Happy November!

Can you beleive it's November already!

Tis the season of Fall leaves changing color and then falling... falling all over our lawns... covering them with brown crunchy crispy leaves.... making us rake until our hands fall off... and then falling some more!

Oh sorry - I got distracted. This is what my back yard looks like today. Yes - it's beautiful right now.

When all the leaves are still on the trees - it's absolutely fantastic!





but


Soon - they will come. Soon - the leaves will all be gone and my lawn will look like this...



So as you can see - I'll be raking for years...

Sorry - I don't meant to be a downer - I'm just not looking forward to that! I wish the leaves would stay like they are now all year long!

November also means Turkey and Thanksgiving! This year we are going to Arizona for a mini vacation over Thanksgiving. My parents are going too and we'll be staying in Sedona and taking little side trips to places like the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert. I can't wait!

Am I the only person alive who doesn't like turkey? I love Thanksgiving and all the side dishes and the deserts - but I'm not a huge turkey fan. I'll eat turkey lunch meat and even sandwiches made from the Thanksgiving turkey - but I don't care for the turkey off the bird. I never have been a turkey fan and I can't explain it. My family thinks I'm an alien! Oh well - if you share this trait - please let me know - or feel free to join my family in telling me I'm a mutant!

November is also National Novel Writing Month!




NaNoWriMo for those in the know! I participated in NaNoWriMo last year and actually wrote a book in a month! You don't believe it's possible when you start - but then you get going and start writing and it just kind of happens.

Basically - the premise of NaNoWriMo is that everyone has a book in them somewhere - or 2 or 3 - and all they need to get it out is a little encouragement - and a deadline. November is your deadline! You have 30 days to write 50,000 words. I know that sounds like a lot - but it's only 1,667 words a day! I tell ya - if I can do - you can do it.

Let's start a knitters NaNoWriMo support group! If you decide this is something you want to do - post on here and I'll start a mini support group for all of us! I'll be doing it - so why not join me!

Anyway - if I get enough interest - maybe I'll even create a new site for the month.


The best thing about November is that we get to wear sweaters! I love my sweaters. I have always lived in an area where the winters were cold and harsh and long! (I grew up near the Poconos in PA)

SO I have lots and lots of sweaters. This is also a perfect month to start knitting a sweater. I must admit I have never knit a sweater. So - I think this is the perfect month to start! I am taking a Top-Down Sweater class on Friday at Stitches (yeah Stitches!!) and this will hopefully inspire me to start one of my own. In class we are making a teddi bear sized sweater. I'll be sure to post all about it after I am done.

Tell me about your November and also if you are interested in joining me in writing a novel this month!

And the winner is....

Happy Halloween everyone!



I didn't plan it this way - but it works out quite well. This is my 100th post!!


And you know what that means! Today I will announce the winner of my 100th post contest!




Yeah!!

Thank you everyone for entering my contest and answering the questions I posted. I really enjoyed reading everyone's answers!

Before I announce the winner - I thought I'd get everyone's hopes up a little more by showing you all the fabulous prizes that the winner will receive!

Here are the prizes!




First and foremost - the yarn - I am including one skein of Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock yarn in the Glenwood colorway.





There is also a skein of Lamb's Pride - which is great for felted bags!




Next we have some turquoise earrings - purchased at the Taos Pueblo. These were handmade by a Native American




You can read about them here:



One item from the Taos Wool festival is this Felted Wool covered soap. It shrinks (felts more) as you use it!





Another item from the Taos Wool festival is this felted pet toy. Most knitters seem to have pets (my winner does!!) - so I couldn't resist getting one!





There are also a few other prizes purchased during my travels to New mexico that I thought were cute...

A Southwestern style coaster with a lizard


A shot glass with Route 66 on it.... (I loved walking around Nob Hill)





A Mexican Coffee scented candle and hand painted ceramic tile that I got at the Sandia Mountain gift shop.





And Mexican jumping beans!! I love these little guys! You can find "bean care" directions on how to keep them happy and healthy here...






Also - if you are a worm fan - there's a very interesting article on their life cycle here (don't worry - they won't eat your yarn!)


And now for the winner!!

The selection process was highly technical ;) (I listed everyone that entered in Excel and assigned them each a number. I then asked my co-worker and fellow knitter giantsknitter to pick a number between 1 and 45. She chose 22.)

So...


Congratulations....


K of needle-play blog!!!

You win!!

After reading your latest blog entry - it looks like this may be right in time for a birthday - so Happy Birthday too!!


