What is gray, white and cute (besides me!)?

Q: How do elephants communicate?

A: They talk on the elephone.

 

Q: Who weighs 6000 pounds and wears glass slippers?

A: Cinderelephant

 

Q: Wha't big and grey and can fly straight up?

A: An elecopter.

 

Q: What do elephants do for entertainment?

A: Watch elevision.

Q: Why did I knit the creature shown below? 

A: Ele if I know! 

This lovely pachyderm is named Eloise. She is make of Tahki Yarn's "New Tweed", color # 60. The yarn is part Merino wool, part silk and part viscose. The pattern is from the book Knitted Toy Tales previously mentioned here.

Eloise is an experienced and efficient traveler. She can go anywhere with only one trunk!

 

Like many females, she does have a concern about knits and wonders if this yarn makes her butt look big.

 

I think she is cute even though I am a bit biased. The white inside her ears and at the bottom of her legs is wool felt.  

We've had a snowy day here in my part of Michigan and I didn't venture out to the post office to mail a surprise package to a friend. Once she receives her surprise (sometime next week) I will show you another knitted creature and the story behind the project. Until then, I think I am done knitting animals for a bit. Maybe. Unless the yarn for the rabbit really really really wants to be knitted this weekend. 

A "Thank goodness" moment

Ever have a "Thank goodness!" moment?  You know, like Thank goodness I didn't ask her when the baby is due (because she isn't pregnant). We've all been close to embarrassing ourselves from time to time, either by jumping to a conclusion or simply from not understanding something that is new to us. My friend Kelli at Countin' My Blessings yesterday wrote an entry called How Embarrassing. Reading that entry made me smile and reminded me of a time when I was new in my neighborhood.

The house behind us sits perpendicular to ours. Our bedroom and a spare bedroom window were at the back of our home, facing a dining room and bathroom window in the home behind us. Bill and I hadn't met our backyard neighbor but had heard stories of his eccentricity and how two wives had divorced him because of his odd ways.

I was all of 23 when this happened. It was my custom then to take clothes from the dryer and sit on our bed to fold the laundry and put things away.

That summer day, with the windows open, every time I entered our bedroom, I heard a wolf whistle. Wolf Whistle Collection (sound effects).wav 
No! It couldn't be that the odd man was watching me! I experimented by going into the other bedroom. Sure enough...I got whistled at there too!

When Bill came home, I told him what had been happening. I wasn't vain and did not think I was so young and irresistible, but I was worried that we had a weirdo living behind us.

 We were so new to the neighborhood, we only felt close enough to one couple to ask them their opinion of the man and how to handle this situation. As I told the story, they began to lose their composure. I was a little annoyed that they weren't taking me seriously but continued until they were laughing so hard they had to hold their stomachs.

Yes, it was true that our neighbor was an odd man, but he wasn't my male admirer. It was his Mynah bird!

 Thank goodness we hadn't gone to confront our neighbor or made a police report! I never did meet our backyard neighbor. He moved a few months later. The neighbors who took such pleasure in my story moved away a few years later but we never see each other without one of the four either whistling or mentioning a bird.

Sadly,the years have not been kind to me. If Bill is late in filling the bird feeders in the backyard, an occasional bird might peck at the window to the room where I have my computer, but no bird has whistled at me in 34 years. I guess I am just not a cute little chick anymore.

9 months early or 3 months late?

If you made some Christmas items this week, would you think you were 9 months ahead of the game (having them ready to enjoy this December) or would you admit to being 3 months late in working on Christmas 2009 projects?

I am in the latter group. 

Oh well, these items (and more to come) will be brand new for the 2010 holiday season. The candy cane is made of jumbo red and white rick rack and a fine gauge wire. I don't know the number of the wire, but it is very easily shaped. After intertwining the two rick racks, I laid the wire over it and zig-zagged by machine over the wire. A drop of Fray Check on the cut edges of the rick rack and a tiny bow almost finish the project. I will be making more after I buy more rick rack and will decide whether to leave them as is, possibly to use on Christmas cards that I will deliver to neighbors, or to add a hanging loop for ornaments. They would also be cute on packages. Hmmmm, I wonder how this would look made up as hearts for next Valentine's day, maybe in pink and white or all pink or all red?

