ho ho ho!
this is the first holiday season where i can focus on the true meaning
of the season. i have been blessed with so much that i want to say i am
content beyond belief. new year will hold so many new possibilities
& i am certain that there is so much more to love. wishing all a very
delightful & happiest of seasons; smile, you are alive!

Happy Holidays!
i am so done with the two blankets: boats for cameron from debbie macomber's
shop on blossom street. i am excited at how they turned out; i changed a few
things & they came out better that what i had thought they would. since they
are for my 2 youngest grandkids i hope that they will have a life time of use.
there will be pics posted after the holidays. after the holidays i plan on making
a great knitted skirt out of the big girl knits bk. i just love the cable & pocket
on this skirt. i will need to do a little adjusting of the pattern as i'll need it to
be a little smaller than the pattern. still, i am so elated to knit a skirt.

choices & more

after reading yet another view of marie antoinette i have
decided that she was given a raw deal; she was after all born
into an ingeniously wealthy family whose take on honor was
at the expense of individualism. marie seems as a high
spirited if not some what innocent martyr. she was used as
a scapegoat not just by her family but, also by the people of
france. it was an exordinary take on her ability to put herself
on the line for the sake "of the people." that she was spoiled &
wasteful; we will never really know- after all she married into
a family that had already used up the coffers long before she
arrived. i love her spirit, her sense of loyalty & admire her for
all the personal sacrifices she made in order to fit into a society that never understood nor embraced her.

love my secret pal! when i checked my mail yesterday there was a lovely
little package from my sp; inside i found a big surprise:0) some beautiful
debbie bliss cotton enough to make myself something really nice & a handsome
pair of rosewood knitting needles in a sz 10. i have been coveting needles from
latern moon for so long. thank you, thank you, thank you secret pal; you're the
best!

non-stop knitting

it's been nonstop knitting over the last 2 weeks; mostly i was immobilzed by snow
& therefore i was able to use my time to complete one blanket & am almost
finished with blanket #2. i am elated as i have many hopes to teach myself the
ukelele; bought one for my bday! tuning it is quite a challenge. once i do learn
that the rest is a piece of cake. speaking of cake-- during the snow-in i had gone
to my local oriental foods store & stocked up on chocolate mochi, red bean paste
mochi, pot stickers & dumplings. hmmmm good. i love going to there it's so packed
full of great stuff. i like trying new things & i am not ever disappointed. looking forward
to the holidays; no plans just want to rest & relax.

it's been a whirlwind of activity. first thanksgiving was a nice surprise as
we were invited to my eldest granddaughter's other grandmother's house
for eating & sharing. then for my bday my daughter surprised yet again with
a beautiful piece of art; a girl on the moon with a quote from eleanor roosevelt:
"the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." how
true is that! we had lunch at mi mexico; hmmm, gooood plus, they made me
wear a sombrero & sang happy bday to me. it's been rather dreary
with the 18" of snow that we have gotten overnight & more to come. i love the
snow as long as i don't need to move about in it. it's quiet, peaceful silence is
inspiring to my soul; i need quiet from time to time.

my shrug, my purse, my curly scarf

latest knit project

i love all the great patterns inside shop on blossom street; i am presently
working on finishing a great blanket from it that has rows of sailboats &
rows of cables. the effect is perfect for my grandson; it is going to be
a comfort blanket as it is just big enough to cover him. i hope to be able to
knit another blanket from the same bklet for my granddaughter. knitting quickly!

belkis & levana

belkis, originally uploaded by knittergurl56.

this is the happy grandma & the new mamsita, levana

heaven help us; another love!

i am officially a great auntie; my niece had her baby yesterday!
her name is anabelle love. yes, love is her middle name. i am
so estatic to have another grandchild in our small clan. my mom
was beside herself as this is her 3rd great grandchild. that i should live
so long to experience the same. the happy parents are enraptured by
her little hands & feet.

can't believe it!

