Bead pile!

The first one of 2013. :)

Been busy busy busy making lots of beads so I couldn't resist a quick snap of one of the piles before they got strung up and mailed out. (I don't keep any for myself so it's the only time I get to enjoy them. lol) I *WOULD* say the bright colors are a nice treat from the cold, dreary winter but, in fact, it's been warmish and quite nice here for the last week.

I don't do resolutions but my PLAN is to do more stitching this year. Of course, like all good plans, you need to prep first and, for me, that means clearing the deck of my current knitty WIP's. I am struggling to finish up a pair of mittens (started last fall) but I went like gangbusters on this Wurm hat. Unfortunately, I keep forgetting to grab the hubby to help with the 'modeling' part of things Grr. (As it is impossible to properly photograph YOURSELF from the back.) So I grabbed Frosty McSmiles-A-Lot to do some modeling instead. 

 His head, crazily enough, was pretty perfectly sized for hat modeling. lol

This hat is kinda awesome. It has a knitted in brim so it's crazy thick and warm, and, even better, crazy fast to knit up. (And crazy easy to understand. You can knit this pattern in your sleep. ) Also: it's free. So what's not to love? It's got kind of a 'hipstery' vibe with the whole 'sag and droop' thing in the back. Not sure how hipstery *I* am but I wanted a hat that had ample room for when I have the Pile O' Curls bunched up on top of my head - and this definitely fits the bill. (I'm MUCH less inclined to spend time on blowing the 'do' out in the winter as it's too dry and fly-away sometimes for that. So au natural aka HONKING MESS of curls it is instead. :)) So now I have a hat for every occasion that might pop up - just in time for the snow that is coming our way this week. 

My other plan for the year is keep walking. I got a Fitbit last year for Xmas and, in a stunning turn of events, I not only used it - I USED IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. Every day! (Except for the two days I had food poisoning. But, you know.) 

 My 'natural' schedule would only put me at 3,000 steps per day but I worked up to 10,000 per day afer a while and, lately, my totals have been even higher than that. Who knows, if I keep it up maybe I will walk 2,000 miles this year............or MORE. So if you need a little motivation to be more active, a Fitbit might be for you. I am still endlessly fascinated (and motivated) by the constant digital tick-tick-ticking of my day, even after a whole year of it. I'm sure my heart is very thankful for it too! :)

Ahhhh....fall.

 (not my pic but I couldn't resist saving it) 

October is usually one of my favorites months. I love the chilly weather and all the colorful leaves and fall festivals to attend. (It doesn't hurt that the Stitches East aka Yarn Mecca is also in October.) And, of course, there is Halloween.

Walk in Putnam, CT last Sunday.

This one is off to a bit of a slow start. I've been limiting my computer and crafty times because I've had a terrible case of trigger finger in my left hand for the past 4 weeks or so. It's caused (for me) by too much bead making. I can knit for an hour and have no problems but after 15 minutes of bead making, my middle finger starts getting tight and, another 15 minutes in it starts 'clicking' like an off/on switch, eventually getting so constricted I need to use my OTHER hand to straighten it out for the next couple hours or so. It's not particularly painful really - more annoying than anything else. Especially when trying to sleep. (You tend to keep waking up and having to straighten it out.) I kept it taped up for a few weeks whenever I wasn't working and that has helped. It's still bothering me when I'm working but it's settling down fairly quickly after I'm done for the day vs. being cranky 24/7. So that's good!

Biking here in town yesterday.

The husband is still building his brand spanky-new uber-big shed. Or was. Until he fell off the ladder last week. Broken rib(s). Hard to tell if it's one or two. (And one ass cheek that looks like a rotten banana. lol) So now he has a month off work to heal. (He offered to do a light duty position but they declined. Guess they only do that when you get hurt at work. Oh well. So much for trying NOT to be a '47% moocher'. Bring on the disability checks! lol) So he's pretty miserable at the moment. Can't work on his shed and can't go bike riding with me, etc. He's getting a lot of reading done. *snort*

Fancy-pants panorama from in town

It *IS* Walktober though so I'm still dragging him out of the house with me for some daily exercise. Even shuffling around for a half hour or whatever is better than sitting around the house all day. Between that and picking up all his chores, things are busy, busy, busy! Looking forward to taking a day off for the Stitches East show this weekend, I tell you WHAT. 

IMMA GONNA GET MY YARN ON.