 

 The second project yesterday was a Christmas purse. The finished size on this is roughly 10" wide, 8" high and almost 4" deep. The interfacing that I used was a bit too stiff for my liking and the purse sat open like a bucket until I tucked the sides in along their seams and pressed them with an iron. I added a button and loop closure. The larger print fabric forms pockets all around the purse, but they aren't very roomy. I will  change that if I use this pattern again. I would also make the handles a little longer. I've gotten away from long should bag straps, but I still like the strap(s) to be long enough that I can hoist the purse up over my shoulder if I want to do so. This handle is 7" tall from the top edge of the purse. Ten inches would have be better but I didn't have enough of the strapping to do that.

 

A friend of mine has been completing unfinished and never started projects that have been aging in her stash. She is my inspiration and I hope to have a few more Christmas items done by the end of the week. I am working my way backward through my pile of things to sew. I hope there isn't a baby outfit cut out and waiting for Chuck or Billy at the very bottom...considering they are both in their 30s now!

Oh, but wait...just like Christmas 2010 will be here and no one will know the candy canes and purse were originally intended for Christmas 2009, soon another little boy will be in life and I don't think he will care if a pattern is 30 years old! Two weeks from this Friday is the Little Prince's due date! 

Hoodie Hoo Day!

Tomorrow, February 20th is a very important day for everyone in the northern hemisphere. It is Hoodie Hoo Day!

What? You don't know about Hoodie Hoo Day??

February 20th, at Noon in whatever time zone you are in, it is TIME to go outside, wave your hands over your heads and yell

Hoodie Hoo!   Hoodie Hoo!   Hoodie Hoo!

Why is this done? To chase away winter and tell spring to hurry up and get here!

We want to get out of our houses! We are sick with cabin fever! We want to see sun and feel it on our sunscreen protected skin!

If you are in northern hemisphere but happen to live in a warm, sunny state, I beg of you, please do this for your cold, northern sisters!

Thank you all. I will see you tomorrow as soon as I locate my long underwear and find my mittens.

Pork for dinner anyone?

 Would you like to come over for dinner tonight? We're having pork.

 

I thought I'd go whole hog in fixing dinner for everyone.

  

 The stuffing might be a little dry

 

This pork butt is really tender. Or should I say soft?

 (You didn't expect more than two warnings, did you?)

Cooking Knitting directions are in this book

Go ahead and buy this book and some yarn. 

You'll squeal with delight at the projects

all the way home!

If you are done groaning and aren't interested in knitting cute little critters, you might be interested in a scarf. I showed this one while still on the needles two weeks ago, here. I really like the yarn, Tonalita by Trendsetter Yarns. 

If you are like my husband and wondering just how many scarves one woman needs, the answer is obviously at least one more than I have at any given time!

Before I go, I have one simple question: Do you know why the three little pigs fell asleep ever time their grandpa told stories?

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Because he was a boar!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Please click here to view a Jacquie Lawson greeting from me to you.
 

The party is over, will the snow begin?

Ahhhh, the shower is over....

No, I don't look like Hilda, but the red long johns could be appropriate soon as 6-10 inches of snow is due by tomorrow.

The baby shower went well. There were some hectic moments setting things up but in the end, all went well. This photo was taken just before Grandpa-to-be high-tailed it out of there as did the other grandpa-to-be. They said they are old school about men at baby showers. We know they were just big ole chickens, afraid to be outnumbered by so many women!

 

The baby is going to be very well dressed and I don't think mommy will have to do laundry for a month with so many clothes to choose from. Tiny baby outfits got the expected oohs and ahhs but I think the biggest surprise reaction went to a toddler sized outfit from one of mommy's aunts. It is a faux leather jacket and jeans!