1. i will be 50 in a couple of weeks
2. i will have celebrated 1.5 years of a knit blog
3. i have finally started a savings account; it's for a real vacation to italy in '08
4. i have been mostly eating veggies & fish for 7 months; sure, chocalate is also included
5. i have conquered my fears in lucid dreams
   

my own swimming pool

EE, originally uploaded by knittergurl56.

lovelerly.. sigh
this is what i want in my backyard...

took pics of all my finished
projects & hope to be able to download them later to post soon! busy doing a
two tone gray curly scarf w/some fantastic optimum wool from jody devine a wonderful
past secret pal. will post that too w/more of the brown shrug i finished this
summer.

knit, knit, knit
i think i'll be able to post most of the knitting projects i've done
by monday. blogger will be down for awhile on sat. & sun. is family
day! some of my co-workers inspired by the rain have decided to host
knit night. first group project are the notorious whirly scarfs; i've
found that 4 ply fiber doesn't do well after the 1st 600 stitches are
on your circulars. quite tricky; i've had to add another circular needle.
i've been studying italian for a several wks. now it is so similar to
spanish it's breeze! so, cross my fingers that i can get photos of my
stuff. drats! not having a pc at home.

Halloween fun!

Just finished my patons shrug in rust; I just love the way it came out!
I hope to post pics asap. still no PC @ home so I'll need to wing it.
Been fascinated by all the activity going on at my LYS;& they're having an
anniversary sale Sat. & Sun. I have to work this wkend but, I will make it
my first stop of the day Sat. Plus, they have the Quinte Scrapbk I've wanted
since forever by Mission Falls!! Elan is having a great sale on yarn as well-
eeeekk! so much to do & so little time. Have been reading Mary Kay Andrews series
Savannah Blues, Savannah Breeze; just love her take on Southern colliqualisms.
She's hip, trendy and funny. If you like stories that have good endings the chic
lit. dept. than she's a good start. I am on my second strip for my sailboat
blanket from Debbie Macomber's knit leaflet A Shop on Blossom Street. She's another
great author; she tells women's stories w/flair & no whinning. My Bday approaching
has me feeling like I need to be in overdrive. Nothing like getting your 1st
issue of AARP to put things in perspective for ya! Can't wait to see all the little
hobgoblins this yr. Our little library is dressed to the hilt w/Halloween festive
wear; I brought in some maple leaves & my boss dressed the pumpkins w/foliage.

get to know you questions: secret pal 9

i found the questions for the sp9 contest so, here goes:

1. my favorite spot to knit is while i watch tv or on the bus; i go
everywhere by bus.
2. if i could never knit again i would paint with my mouth. if cats &
elephants can do it, so can i.
3. if i could travel anywhere in the world i would go to tahiti to a black
pearl farm so i can see the way they develop & of course to bring one huge
black pearl home with me.
4. when i was little all i wanted to be was happy! and yes, i am happy with
what i do now as a career. i read all i want!
5. my favorite flavor ice cream is ben & jerry's cherry garcia :0)

just wanted to post that i found my wishlist via www.amazon.com
please use keilagonzalez@hotmail.com as the address.
also, www.patons.com has changed it's look so i could not find
the shrug pattern that i got from joanne's. needless to say i'll
need to figure out how to download all my knitting photos.

have recovered from a nice weekend of WALE fun. made some great new
friends & even took some time to knit. i'm currently making a shrug from
a paton's pattern; fast, easy & on big needles. some send posts to my
secret pal 9 spoilee & am looking forward to shopping for her gifties!
fall is full on in bham; leaves are crinkly, colors range from orange to
russet. my daughter & i had lunch together yesterday; we've decided that
the colors in autumn would make great hair dye. she's 27 & full of fun.
i am so blessed to have such wonderful relationships in my life. picked up
a copy of the happy hooker; want to crochet some for the holiday gifties.
still coveting loop d loop patterns. haven't ventured to pick out a pattern
yet! love life and am looking forward to more!

secret pal 9 questionnaire

i love the secret pal venture; those ladies that put it on work really hard to
get everyone involved so here's 3 cheers to them all.

