so i owe everyone (or all 10 of you that read my blog) some quiviut. although in my defense, there wasn't much more to post after the day i blogged....it poured for the next three days. we did have a wonderful bbq at my sister's house during one of the breaks in the rain, complete with awesome food, family, laughter, a ukelele playing friend and another who does fire dancing. it was like our own personal luau. :)

and i finished my socks.



since then i've been a gift knitting machine. i have dubbed this year insanity gift fest 2008 because i had the absolutely nutty idea to knit/crochet things for my entire list. well, all the adults anyway. *headdesk* i made things for the baby neices and nephews as well but those items have been done for a while. and the older ones, the kids who are at the "santa brings toys! yay!" stage got store bought presents.

surprisingly though, i am not stressed at all over this prospect. i have the attitude that if it doesn't get done, it doesn't get done. i figure if worse comes to worse i'll stick my FO in a gift bag on christmas morning (or whenever i see the person), needles and all, let them unwrap it, then take it back. when they get their gift at the end of january, it will still be awesome and i will not have put undue stress on myself. this laissez faire approach has served me well...and i've managed to complete 90% of my list. (yes, i know you all hate me right now. but try it! it makes the whole process much nicer.)

i made crocheted beaded necklaces for my sisters and friends (7 in all, although i might make an 8th) using some seed pearls i found in hawaii and a veriaty of other beads and pearls from a local bead store.

i found the tutorial on youtube and really enjoyed making them. i think they're my favorite FO of this holiday frenzy which also includes the following:



pattern names from top to bottom: a hat fit for a boyfriend (i made 3), a hemlock ring blanket and a simple crochet skater beanie (which is actually the very bottom picture) all from ultra alpaca , a raleigh hills hat out of aslan trends invectia (LOVE), and my constant companion out of ella rae classic and galaway highland worsted. i also started an afghan for my mom from lion brand pound of love (her present was seeing the yarn i bought) and something for hubby (but i'm not sure if he reads this, so no more info that that). not to mention the pair of bulky weight mittens for myself because it freaking SNOWED here. at the beach. i know, i know. pics or it didn't happen:


anyway more info in my ravelry notebook (on my knitting, not the snow. all my gifts are tagged with insanitygiftfest2008).

i still want to make a pair of peekaboo mittens to match the aslan trends hat and the purse still needs a lining (which i have all the stuff for, just haven't sat down and done). after that i we'll see. i'm conflicted. i'm really on a hat kick and i've found a lot of great hat patterns in my search for gifts....but i don't wear hats. i also really enjoyed working with beads in the necklaces. i'd like to try beaded knitting and i have all the things required to make ice queen...but again, i would never wear it. so half of me wants to knit some of these really great patterns which would eventually be gifts. the other half wants to cast on socks for me. i'll probably do both.

the hard thing about not blogging often is when you do, you find seventygajillion things that are mention worthy....but then the entry ends up with teel dear running all over it. so i'll stop while i'm ahead. :)