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...

new year's eve lunch

we had some lovely raspberry lemondrop martinis and coconut prawns. we managed to get some advice about libation mixing. so i went home and made a simple raspberry syrup, muddled some lemons, sugar rimmed the glasses and mixed some smirnoff raspberry vodka with chambord shake, shake, shake
we got new year's heaven! my newest fascination is with hula girl painting by auckland, new zealand's "misery" trendy, city artist. she does some great designs on all kinds of things from lunch boxes to sweet purses; it's goth, it's cute, it's contagious! check her out misery/illicit clothing company.

i resolve to evolve

i had so much fun making things for everyone else
so i am finally able to make something fun for myself.
my sp had sent this great wool in green so i ventured to
make the trendy shruglet- not a shawl & not a shrug.
i love the victorian style & the fun fur added a little balance. joanne's is so good with their diverse kits. this oriental purse was made for my daughter; if you can sew a straight line you can easily make one. she just loved it. new yr's= new attitude, new perspective and no resolutions!