This post brought to by the pony.....

We love Gidget as I'm sure you've all gathered by now - Emma's show season starts in February so this was our first schooling to get ready for the new season. A schooling is where they take the ponies and horses off property to another barn/arena to have lessons. The change of environment is good for everyone - gets the riders used to the reactions of the ponies and gets the ponies used to being away from home. The jumps are fancier and bigger so it's good experience for everyone.

Here she is all dressed up in her fancy clothes - Emma's coach is a very traditional British riding coach and so the ponies and the riders are to be dressed in sedate colors. Navy wraps and Baker Sheets are the standard dress for shows and schoolings - I have to say, all the ponies look pretty amazing dressed in similiar colors.
The trailer couldn't come into the driveway because the day before it got stuck all over the place so the girls walked their ponies to the property entrance to get loaded - it was a beautiful day and a beautiful picture.

And the sepia - just because I figured out that setting on the camera while watching.
To Creative Hands - Emma's hat from the last post was bought at the Royal Winter Fair - cute eh?

Knitting Complete

Here is Quinn's Sweater - same as Liam's but Tanis Green Label. I'm very happy to report that she loved it - she put it on right away and didn't take it off. She loved the puppy buttons - I caught a glimpse of Liam outside today and he was wearing his sweater too. So all is good in the knitting department except for my hands which have been aching since Christmas day - I've been trying not to knit too much but Jared has been (ok so when I say Jared, I mean Umaro)looking longingly at me practically begging for attention. I cast on a pair of socks for Greg in Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 - so nice and soft but they aren't far along - truly I feel guilty knitting them because Jared gets so jealous - :).

A wonderful Christmas was had by all, everyone was very happy with their gifts - I ordered myself a Kindle 3G from Amazon - it won't be here until the end of January so I'm very anxious!

Emma got this cute hat from her big sister - she's been wearing it everywhere. My mini vacation starts tomorrow (store is closed until Tuesday, January 4th)and I am really looking forward to it.

There's still a few blog posts due to catch up and surpass last year so you haven't heard the last of me yet.

Busy Knittin'

I'm in the home stretch - Quinn's sweater just needs the hood finished and the sleeves. I'm knitting it out of Tanis Green Label in Sweetheart and it's sooooo nice. Hope the little bum likes it - she's been known to say she wants something and then won't have anything to do with it when it comes to putting it on. Liam's sweater is finished - Mission Falls 1824 Wool was the choice for his. He picked out tool buttons and I think they look really cute! Knitting Pure and Simple pattern Children's Neckdown Cardigan #981 was the pattern I used for both.

The Lovely Linda brought by 2 finished projects out of Rowan Kidsilk Haze - both Churchmouse Classic Patterns.

The first is the Two Way Ruffled Scarf which is actually a pattern for 2 scarves than can be worn seperately or together as pictured. Each scarf takes one skein of Kidsilk Haze.

The next is the Mohair Bias Loop which used two skeins of Kildsilk Haze as well. This is knit on the bias and the ends are grafted together. It's so light and can be worn doubled as a cowl or around your shoulders as a wrap. I love it!

The new Vogue came in today - Winter 2010/11 - I think it's time for tea and a browse through it to see what's in there to be knit.

I must admit I'm really looking forward to finishing up the Christmas knitting because then I can resume my affair with Jared...........oops I mean Umaro!

Goals

Way back at the beginning of the year I said I had some goals - I can only remember 2 and am too lazy to go back and find out for sure. One was to quit smoking which has happened - I actually passed the 11 month mark without even noticing it. Usually I'm right on top of that so maybe it's getting easier. Well, it most definitely is - there are still times when the urge is there and sometimes really strong but for the most part I think about it less and less. It is, without a doubt, the hardest thing I have ever done in my life and has probably used up all my willpower reserves but it's worth it. I will see my 50th birthday as a non smoker who has cut her risk of heart disease by 50%. No small feat since my mother passed away at 62 from heart disease and I smoked for 30 plus years!

I also remember saying I wanted to blog more often - well, that's been kind of dismal, even I will admit. I have to blog at least 5 more times before the end of the year to beat 2009 by 1 so that's my plan. Wouldn't it be nice to blog everyday? Or maybe every other day?

On the knitting front, I am, of course, inspired to knit way too many projects before Christmas. I'm working on sweaters for Liam and Quinn -both want sweaters with hoods and buttons. I've got gorgeous mitts picked up for my aunt but I'm thinking I might switch them to my best friend because she happened to mention she wanted thrum mittens. These aren't thrum - they are to be found here - I don't know I'm just dying to knit red and white mitts - must be the season!

New FO

I whipped off a cowl for the owner of the barn where Emma rides. It's a version of the pattern that appears in Winter2010/11 Knit Simple. There's actually a couple of cowls in there that I'd love to make. This one is one strand of Mission Falls 136 Superwash Merino and 2 strands of Rowan Kidsilk Haze. It called for ribbon instead of a loop but I'm on a time crunch and loved the look of just the loop.

Sarah was kind enough to model it for me - I know she's going to hate that I posted this picture because her eyes are closed. I'm now onto a pair of Thrum mittens that need to be finished for Saturday as well. They are for Emma's riding coach who spends hours and hours in a freezing arena working with the girls and their ponies. Then it's a sweater for my dad and I'd just love to knit those fish hats for my grandchildren - it never fails the closer to Christmas it gets the more inspired I am to knit for people. Why couldn't I just come up with these ideas a few months ago?

Don't forget Christmas Open House this Saturday from 10am-4pm - everything but spinning wheels is 25% off!