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While I Was Gone…

Posted on December 18, 2015 by auburnchick

Lordy, but every time I write a post, it seems as though I’m apologizing!  My blogging…it just sucks right now.

Enough with that, though.  I’ll offer up no excuses.  It is what it is.  I’m choosing to spend down time not on the computer and, instead, watching television, knitting, and reading.

Anyhoo…

The burning question, if you’re not a friend on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter is:  What has Auburnchick been up to the past few weeks?

Well, let’s see…

I’ve been doing a LOT of teaching.  With this being December, we are hot and heavy into all things reading.  My kiddos are working hard on grammar, fiction reading, and main idea (our current unit).

Things are going swimmingly.  I’m extremely happy with my classes this year.  I’ve had fairly minor behavioral issues, and I’ve experienced a few surprises.  My students have been incredibly cooperative and trusting, allowing me to lead them in all things reading.  They don’t always like that I’m strict, but I think they understand that I’m consistent, firm, yet fair.

One thing I’m doing a better job at this year is balancing my life.  I’m lesson planning one night a week from home and getting the rest of my work done at school.  These purposeful decisions have allowed me to spend more time on myself and my family.

Probably the thing I’m most proud of is my fitness quest.  After jokingly being called “thick” by a student last school year, I made it my mission to take care of my body.  You know I started working out this past spring.  I worked out with weights this summer but tapered off when school began.  The start of the school year is when most teachers drop into a black hole.  It’s brutal setting up new classes…new routines…new everything (because the state of Florida constantly changes things).

That’s when I started working out from home with Beachbody’s Piyo program.

The diet plan and workout schedule helped me so much.  They provided the structure I desperately needed, and when I finished two months after starting it, I was fourteen pounds and 7.25 inches leaner, stronger, more flexible, and in the best shape I’ve been in for a long time.

I had seen a friend (a former teacher who I used to sub for who is now a full-time Beachbody coach) and her posts, but I’d resisted.  I’m completely sold on these programs now.  They work, if you have the self discipline to follow through (which I do, as you know, because I am the poster child for being an overachiever).

I love the free shirt I received after I uploaded before/after photos on Beachbody’s website…

The back of this shirt says it all.  I sincerely feel as though I have redefined myself.  I’ve developed healthier eating habits…keeping up with my portions in MyFitnessPal, a free app, and exercising nearly every morning.  Working out at 5:15am (thus getting up at 4:15am so I can read my First5 devotions) is sometimes challenging, but I’ve seen the payoff, and it’s totally worth it.

I have re-instilled the confidence that had slowly eroded away over the past few years, and I’m finding it a joy to pick out clothes each day.  They fit so much better now, and I’m getting into pants that had gotten extremely tight last year.

I jumped right into a new workout after “graduating” from Piyo.  I’m currently four weeks into TurboFire, which is an intense cardio program.  I selected it with a goal of burning the subcutaneous fat from my abs.  It’s lingering, despite the ab muscles I developed through my previous program.

TurboFire is no joke, let me tell you.  When I do the 40-minute workout, I burn nearly 400 calories.  It’s crazy, but I’m loving it!  Chalene Johnson is extremely motivating (and no, I’m not getting paid to say this).

Oh hey, do you like that picture up above?  Well, let me tell you about THAT.

See, with me getting into fitness and doing my first 5k in October, I started wanting a fitness watch.  After doing a LOT of research, I found one I liked and told the Mr. that this is what I wanted for Christmas.  He asked if I wanted to wait to get it, and I decided that no, I did not.  I even had a Best Buy coupon that was going to expire, so he let me order it.

I decided to get the Garmin Vivoactiv.

This arrived on my doorstep right as we were leaving for dinner. I had separation anxiety and took it with me…hence the restaurant menu.

I went back and forth between this and the Apple Watch but ultimately decided on this because of a few of the features it offered that the Apple version did not.  It’s also a watch that I thought would fit on my small wrist much better than the Fitbit Surge, which I’d read was fairly large for people with uber-small wrists like mine.