K - please email me at javajem at yahoo dot com and give me your address and I'll get your prizes right out to you!

Congratulations again and thanks everyone for entering!

Final countdown to 100th post

Well I took my own advice and started my "one day" project - the Clapotis! I am about halfway done and it is beautiful. I love how it is coming out.




I love how the dropped stitches look...



I'm so glad I finally did this project. It is coming out just as I imagined. The yarn is a dream to work with - it's Brooks Farm Riata which is a discontinued color unfortunately - but it is gorgeous. I haven't been able to put it down. I worked on it most of the weekend.

While I wasn't working on the Clap... - I was learning how to make two socks on two circular needles at Woolwinders. I am not sure I love the technique. My needles were getting all tangled up with my yarn and I think I spent more time untangling than I did knitting. But my teacher does say - that she things my needles were to blame... they were too new and the cords were not behaving. So... I may keep trying - but only AFTER I finish my Clapotis.

I got to spend lots of quality time with my boys this weekend - my pups and hubby and I enjoyed the cool weather and the changing leaves this weekend. I love Autumn.


In honor of the fall weather and the fact that we are approaching Halloween - here are some pics of the mini pumkins I got from the farmer's market.

Countdown to 100th post - part II

I got to go my very own home town Sit and Knit tonight! I finally felt like I was home :)

I missed my girls! There was sock drama and lace knitting and yarn porn and lots of giggles and gossip. Gotta love it!

Can you believe next week is November!!!!!! I feel like this year has flown by in two seconds. The only good thing about November is that it means Stitches East is coming!!





I am signed up for three - yes three! classes. Top down sweaters, Hole-istic lace and Decorative Edges. I am very excited. Thursday night - everyone taking a class gets to go to a "Market preview" That mean I get to buy before everyone else! (Well - everyone else who didn't sign up for classes.)


I am also looking forward to a class I signed up for on Saturday - I am taking a two socks on two circular needles class at Woolwinders with Giantsknitter. It is Socktoberfest after all!!


And....

Don't forget to enter my 100th post Blog contest.





The questions are here.

Countdown to 100th post - part 1

I am so happy that everyone is entering my 100th post contest! I hope everyone is inspired to start that "one day" project. I started mine last night. I am officially beginning my (3rd attempt) Clapotis! I am using my Brook's Farm yarn from the Taos Wool Festival.




I don't have a progress picture yet - but as soon as I do - I will post! I love the way the colors are blending together. I think I will stick with it this time and get a finished Clap!

I other news... for those of you I didn't already email claiming international fame and fortune (hee hee) - here is an article from the Albuquerque Tribune. It's about the Albuquerque Stitch and Bitch that I went to while I was out there for work. I am quoted at the end of the article. Yeah!


For those of you who haven't yet - don't forget to enter my 100th post contest - see details in the previous post.

Blog Contest!!

Hi all - I am quickly approaching my 100th post on Javajem - Knits! Can you believe it!!

Only three more posts from now - I will reach 100 posts. In honor of this milestone - I decided to host a contest!





The prizes will be amazing and people will swoon with delight! (well maybe the swooning is bit much to hope for - but still!...)

Included in the prizes is a skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport Yarn and some New Mexican made Fiesta Yarn and some other New Mexico souvenirs collected from my travels.

I will be picking a name at random from whoever posts a comment to my blog in the next three posts and answers the following questions.

(Feel free to also post the questions and answers on your blog too - but I'm greedy and want to read them all so post them here too!!!)


1. Since it is my 100th blog contest – If you have a blog – how many entries have you made?

2. What is the first thing you notice about a person when you meet them for the first time?

3. What are you currently reading? And what is your favorite book of all time?

4. Where is the furthest you have ever traveled from home?

5. I’m sure everyone has some knitted project that they just can’t seem to get around to starting. I know I have several. What is something you would like to knit “One day”?
(I would also like to add a challenge to these questions. Everyone who actually finishes their personal “One day” project before SP9 is over (January 31st 2007) will be entered to win a skein of some yummy yarn!. So let “one day” be today! I will post again when SP9 is almost over and ask to see pictures!)

6. And finally – since it is October - what are you going to be for Halloween?

And since turn around is fair play - here are my answers:

1. Duh - 100

2. I always notice people's eyes. Do they look me in the eye? If not - I may not trust them.

3. I am currently reading In her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner. I was a English major in college and have many favorite books - I can't ever seem to pick just one favorite - so here are three... One Hudred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood.