1. i love all fibers except wool.
2. i store my needles in a small bag & sorely need another one.
3. i have been knitting for about 8 yrs. i consider my skill level to
be intermediate.
4. i believe i still have an amazon wishlist.
5. i love most scents except patucholi for the home. i love floral scents for
bath products.
6. i do have a sweet tooth. i love dark chocalate w/orange or raspberry.
7. other crafts i enjoy are: crochet, i make beaded jewelry, i cross-stitch,
i do calligraphy & japanese brush calligraphy. i make cards too.
8. i love all kinds of music except gangster rap. my stereo doesn't play mp3s.
9. my favorite color is pink, my fav palette are fall colors. not too crazy about
green.
10. i am divorced with 2 adult children & 3 1/2 grandchildren. i haven't any pets.
i do have alot of plants.
11. i do wear scarves, hats, mittens and ponchos.
12. my favorite item to knit right now are shawls or shrugs.
13. i am knitting several items; a shrug, a scarf and a blanket.
14. i love handmade gifts!
15. i prefer straight wooden needles.
16. i do not own a yarn winder or swift.
17. i taught myself to knit.
18. i do not have any ufo's; i like to finish what i start.
19. my fav holiday is thanksgiving.
20. i collect tiny or small bears & mermaids.
21. i do not have any knit zine subscriptions. needles sz 10 wooden would be great,
i would love either alterknits or loop d loop.
22. i would like to try a lace shawl pattern.
23. i don't knit socks. i have a sz 10.5 shoe.
24. my bday is 11-24.

this is how i should start my day

have no idea how i got this photo but, hey! it's my first in so long that i'll take the darn thing. miracles, miracles everywhere. two magnolia trees on either side of the ywca have decided to bloom; it's mid-september. saw a horse & carriage going down the guide meridian; you know, the kind you see in central park, new york. had no
idea that we had that here. watched akeelah and the bee; reminded me of how i loved words as a kid. being bi-lingual helped me in spelling and i was darn good. even did a spelling bee through school. have been knitting like crazy, a red woolie hat, a green basket weave scarf, and now a shop on blossom street sailboat blanket in baby blue. still am not able to download photos; but, soon! real soon. love life i am staying in touch with those who can tolerate my zaniness the most!

too much time on my hands

since i've discovered how to knit i have pretty well neglected other areas of
creativity and interests. however, i am gleeful some things that are coming
up as part of my job that are fun! one of them is www.librarything.com
if you love reading and books this a great way to store and share those books
you really treasure. most of all it is free~! it is practically fool proof so you
don't need html knowledge. the other keen information that i will be exploring
will be new technologies via a WALE convention. washington association of
library education has the best mini tutorials and the conference is generally
a good place to meet fellow bibliophiles. on a personal note i find that i really
need to get out and meet some flesh and blood people as it is too easy for me
to just chill alone at home. soon i will be the big 5-0; this is definitely something
worth celebrating as half a century is way longer than what i thought i would ever
survive. still working on getting some photos posted of my fo's.

things i have done

1. tubing down river
2. camped out on a secluded island
3. hitchhiked across country
4. danced til dawn (most of my young years)
5. rv'd across the states and canada
6. lived overseas for 6 years
7. lived on maui with a hawaiian family of hula dancers
8. sailed in the gulf of mexico
9. swam with a pod of dolphins
10. stayed at celebrity's house
11. swam by moonlight
12. saw the sunset on the pier in key west
13. stayed in a haunted house in queen anne, seattle,wa
14. fished off of a ricktey wood bridge in destin,florida (a long time ago)_
15. took my granddaughter to the immensely beautiful aquarium on maui
16. attended a luau hosted by my hula dancer roommates
17. did karoke, sushi and saki all in one night
18. fell backwards off of a 7 hand horse while riding doubles
19. had my fourtune told at the bottom of the teacup in new orleans
20. slept in the desert under the stars
21. slept on a flat roof in miami under the stars
22. sailed around miami bay at night
23. won tickets to a conference via a radio station on maui
24. have had several poems published