Being the techie that I am, it didn’t take me long to set it up and download widgets.  Don’t you love the clock I set up in the picture above?  It’s animated; the dog wags its tail…totally worth the itsy bit of extra battery it takes to run it.

Speaking of battery, this thing only requires a charge every 10-14 days…no kidding!  I have it connected to the GPS, and it still lasts FOREVER!  I love this thing and wear it CONSTANTLY, except for when it’s charging.

Things I like about it…

It connects via Bluetooth to my phone, so I receive various notifications on it.  I can read text messages, get weather updates, and even view calendar notifications on it!  I cannot respond to or generate any communication from it, but I can answer phone calls though it!  No, I can’t talk through it, but I can press an answer button it, and my phone will pick up!  It also has the capability of setting alarms, which I love!  It vibrates when it goes off, which is much less irritating than my regular alarm sounds, which I eventually ignore.

I love the step counter and derive much pleasure when I reach my goal of 10,000 steps.  A party goes off on my wrist when I do with the watch vibrating and displaying fireworks.  I do the happy dance every single time this happens.

Please excuse the random photos below.  They were not taken the same day, but they are various screen shots from the Garmin Connect app on my phone and photos of the watch’s widgets, so you can get idea of the data you can view.

Fireworks on my wrist…

Caloric breakdown…

It also connects to the app, MyFitnessPal, so all of my calories are updated seamlessly.  It keeps track of a variety of exercises too!  I’ve been extremely pleased with it.

Knitting-wise, I’ve been busy.  Here are a few pictures of things I’ve completed (I’ll try to post soon with specific details)…

Hearwarming Stockings for the Mr. and me…

The Mr.’s stocking

My stocking

I’ve made a few baby hats…two for a former student’s twins, and two for a friend’s grandson…

The yarn is TopThis, and it is FABULOUS to work with and comes in a large variety of animal themes!  It’s relatively inexpensive, so it makes for lovely gifts, should you choose to order it.

I’m currently working on a very large project…my Oakwood Poncho.

Thanksgiving rolled around, and the Mr.’s parents treated us to a Western Caribbean cruise.

Packing was a bear, let me tell you.

I’d created a plan for myself that week…trying to balance work and packing…and it was a relief when I finished everything with a minimal amount of stress.

It was a wonderfully-relaxing week that I’ll share about in some future post.

Getting back from vacation was not so much fun.  I got sick that Tuesday and had to take two days off of work.  I’d thought I could persevere, and I even went to work that Wednesday and attended a meeting before school.  However, I started crying toward the end of the meeting because I couldn’t figure out how I was going to make it through the day, and my friend/department head told me to ask one of our school’s secretaries if she could find a sub to cover my classes that day.

Cindy, sub extraordinaire, filled in with the subs that were already scheduled to work at our school, and after quickly creating lesson plans, I left school.  My poor first period class…they saw me crying, and my heart nearly burst when a couple of the girls teared up themselves.  I think it was hard for them to see me incapable of being the stoic teacher that I usually am.

I put in for a sub that night because I knew I was still too sick to go in the next day, and when nobody picked up, my fellow reading teachers filled in the gap and absorbed my students into their classrooms.  Reading teachers are the BEST!

I’ve been fighting the crud for over two weeks and think I’ve FINALLY turned the corner.  It’s taken LOTS of prayer and the preparation of homeopathic remedies.  I’d been unable to work out for two weeks and just got back into my routine this week.  This is the sickest I’ve been in about four years.  Not good stuff, let me tell you.

CVS remedy…

I googled for my own remedy (and have discovered that I do NOT like honey and am only consuming it because it’s supposed to be good for sore throats, which I STILL have…)…

My first workout after a two-week hiatus…

Despite being so sick, I managed to get most of January’s lesson plans written.  I especially wanted to get the first couple of weeks finished so I could go into Christmas Break without work on my mind.

 

Speaking of Christmas Break, I am now officially on my two-week vacation.

