*WAVES* HAAAALLLLLOOOOOO!

Yes yes I know I know, its been a week since my last post. Well seven days is how long i'm been working without a day off. We've had inventory this weekend and prep for that and a big wig come to visit not long before inventory so its been stress city at work. BUT today is the weekend and I have the WHOLE THING OFF!!! WOOOO HOOOO! I plan on doing alot of knitty things in the next two days so hopefully I'll have some post for ya.
Now if you'll remember I'm in the cake decorating class??? Well Tuesday was our second cake night and we were learning flowers.
OH MY WORD! The rose is the most annoying flower to learn, I still haven't got it down pat but I'm going to have to over the weekend as i need 6 of them for Monday's cake. The rest of the flowers were soooo easy to learn but when you have to put them sideways on a cake its a whole different ball game. Needless to say I need lots of practice this weekend. My cake however turned out like CRAAAAAAAAP! My icing had been in the fridge all day since I was at work and was hard and annoying to work with. I'll have to leave it out in the morning before I go to work next time. Glad the cake wasn't for anything specfic, Moose had already claimed it before it was made to take to the guys at work.

Don't laugh at my cake now! We all have to start somewhere.

* Ummmm mum I'm going into a diabetic coma! I think I need sugar, quick grab the first sugar substance you see, like ummmm, THAT CAKE!*

Something else I forgot to show was my haul from Waterville. Sorry Jeanne

So here we have: 6 skeins of Tahki Tweed for my Tweedy Aran Cardi I'm casting on for today.

2 Skeins of Koigu in purples, greens and blues.

2 skeins of art yarns ultra merino 4 colour 139, green and blue.

3 packs of wooden buttons for my cardi

Hedgy Hedgehogs pattern, can't wait to make these cuties.

Some carded , wool, angora llama mix.

And acid dyes, so maybe I can get this dying down pat.

Well I'm off to start knitting, hopefully I'll have a few fo's to show you shortly!

Cake and goodies

My knitters tea swap package arrived yesterday and I actually contained myself long enough to get it home still sealed before opening it. My Spoiler was Amy from iheartknitting. I got some yummy walkers shortbread cookies, I don't know how Amy new, I think she might be psychic but Walker's is a favourite in our family and they are MINE ALLL MINE!!!!!! MUHAHAHAH! I haven't introduced Moose to the walker goodies yet and I think I might keep him in the dark for a while longer while I eat my biscuits :)
I also got TREKKING!!!!!!! That was what blurted out of my mouth when I opened it. AWWWW me thinks Amy did some good snooping on my blog and found out I've been wanting some :))
There were also some yummy smelling soaps, a tea ball *which I don't have but wanted one*, comforting tea made with Licorice root and peppermint yummmmmm and A SOCK BAG!!!!!!!!!!! A fantastic bright stripey sock bag that I absolutely Lovvvvvvvvvve!
Thank you soooo much Amy, I love everything and can't wait to have a big cup of tea and some walker biscuits by the fire :)

Also if you remember last week I told you all I had started the wilton cake decorating class at work. Well tuesday night was the first decorating night. We had to have a cake already iced, and extra icing coloured and ready for our cakes as well as icing for practicing with.

Well I kinda didn't have time to make the cake and icing until I got home from work on monday night @ 10 , the class was the next day and I worked at 9 until the class started. Can you smell disaster????

Well I was up until 2 in the morning making that dang icing! i ran out of icing sugar and had to run to the Irving at 1 in the morning. I needed two bags and they only had one so i had to do some more running around to find another store that was open this late. Finally I found one and they had just ONE bag left. SAVED!!! So off I go home to make the rest of my icing and get some sleep. I get home and start making the icing and what do I find??? Only TWO bags of icing Moose had picked up for me that day. DANG IT!!! I thought I had already used it! Anyway apart from little sleep I did get to the class and had a great time. I think I am really going to like this cake decorating. Here is my first creation!

THE RAINBOW CAKE

I think i did pretty darn good for my first time. The rainbow itself was a little on the crooked side but other than that I'm pleased. Next weeks cake is one with flowers, and while I don't like flowers myself I'm excited to learn how to make them with icing!

Roll on Class two!

more markers

Same as before but with a few different colours. Both are $7.50 plus shipping

~SOLD~

Sock Markers

Keeping in the theme of Socktoberfest I've made some Sock markers! These babies are the perfect size for you sock projects and not too big that they are going to loop over 4 or more sitches. I've made quite a few sets, each one being different.

