A Couple More Things About Me

1. I'm extremely impatient.
2. I can't relax if the house is a mess.
3. I'm very behind on my husband's business books - which bugs me because he should do his own books, right?
4. My grandparents are still alive (thankfully!)and have been married almost 75 years.
5. I was probably the best mom to Emma because I was older and more relaxed with her.
6. Greg is the best thing that ever happened to me.
7. I miss my mother horribly.
8. hhmmmm - that's probably it for now - can't think of anything else.

I knit this wonderful hat for my grandson out of Apple Pie Yarn in color Old Blue Jeans and guess what - too small! I was just about to finish off the top and I decided to try it on him. Doesn't even cover his ears. I was so mad I said, well it will just be a sample for the Knitter's Fair - I'm not tearing it back - I don't even like knitting hats - guess what I did this morning? Tore out all the decreases, painstaking put it back on the needles and will be re knitting it. After all the boy deserves a hat knit by his granny! (A very young 45 year old granny)

No Matter!

No matter how hard I try, I cannot keep up with the blog - really my intentions are good but something always gets in the way! Yesterday I got a big box of Sweet Georgia and finally, got an up close and personal look at the new colors. Stillwater is absolutely beautiful - that's just one - there was a bunch of colors I hadn't seen before - more yarn heaven!

My son is supposed to be up this morning to go register for high school - I've been down there 3 times so far and still he's not up. The registration ends in 20 minutes so that means he's not going. Which means he's got to register the first day - I'm so frustrated - my husband and dad both said DO NOT WAKE HIM UP AGAIN. Let him figure out things for himself. Ok - I will! But.....it is tough!

Ten Things

As I was driving to pick up stuff for the SnB tonight, it occurred to me since my blog might be being read more often I should tell some stuff about myself. So today I will start with 10 things and try to add 10 new things at least every week.

1. I'm 45 years old.
2. I have been married twice and got it perfectly right the second time.
3. I have three children Laura 22, Jeremy 17 and Emma 7.
4. I'm a grandmother - yikes!
5. I live on a farm with horses.
6. It took me two years to get used to living in the country. For the first two years I wanted to move back to a subdivision every other week.
7. I love reading and wish I could read and knit at the same time.
8. I drive a Ford Escape and wish you could drive and knit at the same time.
9. I get agitated if I'm out somewhere and don't have my knitting to occupy my hands.
10. I'm very grateful for the life I have.

I've Died and Gone to Yarn Heaven!

Just some of the stock in my little shop!

l-Last week 2 huge boxes arrived one full of Apple Laine Yarns and one full of Sweet Georgia! And I was/am in yarn heaven! There's so much to choose from in that room that I can't even decide what to knit. It is pure joy for my sock knitting, sock yarn loving soul! And today I ordered more - doubled up on the Apple Laine yarn and added Mission Falls 1824 cottong to the mix. Now the Mission Falls doesn't really go with my hand painted/hand dyed thing BUT I love it! Everything I've chosen is something I personally love and so why not? The sweater on the cover of the new Mission Falls book Recollection is just screaming to be knit by me and then worn by me.

We are full steam ahead for the Knitter's Fair in Kitchener-Waterloo. I've got the sign finally! And thanks to Sarah S. for allowing me to borrow her shelving. I heard today that the show is absolutely wild with knitters. Now I ask you - what could possibly be more fun than that?

On the personal side - we spent a weekend in Niagara Falls with my sister and her family and had lots of fun. We got soaked by the falls, ate lunch at a restaurant right on the main drag which was obscenely expensive and then we all crossed the border to Amherst, NY for some shopping at Target and dinner at the Olive Garden. We spent the night at the Hampton Inn and had a great breakfast the next morning at IHOP.

My son (the teenage boy) is still living on Korea time - he's up all night and sleeps all day. Nice, eh? His bus pass arrived today and it had the wrong address on it - or so I thought. But, nope, it appears that he has to walk about 25 minutes down the road to catch the bus. Like that is going to happen???? Don't they know I had enough of a time just getting him down the 300 foot driveway to catch the bus? Not to mention that he would have to walk in the dark down the country road when winter comes and he has an aversion to winter coats. None of this is supposed to be my problem - he's going to be 17 in October and responsible for his own choices, right? Easier said than done!

Here's a Sample

This is a picture of the cuff of a great sock I've just finished. The pattern is Northern Sunshine Designs Sock Pattern called Sunflowers Sock Pattern using Pick Up Sticks Signature Yarn from Mama E's Ceyeber Fiber. Both are available at www.pickupsticks.ca


Wow! It's been a crazy few days - crazy but fun, fun, fun! My shop went online and in the first few hours I started getting orders. Exciting or what?!!!???



Now I can tell you about some of my yarns - I love them all! I have my little room set up and I keep going in there and just touching them. I'm busy knitting samples because we are going to be at Kitchener-Waterloo Knitter's Fair on September 9th from 9:30 am until 4 pm.

This is the completed sock from above. It looks much more complicated than it is. The body of the sock is just a simple 2 row pattern. This just may be the first of all my samples that I actually knit both socks.

I've ordered some special treats for the show! Free goodies to those who spend $75 or more INCLUDING TAXES! These will also be available on the website starting now - unfortunately no pictures yet. For those who've already ordered - don't worry the gift will come to you as well!

Sweet Georgia is being shipped tomorrow - the order was really big and Felicia is working like mad to get it to me. This yarn is not to be missed! And the cashmere I was referring to earlier in this blog is on it's way from the UK. Posh Yarn is a new company that specializes in hand painted cashmere, cashmere blends and other delicious fibers. What could be more amazing than cashmere socks! It's a blend of merino and cashmere - yummy! Apple Laine Yarns are being shipped today. This is a silk blend sock yarn that is an absolute dream to work with. The colors are unbelievable and I'm thrilled to be one of only two suppliers in Canada.

Sorry for the scattered post - when I reread it - it seems all over the place - the only excuse I have is that the thoughts come faster than I can type and.....well, I am in my mid-forties and I've been told that that is the time when you stop being able to come up with the proper word for things. You know.....my husband says where are the keys and I insist they are in the thing! He says what thing? And I say you know, the thing, THE THING! I know what the thing is, don't you?

I'm in business!

Yahoo! My website went live tonight - the address is www.pickupsticks.ca Go have a look and let me know what you think!

Where Have I Been?

I cannot believe I haven't posted since July 27 - what have I been doing? Well, I've spent long hours in front of this computer and now am practically moments away from going live. I will post here as soon as it happens! I've been staying out of the heat - like many in Southern Ontario - however, I will not complain about it because winter is coming and it's long and cold! Suffice to say that it's been even to hot to sit by the pool and watch the kids swim!

I painted the boy's room - and cleaned it. Boy did I clean it!

I even found air freshener that you could add to the paint and it will last 4-6 mos. Should go a long way to combat that 16 year old boy smell. And he's home from Korea. He had a wonderful time but did get home sick and came home early. He stayed a month - can you believe a month has passed? He brought presents for his sisters, his grandpa and his parents. And he came home with more than half the money I sent him with. That was very good of him - considering his mother would have spent every last dime.



And I've been working on this. The yarn is Pick Up Sticks Signature and the pattern is one that I will be carrying as well. The work on the cuff is called Cluster 6 - it's really simple but effective. This yarn is great to work with. More yarn arrived yesterday - still no shelving but I have got the yarn room emptied out and ready for everything! Stay tuned hopefully, my site will go live over the weekend or on Monday at the latest!