a seasonal anachronism

As January comes to a close, we here at Chez NK are unanimously ready for summer. Enough with the grays of winter. Bring on the reds...the pinks...the yellows! 'Nuf said. I searched the archives for something bright and happy and not gray!! :)

Thank you so much for all your excellent questions for Chrissy! I will be closing the comments with this post, and will announce the winner on Monday.

We're planning to stay close to home this weekend, and maybe get some new maple trees planted, and finish a sock...how 'bout you?

Whatever you do, I hope you have a grand time this weekend!!

There is nothing like a dream to create the future.
~Victor Hugo

toe-up and well heeled

First up: the well heeled: the heels have been turned on the second Tottering Cable and Lohengrin socks. I think the TC sock should be finished shortly, making it the first finished pair of 2010...maybe this weekend if I'm lucky!

Next up:

I'm delighted to tell you that Chrissy Gardiner is going to stop by We Heart Yarn during the blog book tour of her book "Toe-Up!" on Monday February 1st, that's next Monday! Chrissy is a very talented designer, and boy are we lucky to have her reside in PDX! I hope you'll be able to stop by and join in the fun on Monday!!

I'd like to invite you to leave questions in the comments of this post for Chrissy to answer. I'll pass the questions on to Chrissy so she can incorporate some of them into her post.

And to sweeten the deal...

I have an autographed copy of her book to give to one lucky person who leaves a question here...so start thinking of some questions and I'll figure out how to randomly pick a winner!!

Happy Friday-eve!!

ETA: I'll be closing the comments with Friday morning's post. Thank you for all your great questions!!

Tottering Cables pattern by Anne Hanson in Zen Yarn Garden 'Squooshy' in Silvermoon
Lohengrin sock pattern by Caoua Coffee Wool Candy Meringue merino in 'Pamplemousse'

wordless wednesday

post-weekend oranges

We had a good, albeit busy weekend here at Chez NK. A little work was balanced by some knitting and movie watching...and some football for good measure.

Quite a bit of progress was made on the Lohengrin socks.

The combination of twisted stitches

and cross-overs is quite challenging...but after 40 rounds, I'm feeling the love!

I was searching for something orangey to photograph with these socks, and remembered an image of Carolyn's in which she took a photo of a rose on top of a photograph of the rose...I was inspired to play a bit, too!

I hope you all had a great weekend and are refreshed and ready to hit Monday refreshed and ready to gogogo!

Lohengrin sock pattern by Caoua Coffee
Wool Candy Meringue merino in 'Pamplemousse'

Lohengrin

Remember that wool candy yarn from last Friday? Well...it is now turning into the first socks to be cast on in 2010!

Meet Lohengrin. This pattern is fun, but quite challenging...alot of twists and turns. It's sure to keep me out of trouble for a week or two...or four, at least! I can't watch the "hour of Bauer" and knit these socks at the same time.

Is this not the sweetest little heart you've ever seen? Thank you, C!! :)

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend...stay warm and dry...and remember to take a moment to make your heart smile!!

Saroyan

Saroyan by Liz Abinante in STR 'Mossay'
The perfect pairing of color and pattern.
And look...sunlight to grace its FO photoshoot!

Don't let that sun fool you, it's still chilly enough to get a lot of wear time from this awesome scarf!

The sun does arise,
And make happy the skies;
The merry bells ring
To welcome the spring;
The skylark and thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around
To the bell's cheerful sound,
While our sports shall be seen
On the Echoing Green.
~William Blake

wordless wednesday

Forecast: Spring

A new addition to the family!

Pamplemousse. From Wool Candy via Woolgirl ala Linda.

The sweet treats just keep on coming.

This warm, sunny color has me chomping at the bit for spring!

I've been going through all my photo archives to organize my pixel stash! I found this poppy taken last November while in southern California for Thanksgiving...I thought a glimpse of spring might help chase away those pesky winter blues that seem to have settled in around many of us.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kind hearts are the gardens, Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the flowers,
Kind deeds are the fruits,
Take care of your garden
And keep out the weeds,
Fill it with sunshine, Kind words and kind deeds
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

help another, help oneself

It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I had another post planned for today. Then I changed my mind. I wrote this sitting in a warm house, with a full tummy, my hubby sitting next to me working on his laptop, and as we watch the news reports about the devastating earthquake in Haiti we reflect on how terribly lucky we are.

I invite you to join us in giving something if you can...even if it's just your coffee money...it all adds up. There are so many wonderful organizations that can offer assistance, here are two of them for your consideration.

Doctors without Borders

Mercy Corps

~Thank you~

wordless wednesday

sweet january

Sugared Grapefruit. From Yarn Love. The last kit from the 2009 Woolgirl sock club.

The kit included these yummy marshmallows,

and these adorable soaps. Yes...those are soaps!

The theme was 'Sweet Treats'.

Sweet, indeed!!

I hope you all are having a wonderful week!!

notes

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! xo

winter blooms

The witch hazel is beginning to bloom.

Spring can't be too far behind.

The first Flaming Desire sock was completed at the very end of 2009...

...and the second one is well on its way to completion.

Be the change you want to see in the world.
~Mahatma Gandhi

Flaming Desire sock pattern by Anne Hanson in 'New England Red' Harmony sock yarn from The Woolen Rabbit

wordless wednesday

monday grays

There's nothing like a hot bowl of oatmeal to start a day off right! I love doctoring mine up with raisins, brown sugar and butter...I had some chopped pecans on hand and threw some of those on top for good measure!!

It's back to work today, after a nice stretch of time off. I met my goal of getting 60 socks off the needles in 2009...it was a mad race to complete them all, but I did it with time to spare.

Now to complete their mates!

Tottering Cables by Anne Hanson in 'Silvermoon' Squooshy by Zen Yarn Garden

2010

We will open the book.
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Wishing you much happiness, good health, and great successes in all your endeavors in 2010!
We hope all that you wish for yourselves comes to pass and then some!

xo,
NK, Mr. NK and the fur crew :)