Turtles - There are 5 markers in this set, the three beaded one being your row marker. They are made with Lead free pewter charms and tiger eye beads. These markers will fit on up to a 5mm needle, I can also customize them for sock projects only that fit up to a US 3.
If interested I am selling this set for $7.50 CAD plus shipping

Yarn & Needles - This set is a must have for knitters. Those cute balls of yarn and needles are perfect for your sock projects. This set has olive green and orange tiger eye beads but can be customized to your colour preference. Made to fit large up to 5mm or size sock size up to US 3. Available for $7.50 CAD plus shipping

Sheep - Everyone loves sheep and these little guys are the cutest! 4 markers in the set, fit up to 5mm needles with pink and chocolate brown beads. $10.00 CAD plus shipping ~SOLD~

Tea Time- If you're a tea lover this set will be perfect for you. A combo of tea cups and teapots with chocolate and olive beads made to fit up to a 5mm needle. Can customize for small sock needles 3mm. $7.50 CAD plus shipping ~SOLD~

If you're interested but don't see a colour you like or want a different size email me at Celticcaston at rogers dot com

Hope you're all having a sock filled weekend!

Swaps and Alongs

First off let me just show you what my husband has been wearing to work for well over a month now. Yes that is black electrical tape, and its holding the sole of his work boot on.
I finally said enough is enough and that he HAD to go buy a pair of boots yesterday and good ones. Moose is the type of person that if he can jimmy it and get away with it then all the better but electrical tape????? *shakes head* Needless to say he has a new pair of boots on at work tonight, thank goodness!
I've joined two alongs recently. The first is Dulaan, 10,000 or bust. Here's the deal. This knit along is for the Dulaan project, which i'm sure you're all aware of. If not the project knits hats, scarves,gaitors, mittens etc to keep the children of Mongolia warm in the winter due to the extreme temps. So this year 10,000 or bust is that each person pledges to knit five items for the project and their goal is to have 10,000 items for the kids. Sign ups end this month but you have until june 2007 to knit 5 things, how hard is that??? You'll have all winter to knit a few hats and scarves and you'll be saving this children from the extremes of winter. Go sign up!!!

The other along is Warm up the Dutchians. Kristi of Red Dog Knits is preggers with not one, not two but 3 wee babbies! Thats right triplets are on the way. In an effort to help Kristi keep those babies warm and clothed, Kelli and Sarah are hosting a virtual baby shower for her. You knit an item or items for the Dutchians and your name gets put into the pot for some great prizes.

Come on over and warm those Dutchians up!

Now hands up if you looooove swaps????

OH OH Pick me Pick me :) Lately I have done a couple of swaps with some people that I'd been lurking on their blogs but not always posting.

Trek of course has some fabulous sock bags and when I saw the sock monkies bag I had to have one. We agreed on a trade for a University T from NB. I've had my bag for quite some time now, comes with me to work everyday and usually accompanies me in the truck too. Its perfect, I love it, Thanks Trek.

Now the second is Mr. Daniels, I think we all know Dave from Cabin Cove. He has some fabulous yarn but he is also a Moose lover just like me :) Not my moose of course but anything Moose. We got the cutest Moose ornaments in at work, of course I grabbed them but they also made me think of Dave. I told Dave about them but he doesn't have a Michaels near him so we agreed on a swap. I swapped for a fantastic skein of Dave's sock yarn yippppeee. How awesome are those colours! The only question now is what to make???

Turkey Day!

Moose had to work on Thanksgiving so I headed down to Mum and Dad's for the day and to have dinner..... yummmm turkey!
My mum makes the best Bisto Gravy and Roasters in the WORLD! Irish Mama, you like the ole bisto and roasters????
It took longer than usual to drive down because I kept pulling over and taking pictures of the scenery. It was just awesome! I'd go over a hill and all of a sudden i'd shout WOW! The colours were soooo intense and ran for miles! I love CANADA!
Mum and Dad's house was no exception to the beautiful colours. The tree below is usually just a green colour but this year has turned an awesome orange! They also have 3 big trees in the back garden that turn every colour before the leaves fall off. I wish I could up root them and put them in my yarn, they are sooo great to look at. It seems like every day they are that shade brighter or more leaves are turning yellow.

Now Miss Sockies, yeah well she's been catching up on all the blog reading and she's not to happy with all of you and the suggestion of getting a puppy. I found her reading my blog and doing this to the screen when I got up.
* Stinkin weasels! There will be no puppy in my house!! TTTTTTTTTTHHHARRRRRPPPPP*
How awesome are these trees??? Can you see why I want to keep them?
It of course wouldn't be a trip to mum and dad's without seeing my girl Summy. We went for a walk down the field and even a little dip in the river :) Her patch is growing in nicely and she's 100% back to normal. I have a picture of her patch but I couldn't fit any more pictures on this post.

