Life, Love and Snow Apples

On Christmas my family makes a snow sculpture, snow permitting.

This year, a snow apple!

Life has been keeping me very busy, I hardly have time to knit!

On the first Mein Gummibaer flew back from Germany and arrived in the midst of a snow storm. Boy was I happy to see him!

Then the great apartment hunt commenced. We spent all day, everyday looking for an apartment that we liked well enough so that we might not have to move for a year or more. We finally found it! If nothing goes wrong we should be able to move in next week. We looked at over 20 apartments and houses and let me tell you, it is amazing what people can live with. In the midst of all the apartment hunting we also managed to find a new car for Gummibaer. He is a mustang man but unfortunately his mustang is not a good car for VT. His modifications would not pass inspection! But, we did find him a Subaru Forrester so he is happy. My job starts in a few weeks and he is still searching, but, over all we are in good shape. We might even be all settled by spring! We are both really looking forward to being semi permanent residents of VT. I am from here, glad to be home, and he is ready for a change from AR. I am just very happy to know I won't be moving again in six months or a year!!! I might even get to join a knitting group and get to know some people here!

Snowed in = lots of Knitting

Mushu Kitty likes the snow too!

I have been holed up in the snow here and that means knitting and lots of it!

I finished both the girlfriend swing coats

and I started my Birch! I love, love, love this project! The yarn is to die for, the pattern is perfect and I am enjoying the lace. Did I mention I can't wait to wear this shawl!??

I also started a hat for my brother using the Zeebee pattern. This is a fun knit. He picked the colors to go with his winter jacket. I think they look like cantaloupe and honeydew so I am calling this the melon hat.

I am teaching my sister to knit. She is making a simple hat. I think a hat is a great first project because it is small, simple, everyone likes them and not boring to knit. She is doing very well and learning fast! We might have a new knitter on our hands!

When I am not knitting I'm in the kitchen getting ready for Christmas!

These are my favorite Gingerbread cookies, we have made them every year since I was little.

Oh Christmas Tree....

A sunny day in December and off we go to find a Christmas tree.

Here is a neighbour's tree farm just down the road.

Mom looking for a tree

How about this one?

Got it!

wrestle with the lights, dig out the ornaments, decide on a color scheme, put on some Christmas music, have some tea, get a step stool, star on top,

Finished!

Isn't it pretty!?

My First Handspun!

Check it out!

My first ever hand spun yarn.

I had some mohair fiber hiding out in my stash so I played with that and this is what I got. I have never spun before or had a lesson but I had a pretty good idea how it is done from blogs and having seen people spinning in person. I made a thick single and Navajo plyed it. The yarn is bulky and a little uneven and I think I might have enough for some fingerless mitts or stripes on a hat!

New Toy!

I finally broke down and bought a drop spindel, I fell in love with this little beauty from Butterfly Girl Designs I had some mohair hiding out in the bottom of my stash so I could try my hand at spinning.
Next up, how to Navajo ply!