Chloe's new ring

Heading out for the Christmas party. Chloe is knitting her new ring that took me exactly 11 minutes to knit and felt!!!

TOK Christmas swap

I just got the motherload! woot woot.
I just opened up my swap package from the Tiny Owl knits Christmas swap and guess who my spoiler was, the wonderful Stepanie Dosen herself! So, I am sitting here listening to her album, looking at all of my goodies and thinking about which wonderful pattern I will knit first!
Check out all of the goodies she sent me!

Knitting Patterns Published!

I finally published my "One Day Ballet" slippers. I sure hope others have as much fun knitting and gifting them as I have had. I might even make a pair this weekend as my tootsies need 'em and I just wore a hole in my third pair of Tiny Owl Knits "Amy March slippers" which are fantastic and wonderful in every way.
I also released a free pattern. it is a super bulky lace scarf. it is so pretty. I whipped it up for Chloe the other night and thought "that was easy, I should share this will the world!!" ha ha :) I may make another as a Christmas gift.
My campaign against stupid use plastic is not going so well. That stuff is EVERYWHERE. I have such a hard time avoiding it. I am still trying though. I bought some cute Christmas gift. I got my friend Caroline a _________ and a _________. I hope she likes them!
TTFN, Julz

Day Three - Sorry Bob!!!

Avoiding single use or "stupid use" plastic is really hard! Today I bought trail mix in a single serving PLASTIC bag! der. I wasn't thinking! I also bought two bags of smartfood (these bags cannot be good) and a lipton Iced Tea!!!! arghh. I bought all of this mindlessly because I was hungry and thirsty and not thinking. But I redeemed myself later in the day when Bob and I took Chloe to Stop and Shop to buy dinner. We gathered up our food and headed to the checkout. The checker rang us up and the bagger bagged. The bagger bagged! ARHHHHHGGGGHHHHH!!!!! I realized this as Bob and I were pushing a cart full of groceries and carrying a fifty pound four year old who was crying because she "wanted that" (one of seventeen things she asked for) I said "Bob, wait"! so urgently that he stopped on a dime and said, with a look of grave concern, "What is it honey? what happened?" I pointed to the cart and said "plastic." At this point his look of concern turned to a look of frustration. He sighed and said "c'mon hon, we will remember next time." Well, we were still in the store, and I didn't see any reason why these bags couldn't be used by someone else, so I begged him to give me "just a sec" while I dumped all of the food into the cart, returned the plastic bags to the metal holders at a closed register (for fear that they might toss them in the trash if I just handed them back to the bagger) and scooted out the store. Great success- sort of...I looked strange, but at least I avoided the stupid bags!

It's Everywhere!!!!! Day Two of Plastic Awareness

If we are friends on Facebook, you know that I am trying to avoid "stupid use" plastic. When I say "stupid use" I mean things that are used once and then tossed out or "recycled"-which is something I will talk about later. Day one went well. Day two went fine also except I got a flat tire and had to pay a disposal fee for the old tire and I wondered why it wasn't repairable and where it would end up. I envisioned taking it home and making a tire swing, and then I thought about how dirty it must be and ended up letting the tire place toss it for me.

Another challenge on day two was that my reusable coffee mug from dunks leaked! It leaked a lot. Granted, it is old, but seriously? I was bummed! Another bummer was the amount of packaging Burts Bees uses for their products. I was going to buy some at sears (on sale while my tire was being fixed) but the package had cardboard and plastic on the outside and more plastic on the inside.
Day Two- Bought nothing but a new tire (ohhh that is a lot of product isn't it?) Used my Sigg water bottle with tap water
bought a coffee from dunks and had them put it in my own (leaky) mug

Do you think I'm a crafty girl

While out in western Mass at the Williamstown teacher convention, I found the best thing for my classroom: "Genius" magnetic poetry! I was so excited that I ran out to AC Moore and made my new toys a great background- a cookie sheet that looks like the page a notebook. I remember seeing a tutorial online but cannot find it now to link to it. I used a cookie sheet (avoid non-stick), Rustoleum spray paint, and acrylic paint. I used painted dental floss for the lines in the way a carpenter would use a chalk line.
Here it is!

Mass MoCA

During my visit to the rolling hills of Western Massachusetts, I ventured to one of my favorite places, www.massmoca.org/. Mass MoCA is a museum of modern art. While viewing the numerous expansive exhibits, one cannot get the full affect of the artist's expression by visually experiencing the artwork. Because it is a vehicle for the artist to express his or her socio-political views, modern art cannot be fully understood without serious consideration to the artist's purpose. I find this approach to art to be expectational and uncomfortable. This sense of understanding is important when considering classic artists, but the reasons the artist created a work are secondary to the visual enjoyment of the piece.

Please enjoy these photos of what I think are the most impressive pieces currently on display.

Happy Birthday Ryan

Ryan is 19 today. I am so thankful to have him in my life. Ryan is sweet, kind, caring, funny and awesome to be around. He is talented and smart and I thank God for him!