I've made good headway on the second sock, and I hope to get it finished next week sometime. Hummmm I'll have to start planning the next one! I'm thinking toe up's maybe????

just another tuesday

Friday morning as I was leaving for work, just about to get into the truck I hear a noise on the deck, looking up it see a big brown BEAR!!!!!!!!!!! You wanna see pictures???










ok ok It wasn't a real BEAR persay but it was brown bear to us, aka LUKE!!!!!!!!!
I forgot he was coming to stay over the weekend and they must have dropped him off on the deck when I was in the shower. I had a great weekend with my buddy! I was all excited to get home from work on sunday to see him only to have Moose announce that Luke had gone home.
Out came the pout, "awwwwwwwww but I was looking forward to seeing him, noooooooooooo tell them to bring him back!!"
I love that big ole dog, and if they'd let me keep him I would in a minute.
Moose's reply was, why don't you just go get a dog, you go into depression every time one leaves!
ohhhhhhh its oh soo tempting but what about my baby??? The good thing about Sockies with Luke is that she will come out when he's around. Luke loves to egg her on by jumping at her lol Poor Sock's back gets arched and she beats his nose. Although he likes to tease her I know he's a little weary of her because he won't come up the stairs if she's sitting on them hehehhe

* ohhhhhhhh yeahhhhh, feels soo good !*
Luke's favourite position, Rolling around on the carpet!
*roll roll, scratch *
*hehehehe got me a cat toy to play with!*

Here's the progress on my Lorna's Laces socks. One down and one to go with lots of yarn to spare. I could have made those tops a good couple of inches longer had I known..... hummmm another reason I should start toe up socks, yes, yes!

I'm taking the Wilton Cake decorating course at work. I started the first class of course 1 tonight and next week I'm decorating my first cake woop wooop! Whether the decorting is good or not is another question but i'm hoping to learn a thing or two from the course.

PACHA!

**PACHA**
hehe how do you like my special effects noise???
Introducing the one the only *so far* pair of Claudia's scrummy hand painted Jungle socks!!!!!

Aren't they purdy????? I love love love this yarn. I think this is what Laura would call Sproingy yarn. Its not tightly plied but it just bounces, I love it!
Yarn: Claudia's Hand Painted colourway JUNGLE
Needles: Started out with size 3's with socks in two circs but 3's were just wayyy to big so it was back to my size double pointed's.
Pattern: Gentleman's Fancy Sock from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks
Peeves: Not much yardage in Claudia's. I like long tops and I knit them top down. The toes are a little on the tight side but I'm hoping they will stretch out with wash. I was literally left with 6 inches of yarn for each sock.
CLAUDIA WE NEED MORE YARDAGE!!!!!! I'LL PAY THE EXTRA JUST GIVE ME MORE YARDAGE!!!!
These socks as far as I can tell were started on the 10th of August and the final sock was cast off on the 5th or 6th of September, a month is pretty darn good me thinks.

Now in the Spirit of Socktoberfest and my lovely Jungle socks I'm going to answer the sock history questions Lolly posted on her blog for us to answer.

When did you start making socks?? I started making socks in 2005

Did you teach yourself?? I did teach myself from the band around the sock yarn.

What was your first pair?? My first pair was here made with lion brand magic stripes/

How have they held up over time?? Not sure exactly how they have held up, they were a gift for a friend in England.

What would you have done differently? I would have not listened to that stupid band on the yarn and took a class instead.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?? I love Claudia's Handpainted!!!!!

Do you like to crochet your socks? What do you knit them on? I don't crochet socks, I prefer knitting to crochet. I knit using size 1 bamboo dpns. I have recently bought size 3 circs to try knitting with two circs but found them too big :(

Which kind of heel do you prefer?? I tried a short row heel my last sock and couldn't figure it out so I go with flaps usually. I may try it again though.

How many pairs have you made?? I have 6 completed pairs and one part of a pair finished.

Believe it or not it was Lolly that inspired me to knit socks again. You see the very first pair of socks frustrated me soooo much I swore I would never knit them again. Then when I discovered the world of knit blogging, Lolly's being among one of the first, she kept talking about how she always has a pair of socks on the needles, and she loves knitting socks and oh socks this socks that. I was thinking "Man is this girl NUTS???" After hearing about her many sock's and seeing all the lovely patterns there were to choose from I decided to give sock knitting one last shot, if I didn't like it this time I was through with sock knitting.
So that's when the Jaywalker crazy was in, a free pattern couldn't be a better way to test my fate with sock knitting. So I grabbed some Regia from a yarn store close by and tried my hand at Jaywalkers. Well holy COW! I was doing it, I was knitting these socks just like the pattern said and I wasn't having any problems. So my jaywalkers turned out to be the first pair of socks I knit for myself, even thought they are tight to get on, they still rock and I will always love those socks. The rest my friends, is history!
I've been glued to sock knitting ever since. I've picked up quite a stash of sock knitting books in the last year and hope to keep curning them out for many years to come.
So lets all raise our glasses to LOLLY!!!! For hosting this fabulous celebration of socks and for inspiring me to give sock knitting one last shot! *clinking of glasses* CHEERS LOLLY!!!