4. I had to go to Tokyo Japan once for work. I got to go sightseeing for a weekend - otherwise it was all work - but I had a great time.

5. I have been wanting to make a Clapotis for so long now. I have actually started twice - but ripped it out becuase I wasn't in love with the yarn. Well - I have some yarn now that I love and I need to start!! I will hopefully be posting pictures soon.

6. While I was in New Mexico I bought a cowboy hat - I think I have to put it to some good use... Cowgirl?



OK - start leaving those comments today and for the next three posts and I will put all your names in a hat and then announce the winner in my 101st post.

Good luck everyone and happy knitting!

My last Stitch and Bitch for a while....

This was the last Tuesday night Stitch and Bitch for me in Albuquerque for a while. I'm so glad I am going home and actually get to stay there for a bit - but I will miss the wonderful ladies I met at the Flying Star.

Thank you thank you for welcoming me into your group and for being such good friends! I could not have made it out here were it not for you!

I'll miss everyone - and I'll miss the Flying Star Mac and Cheese too!!

Here's Heather (who needs a blog :)
and Molley



Noelle and poor Cheryl - trying to wind yarn and ending up with a big rats nest instead!



Beth modeling her awesome cabled hoodie! I love this!



And some other random pics of the girls knitting (and crocheting and naalbinding) away. What the heck is Naalbinding you may ask? Read this...






There was a reporter there from the Albuquerque Tribune and I got interviewed. When she found out I was actually from Maryland - she was very suprised that I found the Stitch and Bitch group! I may get my name in the paper - cool!!

ScoutJ was also there (in the red shirt above) with camera in hand - she's hosting an author on her site for a blogtour for a new book soon. I'm not sure if it's a secret so I won't tell which book it's for - but I loved the sweater on the cover of it! I may just have to tackle it for a first sweater project!

I worked on my sock most of the night between sips of iced coffee and a luscious piece of pecan pie. Yum!

Thanks again ladies for making my Tuesday nights more enjoyable!

Last one I swear!

Last post with pictures of balloons! I didn't even plan to see any this morning - but then I went outside and there they were! How can you not take pictures of balloons I ask you? So here are a few that I saw from my hotel parking lot...












OK - now that we got that out of the way - we can move on to other things!

My mom and I headed out this morning on the Turquoise Trail! We wound around the mountains and saw gorgeous views. We stopped in Madrid and browsed around some cute little shops before arriving in Santa Fe. Santa Fe is one of the most beautiful towns I've ever seen. They have laws about what color houses can be and all the homes are earth shades. They all blend in with the earth and mountains. Very pretty.

We walked around the town and shopped and shopped and shopped! I got the most gorgeous green turquoise ring...




I also picked up some little New Mexican souvenirs and a New Mexican cookbook. The church and main plaza were gorgeous...

















After our shopping around town - we tried to go to a yarn shop I saw on the internet... but alas! it was closed on Sunday. No yarn for me :(

But I did turn the heel on my sock!

Are you tired of balloons yet?

If so - don't look at this post!

Here at Javajem knits - it's all balloons all the time! Well at least until the Balloon Fiesta is over!

We woke up at the crack of dawn today (around 5am) and headed out to Fiesta park to see the Mass Assention this morning.

As we walked around the park the sun started to peak over the mountain. As always - the sunrise was gorgeous...





After a cup of hot cocoa and a cinnamon roll - the balloons were ready to start... The weather wasn't perfect and there was the threat of rain in the air... so not all the balloons were going to go up - but there was still a decent showing.


As the first balloon took to the air - the crowd cheered and waved and welcomed them to the sky.


Soon - many other balloons followed and the sky was a mass of colorful balloons. One passed directly over my head - I could see straight through it...




The colors were just amazing against the gray sky...


























My husband's company Lockheed Martin had a balloon too...





There were hundreds of balloons in the air by the end...





My mom and I had a great morning!





After the show - I had to go back to work for a while (I know - working on Saturday!! What's that about!!) - then after work - I took Mom to the Frontier for a great meal of green chili burritos and a cinnamon roll - mmmmm....!!!

Then we headed West to the Petroglyphs National Monument.






Ancient Native American drawings were everywhere... It make you wonder - what will the next civilization think of our graffiti? Will it be a "monument" some day?











At one point - I turned a corner around a rock and saw this ...






What a nice surprise!

After the petroglyphs - we went back to the hotel to crash. Getting up at 5am really shortens your day!!!