This was me, this morning, after my challenging/invigorating 40-minute workout.  Because I’m still recovering from the crud, I had to transform high-impact moves into low-impact ones (i.e. no jumping and less jogging/running in place).  I still burned a TON of calories and was ready to head into my school’s early release day…

Leaving school…well, I don’t think there are enough memes to show what I was really feeling.  My watch and this selfie tell the picture best though…

After I ran a few errands and grabbed lunch to go, I settled in for a two-hour nap…more recovery time so I can continue my quest for full healing from this horrid crud I’ve had…

That’s about it from my corner of the world.

I always say I’ll blog more, but I know I can’t promise.  My priorities are shifting; turning on my computer on my “off” days is less important.  Spending time unplugged (except for my phone) ranks near the top of my list these days.

However…I miss my writing and long to return to it more consistently.

We.  Shall.  See.

Filed under: fitness | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Early Morning Rain Shawl

Posted on October 26, 2015 by auburnchick

I did a lot of knitting during my summer vacation.  I shared some of it in this post.

I thought it was past time that I wrote about a project I finished in August.

This is my Early Morning Rain Shawl.

I discovered this pattern when I went yarn shopping one day in June and fell in love with the Wolle’s Yarn Creations…

The owner of the yarn store showed me the shawl she was working on, and I knew I had to make one for myself.

I bought the yarn, beads (oy vey), and a Verna-X Beadle Needle…

I cast on July 19th.  The work was a little slow going at first.  Learning how to pull beads through my new tool wasn’t very easy; however, I watched the following video a few times and got faster…

The open lacework made my heart happy…I do love this type of knitting.

The pattern is written in a narrative format with sections divided into chapters.  It makes for lovely reading.

I wasn’t able to knit to the end of the pattern; the way it’s written, you can customize it a bit.  My gauge runs a little big.  I was only short a few rows.  Next time, I’ll buy one more skein of yarn so I won’t get stressed out.

The overall look of the shawl wasn’t affected in the least.

It’s a rather long shawl that drapes nicely with the added weight of the beads.

One of the things that made this pattern so enjoyable to knit was how each section changed.  It wasn’t monotonous garter stitch that went on forever.

The fringe freaked me out a little…at first.  It wound up being a piece of cake to work up.

This is a versatile scarf…perfect for casual wear…

When I bought the yarn, I envisioned wearing it to dinner at the beach.  The Mr. and I enjoy eating at various restaurants that have an ocean view.  The breeze is sometimes a bit cool for me.  The cotton yarn is light enough to take the edge off without making me sweat.  The open lace also helps.

It was a fairly quick knit.  I finished on August 10th, right before I had to head back to school.

I think it’s already become one of my favorite shawls!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Summertime Knitting Shenanigans

Posted on June 23, 2015 by auburnchick

When last I posted…

Boy, this seems to be the theme of my blogging life these last few months, eh?  It seems as though I can find every excuse to throw at you, but the reality is that I don’t always feel pulled to turn on my computer.  I get done with my day and need to veg out, sans the computer.

BUT, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have things to share.  My poor brain and heart are ready to burst forth at any moment with a blog post…typing that post…well, yeah.

So, besides laying around, enjoying my summer vacation, what exactly has been occupying my time?

One of the things that I’ve been doing is knitting.  I’d like to share a couple few projects.  Beware.  This post is picture heavy, as befitting my love of knitting selfies.

Oh, and before I forget, if you want more specific project info, check out my Ravelry project pages.  Not a member?  It’s free to join and a great way to score free patterns, check out what others have knit, and keep track of your own projects!

Now, an explanation of the first three projects that follow.

For this term in my Harry Potter Knit/Crochet House Cup OWL, I proposed an Arithmancy project that would consist of four completed pairs of socks.

I’d previously knit three for an OWL a couple of terms ago, so I figured upping the ante would be good.  Because it’s summer, I thought I’d have enough time to complete that extra pair.  It typically takes me a couple of weeks to knit a pair of socks if they aren’t fancy Cookie A patterns.

