I know...........

I've been very slack about blogging lately, but really I haven't had much to blog about.  I think it's just the season, work is hectic, and all the hustle and bustle about getting everything done is just a time sucker.

But Mr "D" was home for a couple of days and he really stepped up to the plate.  I'm afraid the granddaughters missed a lot of fun. Grampa was cutting and pasting and using up all their craft paper.
Look what he did,

these are for all the big people in our family and I'm aftraid the little people are getting little packages this year.
He decorated the tree all by himself for the first time.

I must say, we have a very eclectic assortment of ornaments.  Since the children were small we tried to add something new to the tree every year. Whether it was store bought or hand crafted, usually the latter.  I still have the beaded wreaths they made at school or scouts and brownies, the baby in a milk pod manger (from nanny), my crocheted snowflakes,  the mini stockings I knit last year, the plastic canvas dog house for our long departed dog,  my favorite ornament with Miss "P's" little fingers painted on to look like snowmen (darn kid made me cry), and lots of glass balls from many years of Christmases.
But I had the best surprise today when Mr "D" came home from work today.

I hadn't got anything new for the tree this year and he came home with the most awesome ornament.  Anyone who knows us knows exactly how much this little Timmie cup meant to me.  I'm still smiling.

And if I don't get back to blog till after Christmas, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday.
Oh, and we'll have some more yarn in the shop before the new year.

Sunshiny weekend mornings......

are what I love most on the weekends.  Getting up having bacon and eggs for breakfast (cooked by Mr "D" of course) and then lounging with a hot cup of tea and my knitting.
Well yesterday started off that way, but Mr "D" thought it would be a great idea to get dressed and take the dog for a walk. Bah.........don't tell him, but I actually enjoyed it, the air was crisp but there was no wind so it was perfect walking weather. We worked our way over to Tim Horton's (in the center of town) and then he decided to take the long way back, so we continued down the highway and along the back road home.  All in all it took a good hour or so, only because we had to stop and let the Lady dog play at the park too.
Our day continued on with him dusting, cleaning and vacuuming and that means I retreat to the studio.  When he cleans it's a love/hate relationship for me.  I love the fact that he's cleaning but all the cuss words and angry looks on his face are a total pain in the butt.
So this is what I did all afternoon,

This is a new base Boss Cat and I are trying out, it is 75/20/5 SW merino/nylon/stellina (silver sparkles).
I loved dyeing this up, and Boss Cat missed all the fun.  It has a nice twist like our Barn Cat and House Cat and the sparkles are lovely but really hard to capture on camera.
You can see them a little better here drying.

Even though I was hoping to go for another walk this morning, Mr "D" is doing double time at the Post Office today. Yes, my friends it's that time of year when the Christmas cards and parcels start flowing, and we work longer days to get the job done.
So I think I'll take this opportunity to go back down to the studio and dye up some Bamboo blend  that we're testing out for the shop.    Do you think Boss Cat will get wind of it and show up?

Progress.....

Slow and steady, I am getting some knitting progress.
First up, Miss"P's" poncho is coming along.  Several years ago, I stopped putting myself under pressure to get things knit for Christmas and that has just worked out fine for me, but I really would like to get this one done to put under the tree, only because I have promised this poncho to her for a very long time.

 The purple yarn is Nashua Creative Focus, that "Boss Cat" picked up a Julie's tent sale and the blue and natural are Wandering Cat Big Cat. The pattern called for seed stitch for the edging, but I didn't like it very much so I ripped back and started a slip stitch stripe which I'm liking much better.

And of course I had to start another striped sock, No-Purl Monkeys,  in Barn Cat, but I'm still looking for the right colour name for this one. Any suggestions?

I totally forgot to blog about these pretty pouches by Offhand Designs. I picked them up a Julie's several weeks ago, one for my many Addi circs, and one for my Addi Clics. Gorgeous, aren't they?

 I'll be back to the dye pots this week-end, I have lots of ideas running through my head right now.