half of summer

here it is almost july 15th; where i grew up in ft. walton beach, florida
this is the time of year when they celebrate half of summer. it is quite
the party! i miss the annual billy bow leg festivities. billy was a local
pirate and he is honored by the city with floats, parade and of course
drink specials. i miss the ocean and white sand, sand dunes and crunchy
hush puppies. even so, here in the great northwest i have views of the bay
of bellingham, mt.baker, the twin sisters mts. and most of the islands.
my knitting continues to increase as i would love to contribute to the
dulaan project this year. this organization distributes hats, coats and
warm apparel to the people of tibet. this is dear to my heart as the tibetans
are as self-sustaining as possible even with the political arena withholding
from the local people the necessities of life.

summer solistice

i often question as to how i am doing and often i anwser "fine"
i have a mental process that helps me focus on the positive; i
tell myself i am great and i smile. whenever i am down i do this
over and over until i am quite convinced that i am just wonderful.
this mind over emotions is and has been one of my most challenging
things to understand. sure, i know that good mental health also promotes
good body health more over i know how as a woman life's little ups &
downs can be jolted into further degrees by womanly cycles yet, now
that i am older it is not as difficult. fear is an enemy that creeps
in if you are not aware and it will steal away any strength that you
may have. that is why everyday i assure myself it is a good day to be
alive.

divine timing

it has been a long time since i have posted mostly because i miss having access to downloading photos from my digital and without a pc at home it is going to be much longer before i can display any of my knit and/or other creative projects. however, a room with a view has been inspirational and i truely enjoy where i live; by the sea is where i love to be.

changes, changes everywhere

haven't had the pc at home to add some great photos of current
knit items. but, have been busy knitting pillows for my new
apt. it's been a long time since i have had my own place; i am
so looking forward to shopping for things to replace those things
that i've given to my daughter for her house. life is good!

happy first day of spring!

i love the cherry blossoms and all the bulbs in full bloom. lots of color!
the air is fresh & still crisp with a hint of winter's coolness.

fun with the little ones

i have spent the weekend knitting my shrug & spending quality time with each of
my grandkids. jaiden, our little guy came by so we did the playground, computer games, watched cartoons and had little conversations. taylor, the eldest came by last night. we watched matilda and talked about this & that. this morning isabelle came with her mom & she entertained me as usual. she's so alert; it's scary to see how much she knows. i am so blessed with joy & i am thrilled to be able to spend time building relationships with them while they're young.

bell shrug & cable purse

belongs to another blogger

this is the shrug that i am half way through making. the pattern came from another knitting blog.i made another cable purse, but i haven't been able to find purse handles that suit it. i'll be finishing my shrug by the
wk's end. can't wait to wear the lovely bell shrug.

word cloud

flowers & the tropics

found these prints on line & love the vibrant colors.

shrugs

i love shrugs and with the help of my secret pal i have started a bell shrug in
the mocha cotton blend. with spring being somewhat cool here a shrug is just the
thing when i work indoors and need to go outside for whatever. i'll post pics soon.
i love the way the texture of this comfy fiber is just light enough that i can wear
over a tank. am 1/3 of the way done and am excited about finishing & wearing it.
i am so grateful for the free pattern from www.beatknitpattern.blogspot.com

a list of things i'd like to do...

hot air balloon ride. it doesn't have to be over paris but, it would be great if
it were. ice fishing in winter in a little hut with a kettle of tea. learn to make
very flaky pastries. have more fun time with my family. sail under the night stars to a great tropical isle that has a coral reef enticing enough to dive for. go to tibet & sit with the artists who make the sand art; chant with them & watch the magic come alive. go to more theme parks with the kids; they love it so much.
ride a gondola & dine at sunset... it doesn't have to be in venice. experiment more in the kitchen & variate textures of foods more. paint with oil; learn to crush stones to make color.

remnants & creations

finished a panta in purple cotton; fuzzy photo, i couldn't stop laughing.
have had a thing about recycling and so i used remnants of yarn that i had
acquired to make a cable purse. it's fully lined with black panne. it holds
quite a bit and is easy to care for. tonite i cast on the shrug with the
mocha cotton blend from mariposa, my secret pal. i'm pretty excited as this
a unique blend.

thinking of retirement

BF & i having been talking about where to go to live
out our best days. we've been thinking that living on
maui would be our best choice. i miss the warm air, the
easy sounds of the waves and mostly miss my sense of
peace whenever i am there. i love the way i feel when
i am outdoors full time. these things make me think
that it is good to move on leaving behind all the things
that i think are important for now; life has a funny way
of making you change your mind.