The first pair I finished was Angee, by Cookie A.  It was one of the simplest patterns of hers that I’ve knit, which is why I started them in May when school was still going (the HPKCHC term runs from May through July).

The yarn is Unplanned Peacock Studio Superwash Merino, and I used size 0 needles.  My gauge is always bigger than what patterns call for because I tend to knit loosely despite my years of experience.  Despite that, the socks are a great fit!

The next pair of socks I finished was Pflastersteine / Cobblestones, a free pattern on Ravelry.  The yarn is Frog Tree Periboo, and I used size 0 needles (my go-to needles, it would seem).

This was another super-easy and quick knit.  Thank goodness!  I started these before school ended and finished the day after I was officially home for the summer.

For the record, I knit them exactly the same, despite what looks to be a height difference.  Sometimes it’s hard to set the camera timer, run to my “spot,” and pull up the socks evenly for a uniform picture.  I’m good at multi-tasking but not that good!

The pair I finished a couple of days ago was Turmeric Socks.  If I’m not mistaken, it was my friend, Christina, who had gifted me this lovely Madelinetosh yarn.  The color, Gilded, reminded her of my Auburn fanaticism.  🙂

This pattern incorporates a bit of cable work into a lace design.  I knit this pair in ten days.  I could have probably knit them in under a week if I hadn’t been so busy doing nothing (like sunbathing, napping, and watching World Cup).

This pattern was so much fun to knit!  If you’re scared of cables and/or socks, don’t be.  I’ve knit a LOT of socks, so trust me when I say that the pattern designer did an EXCELLENT job with this.  There are charts AND line-by-line instructions.

I’ve already cast on the final pair of socks for this OWL.  I’ll get around to posting them…eventually.  🙂

Another project, non-sock-related, I completed in June was my Grrlfriend Market Bag (spell this way if you’re looking up the pattern on Ravelry).

This was another easy knit, although my hands were hating life by the time I finished.  Cotton yarn can be hard on your hands…especially Lily Sugar n’ Cream and with the smaller needles I used (size 4 and 7).

The result was worth the effort, though.  This is a fun bag to carry around!

So, that’s a bit of what I’ve been up to lately!  How have you been keeping busy during these beautiful summer months?

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

Sneaker Booties Times 2

Posted on May 15, 2015 by auburnchick

A little over a month ago, while I was getting my nails done, somehow the topic of knitting came up.  My nail tech casually asked me if I could make a set of baby booties for her to gift to a family member who is expecting twins.

Now, you’ve gotta know how much I adore my nail tech.  I’ve been visiting her nail salon for about four years, and she keeps my nails looking oh-so-fabulous…

After I left, I texted her a photo of something I’d made in the past, and she told me what colors she wanted.

Today, I took the finished booties to the salon when I went to my biweekly appointment.  She was very pleased with the results.  We considered each others’ work a trade (knitting for nails) and called things even.

Take a look at the finished projects…

If you’re on Ravelry, go to my project page.  I’m Auburnchick over there.  Feel free to friend me too!

Oh, and did I mention that the pattern is free?!

This is such a quick, easy knit that requires a minimum amount of yarn.  It’s also knit in the round, so there is no seaming!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Better Late Than Never!

Posted on April 4, 2015 by auburnchick

One of the things my sister posted about me, when she bid me birthday tidings on Facebook last week,was that she loved, after my being a lover/follower of Christ, my goofiness.

Well, folks, today’s incident fell right into line with my usual antics.

I’d been invited to a baby shower and had this afternoon earmarked for the event.

At first, I had planned on buying a gift; however, last weekend, I cast on and completed the Lacy Baby Hat and Baby Ballerina Booties you see pictured below…

Both were quick knits that I was able to finish and post for March’s classes in the Harry Potter Knit/Crochet House Cup.

Remember that I am a nerd.

I figured I’d pick up something from the mom-to-be’s baby registry at a local store to finish off her gift; however, when I spied a pattern for Spring Seamless Baby Shoes, I knew another hat would follow as well.