Uncle Billy is worried that his nephew is going to be better dressed than he is, and daddy is already resigned to be #3 after baby and mommy. Maybe we'll remember him and buy him something on his birthday, but baby's due date is 5 days after daddy's so he could be in trouble if baby arrives 5 or 6 days early.

I have many things to catch up on around here, and if we do get the predicted amount of snow, I'll have no excuse for not getting started on my backlog of projects. I am NOT a snowbaby and unlike my friend Kelli (she writes Countin' My Blessings), I don't see the need for snow after December 26th. I am lobbying for a snow free zone in a 25 mile radius from wherever I am at even given date and time. My elected officials aren't returning my phone calls on this matter and Mother Nature laughs wickedly and hangs up. A flame thrower for melting snow and ice is looking like a good idea and sounds like fun, don't you think? I wonder if Bill would get me one for Valentine's Day? Think of the gift tag possibility: Honey, I got the hots for you!

Pandas to make you smile

I got this in an email and thought many would enjoy these pictures and captions.

Mum?  Can you come and get me down  now?

 

I'm  not coming out.

You'll have to come in and get me.

Kung  Fu Panda...bring it on!

 

On the count of three....  lift!

Does this log make my butt look fat?  

Betcha can't see me.....

You  go.   I'll  just stay here and rest my head a little bit.  

I'll  give you 2 seconds to get off me or I'm calling  Mom.

 

Pardon me but do you have a napkin?

Damn paparazzi!   Could we have a little privacy please?

 

Dear  Martha Stewart:
I have this brown stain on my nice, white, fluffy  butt... 

Shhhh!     I'm  reviewing...

I  cannot believe that I'm stuck in this tree again.  
What is the matter with me?

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned... 

Pandas looking for lost earrings....

Absolutely nothing accomplished.
The perfect day for a panda...  

Here's to a perfect day and weekend for everyone!

Fluff for February

Need some totally useless information about dates in February? You've come to the right place!
We all know that today is Groundhog's Day

and the 14th is Valentine's day

but are there other dates to celebrate this month? Sure there are!
Yesterday, the first was National Freedom Day. This is not to be confused with Burn Your Bra Day, the date of that escapes me at the moment.

 

This Saturday, the 6th is Wear Red Day which ties in with February being American Heart Health Month.

The 7th is Ballet Day and the 8th is Laugh and Get Rich Day.

The 10th is Chinese New Year. I have no idea what this graphic says, I only hope it is good wishes for all of us.

 

The 12th is the date of Abraham Lincoln's birthday, the 22nd was George Washington's, but for some reason years ago it was decided to celebrate them both under the name President's Day on the the 15th.

The 16th is Fat Tuesday this year, also known as Mardi Gras. The 17th is a more somber day, Ash Wednesday and signals the beginning of Lent.

 Don't give up desserts for Lent though, because the 19th is Chocolate Mint Day and the 20th is National Cherry Pie Day. February is also National Cherry Month.

The 20th is also Hoodie Hoo Day in the northern hemisphere. Come back on the 20th and I will explain this very special, important day.

 

The 21st is Single Tasking Day and later in the week, the 26th is For Pete's Sake Day

And last but not least, the 28th is National Tooth Fairy Day

Besides  being dedicated to cherries and heart health, February is also Black History Month

and possibly most apropos to some of us, February is also Spunky Old Broads Month. Without a composite photo of many bloggers, I'll use this photo of the Golden Girls to represent us SOBs.

Do you know the flower and gemstone associated with February? The flower is the Iris, shown here as painted by Van Gogh

 

and the gemstone is the amethyst. The amethyst is most easily recognizable in the first photo, but do you recognize it uncut and unpolished?

And lastly, did you know Amethysts aren't always purple?

 

 I love gemstones. When I have all my unfinished projects here done, or in my next reincarnation, I plan to study gemology. If you are thinking that there is time for that to happen in this lifetime, you don't know me as well as you think you do.

Happy February for any and every reason! 

 P.S. If you got notice of a second new post that isn't showing here, it is because I meant to hit post options and schedule it for a later day, not hit Publish Post. You'd think I'd learn! Can I blame this on it being Groundhog's Day?