Knitting: Stress Reducer!

April 5~
i missed a whole month(March) because while in Mesa,AZ we did not have internet access unless we took this laptop to Starbucks!! that was not fun...not having access ;(
so now, i'm trying to get back in my 'mo-jo'...computing (raveling) in the mornings w/my java b4 i do anything else! i just joined Twitterthis morning! i hope i use it!
i tried to embed a CBS special about knitting reducing stress...it didn't work. but it's nice that Harry Smith on GMA featured 'what's old is new again!'
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4917058n
i will get my pics of my Elsebeth Lavold hempathy (sage & lilac) Daphne's posted soon and my butterfly stitch pullover summer top i'm currently working on out of dbstrand crochet cotton.
Shannon/John gave me a bottle of CopperRidge wine and some shower gel for my (friday)march 13 bday!...the day i had to take my DH to the hospital in the Valley...high white count and very dehydrated...he ended up w/colitis and UT infection and a 4day hospital stay. thank goodness the UrgentCare dr recommended a brand new hospital...it had very good drs and great facilities!
but now we are home and i'm so glad!! still unpacking and going to get groceries b4 the (winter)
storm approaches this afternoon...
more soon...

i've been getting really behind at bloggin' since i've been busy knitting for family, friends and my 1st craft show! i vow to blog once a week in this new year! i'm still catching up from Christmas so here are 'a few of my favorite things'!!!

teresa's 'EUPATHIA from elsebeth lavold's 'Enchanted Garden Collection'. i let her pick the yarn/color. it turned out to be a 'jacket' type of sweater w/belt. she has worn it and says it keeps her nice and warm!

i made susan a 'Meandering Vines' stole in black. she wears a lot of black. the designer, who lives in Germany, emailed me (w/compliments!) after i posted this pic on Ravelry!

this is ethan & greta posing for g'ma's camera with ethan's Texas Longhorn's hat on greta!

upon meeting Nora at Christmas i brought over a bolero for her!

this is a very soft db brested vest that i sold to a 'neighboring' vendor at the Regina St.Nick Market. isn't he a cutie??

this window-paned pullover w/button shoulder was traded to the Regina elem media specialist for a snowman she made! she was hopeful for g'kids sometime. at Christmas she learned she WOULD be a g'ma!

this is a tye-dye yarn top on the cover of 'Knit-n-Style' that appeals to my desire to make myself a few new things for summer! i like this pattern AND yarn!

more hearts...

some of the projects/activities i've been working on/doing since Christmas...

Daphne by ElsebethLavold 'Enchanted Garden Collection' that i am making for myself in lt.sage hempathy(cotton/hemp).

Noro Kureyon little 'booga bag' for knitting accessories - felted by knit'n budde CindyV

knit'n at Coralville Crazy Girl Yarn Shoppe w/friends!

Evan at his piano recital...GOOD JOB!

'Reid' lacey sweater for my eyeDr's daughter!

my 1st use of Sweater Wizard CD to make matching 4T 'Provence' for older sister of whom baby sister already received one this past summer!

knit'n at HomeEc on a Sunday afternoon w/friends!

my favorite pic of Zoey at G'ma & G'pa's house!

Ethan's 1st 5th grade band concert (Dec 2008)

Ethan plays percussion!

Faith Hill sings America before SuperBowl Feb 1, 09

Kurt Warner (from Cedar Rapids,IA) QB Arizona Cardinals in SuperBowl Feb 1, 2009

Baby BSJ for SilasSuchomel's 'New Member of the Family' pic Jan '09
Baby BSJ,pants,hat,mitts,socks for JvF's g'baby due in March '09

the 'rest of the outfit'!!

one of two LUNA MOTH lace shawls 1~purple for Regina Gala in Feb 09 2~black for JvF's expectant daughter due in March

practicing 'butterfly' stitch on dishcloths!

February Hearts!

Some of my favorite inauguration pictures...

Blogoversary!

i should have blog'd yesterday on my 'blogoversary' but wasn't feeling like doing much except catching up on sleep! so now, it's 364 days until my next one! i have a LOT of posting to do here and on Ravelry...i need to print pics before uploading to the computer.
i've recently finished 2 toddler sweater orders and a LUNA-MOTH shawl for my g'kids' school's Feb Gala auction. the principal said she appreciated a 'heads-up' to know what i made so she can bid on it. i also got and order from the vice-principal for a baby sweater and shawl for the expectant mother(daughter of VP)!! these to be done/delivered before we leave for Mesa,AZ to 'visit' the CUBS at spring training!! she bought a sage green lace sweater for her 1st g'daughter and everyone loved it! i am glad to get feedback on my knitting, esp that the item fit!
i have to admit that i spend more time on Ravelry than i do here on my own blog. my bad!!!
i love that there is such a resource for meeting other knitters, viewing pics, searching/saving patterns! i have a knitn' budd, Cindy, who found me on Ravelry! actually, i asked her about her name~Toulouse~ because i had gone by the MoulinRouge in Paris on a bustour when my husband/i chaperoned his students to Europe back in the 80's! so we talk everyday now on Ravelry! and knit together whenever we can!
also, the shawl i'm going to make for the VP is the same 'meandering vines' that i made susan for Christmas. after posting it to Ravelry, the designer (who is from Germany) emailed me back! that's what i mean by loving Ravelry!!! i've talked to knitters all over the world! even Australia!
it's 22 below zero here in Iowa today...schools closed...a very good day to stay in and knit!!!