Patons

this pattern is the best i've seen for cozy comfort &
stylish chic; red is always a good color for winter. can't seem to get the pattern to download. the symbol means
longevity. i have a black & white comforter from korea
that has this symbol. i would love to make this if i can
only figure out how to get it!

Happy Valentine's Day

I have a real sweetheart for my SP- she has sent me post cards from all over
the United States and has enhanced my yarn stash by 50%. I love the calendar, Mariposa. I didn't mention it in my email to you. I have great plans for the
purple mohair- a french beret and for the mocha cotton I plan on making a shrug
from Interweave. Thanks so much for your awesome taste and generosity. Have a
loving Valentine's Day!

travels, culture & food

i fell for the personal peek into the culinary world of venice & tuscany. marlena lets you into her life & shares all the secrets to good food; her enthusiam spills into her love life. she is a wonderfully gifted woman.

early spring

it has been so sunny for the last few days that i wonder,is it an early spring?
also, bulbs are opening up, trees have early buds and the temperature has been warmer than usual.

mary frances

i collect all kinds of hand bags and love to make them. for christmas i was gifted a unique mary frances hand bag; a piece of artwork. i definitely love to use it & show it off; it has some disadvantages in that the beads & what-nots aren't geared for abuse. none the less what an inspiration!

nature is spectacular

this movie had me in awe, in tears and in terror as to how the emperor
penguin endures what nature dishes out. considering that penguins mate only
every 4 or 5 yrs. it's a wonder they manage to survive at all. i would
have appreciated this movie as a science film when i was a kid. my grand-
daughter has seen it too, and was deeply moved. yet, she showed no signs
of distress as nature isn't good or bad, it just is.

giftie from mariposa

my SP, Mariposa (it means butterfly; not her real name)has sent me some wonderful denim sirdar, a create knits & corchet 'zine, some awesome notecards with a matching journal. thank you so much, Mariposa! all the way from the sunshine state. it use to be my state too, until 10 yrs. ago. finally, a pic of my unblocked fishtail scarf in mohair. i love the colors & the fluffy softness of it all. i have some remnants of differet yarns that i am making headbands out of. i have started a panta in fuschia & made a headband out of pink cotton sewed on a few faux pearls and viola! another headband. it bothers me when i can't recycle or reuse fibers.

lace shawls

i finally finished my fishtail lace shawl;i love every knot, every hole. took a
great deal of determination to sit & read the pattern but, it was well worth it! since this is my first lace project i am completely satisfied. i'll post photos tomorrow.
on another note, it's been hard to read lately. i wait til bed time to read &
by then i am too exhausted to remember what i read. i have a few books to read
with knit the classics and i am looking forward to reading something with substance. currently knitting a headband out leftover pima cotton in pink. can't wait to wear it.

life as a gift

i remember my first love as he was a fantastically insightful person and a twin.
the two brothers were as different as night & day. we met when i was 10 and soon after i terrorized him as show of my affection. i was such a tomboy; nothing daunted my admiration for my friend; he was 3 yrs. older and had many other girls who admired him as well. we remained friends for life; his life was cut short as he
died four yrs ago from colon cancer. he was deeply spiritual person full of grace & compassion. he helped many people during his life just by being a good listener. i was devastated when i learned that he was dying. he didn't tell me until he was absolutely sure that there was no other recourse. he knew me well; regrets flowed like a river. why hadn't i allowed him to be "the one" in my life? so much of what happened between us no one could ever measure; true friendship & acceptance. a love that time could not steal away. each day i wake up & give thanks that i had had such a wonderful person in my life; he paved the way for my heart to open to others. this was his gift of life to me. for this i am ever thankful!