Found the buttons at Joann’s Fabrics

After searching on Ravelry, I found a pattern for a Baby Girl Sun Hat, which I knit up in a little over a day.  It helped having Good Friday off.  I caught up on DVRd shows and knit a good portion of the day…

I burned the midnight oil, working until 2am with still the purling and brim to go.  I picked up where I left off this morning.

I worked feverishly late morning and early afternoon to finish that hat.

I talked to my friend, Barb, as I was sewing the last few things together.  She mentioned, two times, about letting me go so I could get to the shower.  I laughingly replied that I was finishing the project as we spoke.

Her words would come back to haunt me a couple of hours later.

Finally, the second set was complete and photos taken…

The hats and booties made a lovely package…

I showered, said goodbye to the Mr., and headed out.

I was gong to be right on time for the 4pm shower, and we were going to eat dinner out afterward.

And then…as I got to the stop sign in my neighborhood, I thought, “Self, take a look at the invitation just to make sure you have the right date.”

This was despite having talked to Barb about the shower a couple of hours before.

I didn’t trust myself because, just a few weeks before today, I’d shown up early to a Premier Jewelry party that was hosted by my friend, Cinda…who also happened to be hosting today’s baby shower.

So, as I looked at the invitation, my heart fell…

The shower had been scheduled for 2pm, not 4, as I’d thought.

Yes, I had the date correct, but somehow, the size and placement of that 4 had stuck with me.

Ugh.

Two.

Hours.

Late.

I was still in the neighborhood, so I went back home.  The Mr. laughed as I told him what I’d done.

I asked him for advice about what to do at that point (like a guy is going to know how to handle a faux pas like this).

He shook his head in bewilderment before suggesting I call the hostess.

I tried, to no avail.

I texted but got no response.

The Mr. then suggested that I drive on over.  Living in Podunk, USA has its advantages sometimes…one of which is the fact that nobody lives very far from anybody else.

So I sheepishly loaded myself into my car, long pretty dress, beaded flip flops, and lipstick too.

Sigh.

Yes, I’d gotten gussied up.

For a party I was going to be two and a half hours late to.

As I drove to the party, another problem ensued.

Despite my GPS directions and the fact that both of my children had grown up going to friends’ houses in this neighborhood, I could not find the right side street.

Sigh.

I called Chicky on the way to explain my dilemma.  To which she’d called me out for what I was, “Stupid.”  Leave it to a daughter to not mince words, eh?

I persisted with my drive because being stubborn means you don’t quit.

I finally found the house…just in time to see the precious mom-to-be, a young lady only a year older than my Chicky, her mom, and her sister walking out of the hostess’s house, last present in hand and purses hanging from their arms.

They were about to leave.

Yes, I was mortified.

Sigh.

Welcome to my life, where this kind of thing happens much more frequently than I like (thank heavens they do though, or else this blog would be mighty boring to read).

I got out of my car and admitted that despite being an Intensive Reading teacher, I’d misread the invitation.

The mom-to-be’s mom, a friend of mine, graciously explained that with the medical crisis my own mom had recently been though, it was no wonder I’d mixed things up.

So sweet, eh?

I brushed off her kindness by telling her that I had recently developed a reputation for not making it to events as instructed by invitations.

Ahem.

We had a good laugh while the mom-to-be opened her gift…

And ooohed and ahhhhed…making me happy that I’d gone ahead and driven over.

These are precious people, in case I haven’t already said that.

Their Southern charm shone through.

My antics today, though, fed into the social awkwardness I already struggle with.

I stress out when driving some place new.

I get nervous when I need to attend shindigs like today’s.

I worry about looking stupid when (not if) I make a social error…because the Lord knows I missed the hand-off when He was passing out social graces.

I managed to commit all of these blunders today.

Despite my struggles, God’s love came through, in the gift that was exchanged and the sweet grace that flowed from all involved.

