Approaching Glory

Sock Me

I joined the Summer Sock-a-long.  I spent the end of May and June looking for "just the right sock yarns".  Boy - there are sure a good many opportunities to get great yarns on the Net.  However, I finally settled on these:

  This pair (in progress) is made from Socks that Rock in Mochaberry.  I got the 100% superwash merino in lightweight.  I'm using the Spring Forward Socks pattern from the summer edition of Knitty.  First - the yarn.  I love this yarn!  It is soft, great to work with and leaves high definition stitches.  It feels alot thicker than most sock yarns - but I like it for this pattern.  The pattern - it is great.  Easy to do but looks like you really accomplished a difficult pattern.  Okay - there's got to be a catch - and there appears to be one - it looks like I'm going to run out of yarn before I finish the second sock - ugh!  The pattern says one skein.  However, I have size 9.5 feet so maybe it's my big feet, or maybe I inadvertantly added a little more to the length of leg part.  But I don't think so.  Looks like I will need to order more.

I also got this Socks that Rock yarn in the colorway - Footzey Foo.  That's the color of the sock in the picture at the pattern site.  Look ALOT different up close and personal.  But it's okay.  Haven't decided what pattern to use.  I would like to use the Spring Forward but don't want to have to order more yarn.  Yup - cheap.  I will definitely be buying more of this yarn - they have a coral that looks lovely.

One recent Saturday, Hubby drove me to my LYS - which for us isn't so local.  I was really pleased to see that they had broadened their selection of sock yarns.  It was very difficult to chose a skein.  I finally settled on this Online Supersocke - which is again - a superwash.  I believe the color is City.  I think this will end up being a simple toe-up sock.  Hubby insisted I purchase at least one more skein considering the distance to the store and gas prices and all.  And me, being the submissive wife that I am - chose this:

This little jewel is Austermann's Step with Aloe Vera and Jojoba Oil.  And of course it is a superwash.  I believe it's color number seven and let me tell you it is very pretty.  It is currently being knit up in a tube sock pattern from the book, Socks, Socks, Socks by Elaine Rowley.  I don't know what I think about the pattern and I may rip and do a toe up.

So I may be slower than I would like in my summer sock-along, but I am knitting.  I've just downloaded three books so that should help me keep to my goals.

Sonny Boy

Btw - this is the picture I want to paint of Jbird.  Need to work on the layout - and trust me - it will definitely be an abstract when I get finished with it!

Well - let's see now -

• Jbird has finished Algebra II and is about to wind up the Chemistry (PTL)
• He took the ACT and did great.  He was so scared that he bombed it - but he did VERY well.
• We went to Gainesville State College and talked to the admissions person (does dead turtle personality mean anything to anyone? - ugh - and why would you hire such a person to be the one who meets and greets perspective college students?)  However - the good news is - that when a certain mother gets her ducks in a row with the transcript and the course synopsis - the kid is 99.9 % admittable for the spring.
• Jbird's mother cried when we got out of there - oh that was me!  It is really beginning to sink in - we are finished (except if he wants to cram a Spanish II in there so he can NOT have to take a language in college unless he wants to - which I am all for)  The homeschool catalogs are coming in for this next year - and it's OVER.  Wow.  And we did okay - actually we did better than okay - wow.
• Jbird still doesn't know what he wants to do with himself - which is fine.  Our boundaries are that we help him pay for college if he will agree to go to GSC because of price and convenience.  He's currently not thrilled with that restriction.  However - he is free to transfer after he get's his associates.  And truth be known, we are still trying to interest him in a trade or skill based tech school.  We're not getting anywhere with that either. 
• Jbird has been made "director" of the Celtic music for his CFAF group.  He's gotten the orchestra music for The Lord of the Dance and everyone is excited about that.
• He went to a formal birthday party for a friend (complete with tuxes).  He attended a Civil War Ball (tuxes again).  He thoroughly enjoyed learning the Virginia Reel. (not his group but I thought you might like to see it)  There is a Renaissance Ball coming up in August - complete with costumes.  I don't know if he's going to that or not.  Let's just say that he goes to some interesting things.
• He did not get a job for the summer (long story and some real hurt so I'm NOT going to discuss it) but he's got to get out and get a part time job in August.  Gas prices being what they are - if he wants to see his buds up in Forsyth he's going to have to have some money.
• Planning on sending him Ohio for a week or two to stay with his Grandma and Grandpa after he finishes Chemistry - I think he's the only grandkid that hasn't spent time with them up at their summer cottage.  I think this will be a forever memory time for him.

 

There and Back Again

It's hard to believe that time can fly as fast as it does.  I'm old enough to know this but every now and then I lose a handle on it.  Such has been the case since my last post.  So I guess I'll try to do updates a little differently - this time by subject matter.

My studio class at the Quinlan Art Center was over in June.  Chris was having people meet on Tuesdays down at Kudzu but I haven't been able to make any of the classes.  Insert "car issues" here.  But that doesn't mean I haven't been painting.  See the pic with this post as an example.  This painting has been a real pain.  I've worked and worked on it and I'm still not pleased.  But - until I show it to Chris and he makes some helpful suggestions (like toss it in a can - lol) I am done with it.  Too much time spent on it and too much frustration.

I am getting ready to start another portrait of Jbird.  I have no idea where I'll end up putting the finished product - but this is another project that is both a challenge and born in my heart.  Must pick up the picture that I have in the show at the gallery in early August.  Trying to get something ready for the member's show that comes up this fall.

Things are rather undecided as to whether I'll be able to continue with the art studio.  As with just about everyone - cuts are having to be made to the budget.  I really enjoy the fellowship though - and it does give me an incentive to keep going.