Sock Wars III – Updated with Pics

I am officially dead in Sock Wars III. I received my socks yesterday (or was it Tuesday?) and they are awesome but I have yet to take a picture but I will, I promise, I’ll post it tomorrow night. My socks really did some traveling, in all there were 5 people who worked on them! What a trip…ha ha.

So who got me? It’s Warrior Turtle who also included a lovely magnet (which I’ll get a pic of also) and the following note:

Farewell Knitting Queen of the Midwest;
You fought valiantly yet still you perish by the pointy sticks of
Warrior Turtle, with the help of chefmichelle, Necroneedle, CPT Twinkletoes and Redknits.
I’m told this deadly weapon is Tofutsie, no wrap band was with it.
Enjoy and Rest in Peace!!

Quite the character that Warrior Turtle.  

Thanks to you all for the wonderful socks – come back tomorrow to see the pictures!

 

What Are The Odds?

That my best friend who signed up to do her first swap in swap-bot, gets ME as her partner? Well, I think 9 people participated in the Spring Saucy Sock Swap so you can figure out the odds that way. But what a flippin’ hoot! I could have sneaked a look to see who was making socks for me because as the host you can do that, but I’ve always liked being surprised on swap-bot instead. So a box shows up today and I’m thinking it’s my new work bag and it’s something even better – a box of goodies from Metyme. I laughed and giggled while opening everything, hubby was watching with raised eyebrows and said – well, she was having fun! She noted on the notes enclosed that the day I was at Yarnover asking what kind of yarn to get for her partner, she had to scramble to answer because she had me and she didn’t want me to have socks that I’ve already seen the yarn. Very sneaky, CP!!

Here’s the goodies for you: Each item was wrapped in brightly colored tissue, sorry, was too anxious to dig in so I didn’t get a picture of everything pre-opened but I do have pictures of the goodies. Keep in mind the name of the swap – Spring Saucy Sock Swap. This woman needs to go into advertising or something creative, I’m just saying look at the tags!

The salsa is so good, it’s really hot – I tried it last year while camping with Metyme, her hubby and my hubby. It’s called D L Jardine’s Habanero salsa. Whoo, that will bring sweat to your upper lip – and then some. The candle is lilac (yum), the stitchmarkers she made from the cane of polymar I got her from Yarnover in April (they turned out really good!) and then there’s a kick butt frame. In the center is a magnatized surface, you cut out the picture, place it on there, then place the disc / clear cover over it and it sticks. Very clever!

But the really cool thing is the socks and you want to see the socks close up, don’t you? She also included a cute little package of post-its in the shape of what? A flower. Get it? Spring? Ha ha!! 

Thank you so much, CP, this means so much to me. You put so much thought into the package and let me tell you, anybody who gets you on swap-bot in the future will be very blessed indeed. Except they’d better not get a BFF frame. Wink. See you on Thursday when you will be getting a big arse hug!

Flowers

Along the south side of the house we have some ant plants – they smell so good but they attract ants. Can’t think of what they’re called. Anyway, that’s what this is.

Planted some flowers in the flower boxes, this is a Vinca.

Bought hanging plants as well – Double Impatiens – it’s ivory and pink. Can you see the little bug at the top of the flower in the middle?

This is an Ivy Geranium -

Time to go watch All My Children, enjoy your nights (or days), everyone! 

Spring Saucy Sock Swap

The sock swap has officially ended, packages should have been mailed out on Friday. Alas, the moderator – that would be ME – has not yet sent her package. But I’ve notified my pal and she’s okay with that. I over-committed myself the last 6 – 8 weeks what with doing Sock Wars III (haven’t received my socks yet but I understand they’re somewhere in the U.S., the socks I sent to my target should be there later this coming week in Australia), made a Tulip Sweater for a baby shower (that was actually April and part of May), and of course the Spring Saucy Sock Swap I set up with Metyme. Work didn’t help either because that affected my mood not to mention my knitting gauge so there was a LOT of frogging going on.

I don’t know about you but when I have to rip something out multiple times I start to lose interest in whatever it is I’m knitting and I’ll put it off and put it off and put it off. Because by then then I’m just darn ticked off and isn’t knitting supposed to relaxing?? Grrr. I will also confess here and now that I do not like the toe on the Saucy Sock – sorry – it’s just too thick and pointy to me. Maybe wearing it won’t feel that way, I didn’t put them on when I was done. I re-did the first sock 3 or 4 times (the toe, that is), I couldn’t get the decrease edges to look as nice as I can on other socks where I’ve done the basic stockinette toe and decreases. Just frustrated me. This pattern has you doing a modified bird of paradise (or whatever it’s called) on the top and bottom of the toe at the same you’re doing decreases. It brings you down to a total of 16 stitches from 60 at the foot over 32 rows. Oy. I hope La Verna forgives my sock toes, I’m even including a little extra something in hopes she will (bribery works wonders, I’m just saying).

I’ll provide pictures in another post once I know La Verna has received the socks, I don’t want to spoil anything for her by showing too early. I will tell you that even though I wasn’t tickled about the pattern the saving grace was the yarn. I used Dream In Color, Smooshy in Some Summer Sky. No splits!! Which is incredible for me because I’m a picker and not a thrower so there’s always the chance of me doing that but this yarn is awesome.

The neighbor’s puppy, Mack, is getting bigger, nearly 14 pounds. He has so much personality and he just loves to play with his ‘uncle’ Mickey and goof around. In the first picture below Mack and Mickey are wrestling, Mack was previously just underneath Mickey and rolled out, they moved too fast to get a good picture. But you get the idea. Mack also likes to follow behind Mickey and chomp at his tail! But Mickey has so much patience and you can tell he’s having fun with the little guy, he never bites at him at all although he does give him a warning growl when he’s had enough. Then Mack just walks away and finds something else to do.

Happy Sunday!