It was better to be late because if I hadn’t shown up at all, I wouldn’t have gotten to be a part of this young lady’s special day.

 

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Laminaria Shawl

Posted on March 30, 2015 by auburnchick

A lot of things have gone by the wayside this school year.

I’ve been an inconsistent blogger.

My housekeeping has gone to pot.

My knitting, though, has not ceased.

In January, I cast on for this term’s OWL…a three-month project that reads almost like a dissertation when a proposal is submitted.  We’re hard-core on Ravelry!

I love to knit lace, so the Laminaria Shawl fit the bill.

I used Malabrigo yarn I’d purchased some time before (I didn’t have to use the pink, but it was there as a backup plan in case I ran out of the purple), but it wasn’t long before I hit a snag.

Thank heavens for Ravelry.  Folks, if you want to make this shawl, DO YOUR HOMEWORK!  There are some issues with symmetry in the pattern.  The KAL (knitalong) forum for this pattern proved invaluable and helped me figure out how to adjust the stitches on the left side in the first couple of charts.

I used a lot of lifelines and about halfway through quit counting stitches.  It gets old counting out three to four hundred stitches.  Relying on my ability to hit the end of a section with the right stitch was scary, and I often tinked back to fix mistakes.

Still, I persisted.

Mom’s health crisis nearly did me in at the end.  Deadline knitting can be stressful, but it’s also a motivating factor when I knit.  That’s been a big bonus since joining the Harry Potter Knit/Crochet House Cup.

I took this project with me during both trips to visit my mom.  I knit in her hospital room by the light provided by the bathroom during the times when Mom’s headaches were so bad that she couldn’t tolerate any extra light.

I knit in the car when Super Sis drove the second trip down.

I knit when the Mr. picked me up and we traveled to Orlando for a Spring Break vacation.

I knit on the way home and then the day after that.

Blocking went much quicker than I’d originally expected, and I was able to take pictures the next day.

I do love my picture taking, although I sometimes fear that my neighbors will one day commit me to the loony bin; the sight of a camera on a tripod and me running back and forth to set the self-timer must be hysterical to behold.

A special thanks to the Mr. who did snap a few photos for me.  He grew aggravated, snapped a photo of my rear end for laughs (husbands…sheesh), but tolerated my request for help…to a point.

I wound up using nearly both skeins of yarn (935 yards), more than meeting the 800 yard requirement for this Charms OWL.

I tried to figure out a way to show off the lace work.  The purple yarn was difficult to photograph.  I hit upon an idea…using the shawl like stained glass.  My front window provided the perfect backdrop.

I’ll let you peruse the rest of my photos.  It’s a smorgasbord, that’s for sure!  If you want more details about the project, visit my project page on Ravelry!  I’m Auburnchick over there!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Goldilocks and the Three Hats

Posted on January 12, 2015 by auburnchick

Once upon a time, there was a girl who liked to knit.

Her beloved had requested a beanie, and she finally got around to making it.

She worked and worked and produced the following hat…

Alas, but though it appears to fit, it was too large for the Mr.

She went back to the drawing board, found a different pattern, and knit the second beanie…

It was more to the Mr.’s liking, but it was too small.

In frustration, they analyzed both beanies, determined to find a solution.

The Mr. wanted a folded brim…a larger one than he’d originally thought…one that required more rounds of stitching before the striping.

He didn’t want the ribbing to continue up the entire hat though.

He didn’t ask for much, eh?

They decided to combine both patterns.

A third hat was produced…

The hat appeared to be just right…

The Mr. happily went on his way, beanie in hand.

The knitter, upon posting on Facebook, got requests for said beanie.

Everyone won.

Epilogue:

The Mr. used the beanie while working late one night and discovered that he did, in fact, want a beanie that was larger..with a brim…with the stitching of the second beanie.

A frogging (not part of the original Goldilocks story) will be had, and a fourth beanie will eventually be produced…thus messing up this Goldilocks story forever.

The.

End.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: | Leave a comment »

New Years, Knitting, and Football

Posted on January 2, 2015 by auburnchick

Happy New Years to all of you!