p.s. I three needle bound off my first Lorna's Lace sock today and hope to get the second one on asap

Alpaca's and Socks

***If you have a weak stomach I probably wouldn't read any farther***

As we were leaving the Common Ground Fair we got a chance to stop in at Northern Solstice Alpaca Farm. It is a fairly new farm with a small herd of 3 alpaca's which should be four by now. The middle alpaca in the picture below was pregnant and actually due that day so I'm hoping there is a new baby alpaca amongst the herd now. After taking lots of pictures of the Alpaca's we got a chance to talk to Robin, the owner and ask a good lot of questions about owning and keeping alpacas.....*no reason why, you know just filling our minds with knowledge ;)*

Now while Moose was asking many questions and I was listening and looking at all the Alpaca goods at their stall I started to get veeeeeeeerrry Hot, I mean sweaty hot and woozey. Now do you all remember that ORGANIC beef burger I had for lunch that day??? Little did I know, my stomach was rejecting that organic stuff and telling me not to even try to put any more of that its way. So usually when I feel dizzy I just need to sit for a bit. Well I sat down on the grass,Moose kept on talking but at this point I knew I was in trouble. If you've been around me enough you would know I'm the QUEEN of throwing up. Throwing up to me is the worst thing in the world, but something that happens quite frequently lol I have super duber motion sickness, boats, planes, trains, sometimes cars, ferris wheels, any rides, basically anything that moves. If I stand for a long period of time, I could go on but the newest thing that makes me throw up ORGANIC FOOD!
So as you can guess I went white as a ghost, to which someone commented "OH your really pale looking" YA THINK???? I'm gonna throw up, do you think I'm going to be rosy cheeked. Moose tried to relocate me as I was right IN FRONT of the stall, ohhhh noooo I couldn't throw up in a bush, nope its right in front of the stall for me baby. Now its happened to me before that I tried to relocate myself after going pale and ended up blacking out and falling down a flight of stairs........ yes yes don't think I'll be moving this time. So the inevitable happened, right in front of the stall, but it wasn't just your plain puke, it was massive chunks of burger trying to make its way back up my throat LOVE IT! So after Moose got me something to drink and picked up the puke with his bare hands God love him, he went and got the truck and took me back to the hotel. I was sooooooo embarrassed, Moose just laughed but I swear I could have crawled under a rock and died.
So apart from making a fool of myself we did learn alot about raising and keeping alpaca's BONUS!

This is the only one of the Alpaca's that I remember the name of. Her name is Splenda. I searched the website but they don't have anything about the alpaca's up yet.
Now this beautiful statue is adorning Robin's front lawn. How cute is it.

Now that I've grossed you all out with my puke story, don't worry i'm sure there will be many more to come.

I joined Socktoberfest, which started on Sunday. I have two different socks on the go at the moment, the Lorna's Lace gentlemen's shooting socks and my Norweigan Stockings. I'm about to start the heel of the Lorna's Lace..... yes I know I said that last time but I haven't been working on them since. And the Norweigan Stockings I'm about to start into the fair isle pattern, hopefully I will do it right, these are my first fair isle project and I'm jumping in with two hands tied behind my back and a blind fold on. I've only got the internet and emailing knitters to help me out so wish me luck!

Run Day!

Today was run for the cure day. We got there in just enough time to get our money in and throw on our t-shirts. It was a great day for it, the wind was a tad chilly but with a sweater underneath it was just right. Moose thinks there were around 2,500 people running or walking today. I just can't WAIT to see what the total for our run site is!! I took a few pics before the events but I was too close to get the massive crowd all in.

If you all remember I told you all that whoever donated to the cause would get their name put in a hat and drawn for some yummy yarn. Well I went a little yarn shopping yesterday for the prize as well as my tea swap pals goodies and came home with some of this Fleece Artist as the prize.
This is Peter Rabbit and mohair blend from fleece artist and is ohhhh soooo soft. Its sooo yummy I'd like to keep it myself. So this morning I did a little writing and cutting up of names, put them in a bowl and got Moose to draw for the winner.

So without any further ado the winner of the Scrumptious Fleece Artist is...........................

That's a somewhat blurred JEANNE from K3TOG!!!!!! Congrats Jeanne. Email me your details and the goods will be on the way to you this week!
Thank you to all of you that donated to the cause. Every donation helps in such a big way and just think if there were around 2,500 in the small port city of Saint John just think how much the whole of Canada can raise!

THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE!!!