafting/knitting/etc on Tuesdays, comics on Wednesday (since it's new comic day), shooting of all types on Thursday and then my Friday is free to catch up on whatever I'd like.  it has been working out, so lets update on this week (and a little of last week). last Friday I spent the morning in Montana de Oro taking photos for a contest. this is Carolina cove in the morning. and here is the outlook as you start the trail. I also visited (for the second time) Never Not Knitting in Atascadero.  I've been following her patterns, blog and podcast for a while and I was so excited to be able to visit her shop, and meet her! I had almost finished the shawl pattern I purchased last time I went (but didn't get to meet her) so I didn't have it show, however I did wear my wire and wool necklace. she took my picture and posted it to her Instagram accoun...

Our little family had a rough one this year.  I am pleased to say that despite all of the heartaches and trouble, we are in the Christmas spirit and enjoying the holidays.  We are looking forward to what the God has planned for us in the year to come.  I am thankful for what he has already done for us and how he has changed our lives and how all things glorify Him. So what have I been up to lately?  Coming out of the forest has made a big difference to what I have "felt" up to doing.  I've taken up a "hobby" if you can call it that helping out a friend restore his WC35 ( I think).  It's been a learning experience as to what goes into restoring a historic military vehicle.  I also have learned a lot of its engine parts and how to clean and paint them for installation. I've knitted a partial mitten and then discovered it would be too big to wear and realized the yarn was most of the problem.  I also knitted a purple monkey for a friend who asked...

Tomorrow is shoulda woulda coulda day.  Unfortunate as it is, my husband and I lost our first child at 19 weeks pregnant and the 16th is the day he would have been born if everything were normal and went as planned.  It has been and still is difficult.  I won't say much more.  I saw this graphic and thought it was appropriate.