I thought about posting yesterday…a couple of times throughout the day…but chose instead to vegetate.

I had a swatch to knit up and an OWL proposal to submit.  I’m going to make the Laminaria Shawl.

My yarn is Malabrigo Lace…

The color is Indigo.  I’ll use the pink if I see that I’m running low by the time I hit the edging charts…

The pattern uses Estonian stitches.  Below, is the swatch, which is the 3-into-3 star.  I have notes on my Ravelry project page for how to correctly execute the stitch should you decide to make this shawl.

An OWL is a three-month project that must meet certain requirements.  This term in my Harry Potter knitting group, I’ll be working my magic on a Charms project…one that requires a lace project and a minimum of 800 yards of fiber.  My proposal was accepted today, so I can officially cast on and begin!

I managed to find time to eat the most delicious vegan mac and cheese!!  Oh word, but this stuff is DIVINE!  I’ve been lactose-intolerant since I was seven months pregnant with Rooster.  Being able to eat this comfort food is like having a taste of heaven on earth.  I’m now on a mission to find a good recipe to make at home.

I watched a lot of football and knit a beanie…

I chose Auburn colors…

Watching my team lost in overtime wasn’t fun, but it was par for the course this season.

Meanwhile, I kept knitting…and watching more football.

I might be a teensy bit happy…Go Oregon!

And the following…

Um…no.  The game was a blowout.

😀

And I kept knitting on that beanie…

While watching the other school in Alabama get beat by Ohio State…

While I looked like this…

I finally finished the beanie, but it didn’t fit the Mr., who I’d knit if for.

My head is obviously much more inflated, because it fits me perfectly.

I submitted it for my Flying assignment in my Harry Potter group.  It’s supposed to be an upside-down cauldron.

Be impressed.

Oh, and before I turned out the light, I had to watch a couple of episodes of Downton Abbey.  I love, love, love this show!  It’s so smartly written and makes me tear up frequently!  The one-liners are hilarious too!

Here’s one from my viewing yesterday…

I hope you had a good first day of 2015!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Fancy Frills Knit Scarf

Posted on November 7, 2014 by auburnchick

I’ve been a busy knitter of late.  My new lesson-planning routine is working out well and allowing me much-needed down time.

A project I completed last weekend was the Fancy Frills Knit Scarf, a free pattern found here.

I have absolutely fallen in love with Red Heart’s Boutique line…notched laces and fabrics you can knit or crochet with.

It only required a couple of hours of knitting time to finish this gorgeous scarf…

Here’s a close-up of the lace…

I’d like to sell the ruffle scarves I’ve been making lately.  The fabric and lace scarves are priced at $20, and my original ruffle scarves (except for the Auburn one, which isn’t for sale) are $15.  All of the money from my scarves will be tithed at church as part of our 2020 project.

My church gave out $20 to each person who attended a service a few weeks ago.  During this service, goals were laid out as part of our church’s vision for the next five years.  The goal with giving the money was to have us use our talents to multiply the money and return it, along with whatever is earned.  I had immediately thought of my knitting as being a talent I could use.

Until they sell, I’m having fun dressing up my outfits…

Other scarves for sale…

$20

The fabric used in the scarf above.

Leopard Print Ruffles Scarf – $20

A close-up of the above scarf

$15 scarf

Let me know if you’re interested!  I can do Paypal.  Shipping will be paid by the buyer.  🙂

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

AuburnChick’s Got Spirit, Yes She Does

Posted on November 6, 2014 by auburnchick

I knit up a quick little project this week, inspired by yarn I saw and bought at Joann’s last weekend.

I’m calling this my Auburn Team Spirit Hat.  The pattern is free and available here.

It was a super-quick knit, worked up over the course of two evenings.  I could have finished it in one setting, but I started too late on Sunday to finish that same night.

The yarn is Red Heart…definitely not my favorite…but I nixed my dislike of it because I’m a total fangirl of my favorite team.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

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