gaudi's vision

antonio gaudi was such a visionary. his scope of naturalizing architecture making
buildings into organic environs which uniquely housed human activity are still a marvel which i admire. give me something earthy and vibrantly unique over steele and glass any day! have so many patterns that i would love to knit; so much to knit, so little time. still working on my shawl; wish i could somehow remember the pattern so i can watch sex & the city and knit lace. borrowed a great book on lace hoping i can absorb reading a chart and those pesky psso's. can't wait to make a new shrug from vogue international fall 2005.

when a kiss is ended, it leaves behind it a smile...
this is from a little chocolate by perugina "baci" a little kiss of dark chocolate
over a hazelnut with a little saying for good measure. almost better than a chinese fortune cookie. decided to finish my fishtail scarf as i had neglected it during the holiday knit-down. my next project is going to be a 2 skein shrug. the photo is of
an autumn crane kimono given to me a long time ago while i lived in japan. as winter
lingers i enjoy looking at my surroundings and remember the good times i have had
and perchance time to dream up of more to come.

hello kitty kimono

just when i thought sanrio has hooked me and that i'm fighting back by not
being a super consumer of hello kitty collectibles i see their newest, cutest
ever collection! it's all about red, cherry blossoms and hello kitty's sweet
face.

SP 7 Questionnaire

1. i like all kinds of yarn as long the fiber is soft & not scratchy. lion brand
good but, i am not fond of red heart. 2. i do crochet but, i don't spin.
3. i store my needles in a silk needle holder for my straight needles. however,
i don't have anything to store my circular needles. 4. i've been knitting for 6 yrs.
my skill level is between beginner & intermediate. 5. i do have an amazon wishlist; i am listed as keilagonzalez@hotmail.com and a froogle wishlist under my profile it also has me listed as keilagonzalez@hotmail.com
6. my fav scents mandarin orange, brown sugar & fig for body. any scent for the house. 7. i love dark choclate, milk chocolate. 8. i love all kinds of crafts: cross stitch, jewelry making, washi kits, macrame, crochet, sewing etc.
9. i love hip hop, jazz, salsa, r&b most anything not too fond of country. my computer plays mp3's. 10. favorite color/s: pinks, purples and fall colors.
11. i have 3 grandchildren, two adult children, fish & a cat. 12. i do wear scarves, hats, mittens & sometimes ponchos. 13. i love soft fibers: angora, mohair and cotton blends. 14. current knitting obsession: shrugs! 15. favorite item to knit quick knit items. 16. i am currently knitting a lace shawl. 17. i love hand made gifts!
18. i like both straight & circular needles. 19. i really prefer wood needles over
metal & plastic is ok too. 20. i don't own a yarn winder or a swift.
21. i taught myself to knit by using library books. 22. my oldest ufo is 3 mos. old
23. my fav animated character: hello kitty, hands down. 24. my favorite holiday is christmas 25. i collect small boyd's bears. 26. i work at a library so i usually try to check out magazines either at the local newstand or at work; i haven't any subscriptions. 27. i would love to have a copy of loop d loop by: teva durham or handknit holidays by: melanie fallick pattern book: mission falls quinte scrapbook by: mags kandis 28.i would love to learn more lace techniques.
29. i haven't ventured to knit socks. my shoe size is 10. 30. my birthdate: 11/24.

mad, hot ballroom

i absolutely love this movie; the music, the kids and the storyline were
fantastic. i wish there were more movies like this out there! my parents
taught me & my siblings to dance with a freedom subjected to hip swaying
merengue or salsa. they were big into samba & swing. they just loved to
dance and for that i am indebted to them. i passed that love on to my kids
as they have onto theirs. i think dance allows you a self assurance that
can shine through out your life.

as the year of the rooster closes...

wanted to actively ring in the new year!
i am excited as i have many new things
that i am going to do. looking forward
to all new things in my life...