Season Greetings 2008

'Heart-of-the-Hawkeyes' display at Regina's St.Nick's Market 7Dec08

display goods before the show!
Regina fancy fur scarves!

Cranberry almond biscotti!

3 sets of necklets/lace wristwarmer orders

Zoey in G'ma Linda's knit'n recliner!

G'ma Linda fix'd my toys!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

i aplogize for the Smilebox music "What Child Is This?" conflicting w/the preprogram'd music on my blog!

Happy Thanksgiving 2008!

Make a Smilebox greeting

November knits...

President Elect...

President Elect Barack Obama
November 4, 2008
1st African-American President!

new fall knits...2008

the 'COLLECTION' July 2008~~

this is my 'COLLECTION' on Nov 1, 2008~~~
i've been replendishing after a donation for a preemie benefit this fall. i'm knitting a lot of new patterns.

this is on my 'to-do' list!!

Official Campaign Photo Nov 2008

this is just hilarious!!! i got it from a (retired) colleague! no matter what your political affiliation, it is cute!!

baby 'diaper cake'!!!

this is the baby boy 'diaper' cake that sd teresa made for her sil's baby shower today!! i was happy to have some country blue ribbon on hand that she could use to help secure the diapers!! what a cute idea!!!

i also went knitting to HomeEc today w/cindy and met val, beth, beth, ann(who i already knew from CG) and a new gal who was learning to knit her 1st sock!! it was great to meet some new local knitters! val makes/sells purses w/another gal...just had an open house and sold a lot! will display them dec 6 at HomeEc again! met cindy's daughter, carrie, and gs max ...i forgot to take the next skein for my aran sweater and forgot my camera as i wanted to get a pic of this activity... next time!!

home from the hospital...

i haven't been blogging lately...in fact, i haven't been knitting much lately...we have just had a 10-day ordeal in UIHC when my dh went in for a total (left)hip replacement on wed Sep 24...we knew, because of his DISH syndrome(his bones build extra bone tissue) that the intubation(breathing tube prep) would be difficult...his skeleton system has so much extra bone that it is fused in places, two of which are his neck/lower back...so he cannot bend his head back for the anesthesia team to intubate easily...in addition to the immobility, the opening in his throat was very small...it took 40+ minutes just for this to be done...
the hip surgery went well...the tube was left in for an extra day for the swelling to go down and prevent a re-intubation...that raised his high anxiety even higher and started the delay in a normal recovery... after 2 days in SICU he was moved to the orthopedic floor where he started to retain fluid, his blood pressure fell, and breathing became an issue along w/his heart pumping function...back up to SICU and iv lascis starting removing some fluid...he was followed by renal(kidney), cardiac(heart), respiratory(breathing), orthopedic(hip) and internal medicine teams... we should have included the psychic dept for the drs/nurses to understand how to treat someone w/high anxiety-panic disorder and DISH...i had to 'educate' everyone on those two medical issues the whole time...
while in SICU they put a Cpap mask on him at night and restrained him...and did NOT call me at home to come in after he repeated requested me...that was the really bad move on the hospital's part and i certainly let them know it... the night nurse told my husband she called me but did not! he was fearful the rest of the time in the hospital.
after stabalizing he was again moved to the ortho floor and i had to re-educate the nursing staff about his two conditions...i stayed in his room for 5 days...he did have some caring nurses there...
after a heart and kidney ultrasound, some physical therapy he was up walking enough for them to discharge them, but WITHOUT his pain med prescription! i had to make a trip back to the hospital to personally get the narcotic prescription to get filled...it did cause some family dissent...mostly due to my totally exhaustion & the other presciptions being taken to the wrong pharmacy by a family member trying to help! we certainly did not need that on the day we were going home friday Oct 3!!
all-in-all, things now are going well w/home health care nurse, PT and OT visits to our home!

Sweetheart Lace & Eupathia!

Eupathia (bramble) stitch jacket/sweater for Teresa at her 'fitting'! it fit great for the specifications she desired! i have it pinned together w/coil-less knitting pins and now just need to seam it together and crochet an edging around it~

i started & finished it in the middle of Greta's Sweetheart Lace dress which i just finished last night! the red pic is the pattern pick which i will make in red for Charlotte to wear at her kgt Christmas program!

CUBS win!!! clinch N.L. title!!!

Hurricane IKE

...is moving toward Galveston, TX ... evacuations saw snail's pace car lines going north on interstate...

a lot has been happening these past few days... the Presidential campaign continues...