Is it Time to Knit Yet?

Been a long time!

Hey folks, if there is anyone reading this blog still...I know I've been absent for a long time.  I just never seem to have time to blog, let alone knit!!!  So I'll just dive right in.

We went to Las Vegas this past weekend for a karate tournament, and some goofing off in between.  I entered in sparring and forms, and I ended up placing 2nd in sparring!!  The Boyfriend got it on video and I thought I'd share, this is only one of the matches (the best one, haha).  Though if you know me on FB you've probably already seen it.  I do much better updating over there than I do here, haha.  Anyway, don't laugh!!  It is obvious I still have A Lot to learn :)

Swimming in Tomatoes

We picked a bunch of tomatoes on Friday and made salsa on Saturday.  This is what we got today, plus about 11 pounds of green romas from trimming the plants.  I'm going to have to make some tomato relish now, but the rest of these will be happily eaten room temp with a little bit of salt, maybe basil.  Yum.

Foodstuffs

I decided to join a CSA this year, albeit late in the season, but I did it anyway.  I've wanted to for the last two years but couldn't bring myself to commit to it, so I decided there was no time like the present.  Zoe's garden's CSA is more expensive than others, but they claim to give much larger shares than others too.  I think this was pretty large and for the first week I was pleased.  There were a few iffy items, like some less than stellar berries and more squash than I'd like, but I can't complain too much so far. 

We did some canning yesterday, heirloom tomato salsa (tomatoes from our garden, peppers from the farmer's market) and plain organic diced tomatoes.  I'm not sure about the tomatoes since a lot of liquid came out of the jars, but they do seem to be sealed correctly so I guess we're okay.  The salsa isn't as chunky as I'd like either, the tomatoes kind of melted so I think the next batch we do will have to be with different tomatoes.  It tastes great though!!  Now I'm all excited about canning and I want to do some jam and maybe pickled stuff too. 

I guess I could blog

It seems like we are so busy lately and I have lots of time to go out and do stuff, but no time or energy to blog about it.  I could at least tell you what I'm up to, even if there are no pictures to go with it.

I'm knitting exclusively on the Cleopatra Wrap.  I'm halfway through my 12th repeat of Chart B.  While I'm working on it it seems as though I'm just whizzing along, but when I hold it up and look at it, it seems like it is going so slow!  It will be beautiful once it is finally done.  I guess my yarn ball is getting a bigger hole inside so I am making progress.

I have been crocheting a little too.  We were at Joann's and The Kiddo spied, out of all of the pattern books in the yarn section there, a Wow Wow Wubbzy book.  So for some reason I've committed to making her an afghan with one of the characters in it.  I'm only about 12 rows in and not sure about the colorwork so it might also be slow going. 

I have been sewing a quilt too!  I started one for The Kiddo and have one more long row to do before I can attempt to put it all together.  I even bought more fabric for more quilts, I must be crazy.  We'll see.

We are trying to get ready for the big Kindergarten that starts on the 1st of September.  We are going to a co-oping school again this year and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.  It seems like it may be a lot more involved than supervising art projects and putting a small snack together, or watching kids on the playground for 45 minutes.  I think I just might survive it though.  Again, we'll see. 

I'm on my 7th week of my 14 week training program for the Half Marathon in October.  I'll be running 5 miles today, focusing on speedwork, and hopefully getting in a long 7 mile run some other time this week.  It has been tough but so rewarding at the same time.  It is yet to be seen in my mind if I will actually finish the half marathon when it comes down to it, but I'm sure going to try!!

I've given myself a little 30 day Raw Food challenge - eating only raw foods or as close as I can get to it, for 30 days.  Today is day 24!  I'm starting to feel pretty damn good, and even losing a little weight.  My chronic back pain is becoming slightly less, my mood is becoming more even and consistent, and I just feel overall good.  It's also been about 3 months since I quit drinking so I could train for the race so that has a lot to do with it too.  Anyway, it's cool to make goals and stick with them. 

So that's that, I promise to post some pics soon, of WIPs, nature, or maybe even a sweater!  Have a great weekend.

WIP Wednesday

I have been getting a lot of knitting done lately, most of it being on the Cleopatra Wrap.  I keep going and going and going, and I'm still not very far!  I think I've got the pattern memorized now though, it's nice to not have to look at the chart on every other row.  I'm still enjoying working on it too, but it will be nice when it is finally done!

I've started on another Summerlin, this one will most likely be a dress version and a gift.  This time I'm using Cotton Ease which seems to be giving me a denser fabric which is probably not a bad thing at all.  I'll probably use the same fabric as the last one too. 

I also have a zipper that doesn't quite match, but will probably have to do.  Now to get to it and just put the thing in!
 

Mediocre Sewing FO

I don't really know when The Kiddo heard about Strawberry Shortcake, probably from her cousin.  Anyway we were picking out fabric the other day and she just had to have some Strawberry Shortcake shorts.  So after spending the whole day today on it, here they are.  I guess I made a size or two too big, shouldn't have done that!  After putting extra elastic in the shorts they do fit though.  And I guess I could tighten up the elastic in the top too since it is pretty loose.  I thought about making another set, the right size, but I don't think I like this pattern anymore, haha.  So there you go, Strawberry Shortcake halter and shorts.  I need more practice!
 

Summerlin

I think I have found the cutest thing to exist on the planet.  It is the Summerlin dress.  It can have a less or more gathered bottom, or an apron top style seen here.  This is the first of at least a few, my practice run.  I'm thinking of doing a couple for some gifts for the cute little girls in my life.  It turned out pretty good I think!  It has been a while since I've done any kind of sewing and this was easy enough and super quick, pretty hard to mess up I'd say.  The great thing about it is it only uses a little bit of fabric and a little bit of yarn.  The knitting can be done in a few hours and the sewing takes even less time.  Such a great idea! 

• Pattern - Summerlin by Kathryn Ivy
• Yarn - Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, Victorian Pink
• Needles - US Size 6
• Knit Time - 2 1/2 hours