✻ Knitting in the New Year ✻

Crocheting flowers will always be my number one hobby, but I am also going to take up a bit of knitting in the new year. Why the knitting itch? Hard to say, but the art of perfecting knitted socks is a challenge I'm taking on !!

To begin, I had to do some research to find out which method of sock knitting I wanted to learn. Since I am a clean slate sock maker, this was an exciting part of the journey. I found out that there are three main methods. The standard way uses multiple sticks called double pointed needles. There is also a method that uses one very long circular needle. In the end, the technique that snagged my real interest was one that uses two circular needles to create the sock. Now how was I going to learn to do this?

Santa brought me two Cat Bordhi books for Christmas, "New Pathways for Sock Knitters" and "Personal Footprints". Her instructions are written for her preferred two circular needles method, but she also gives tips for the other techniques. I've been pouring over my new books - fascinated by the art of knitting footwear.

I finished my first two baby sized socks yesterday, after much learning and stumbling. Knitting basics were something I have picked up over the years, but this experience tested my ability to teach my hands new crafting positions, and my mind new pattern reading skills. Getting used to using two circular needles was very interesting. I almost thought it was impossible, then I found Cat's teaching videos. Seeing the needles in action was very helpful indeed !!

So here is my little learning sock. I am amazed that I made this cutie !! It is knitted all in one long thread, from the cuff to the toe. Cat's method keeps everything logical and flowing. Next I'll learn how to make the sock from the toe to the cuff. Great fun to come !!

And so you know that I'm still making my crocheted flowers, here is a side project I've been doing. This are a bunch of crocheted blue columbines. These blooms are the state flower here in Colorado where I live.

What challenges are you taking on in 2010?

♥ Love The Holidays ♥

My online community has not let me down this holiday season. I went looking for some great etsy.com items and I was not disappointed. Here are 4 of my favorite holiday inspired, Christmas tree related, finds. Please click each picture to be taken to the item, and spend some time looking around the fine shops of these artists. I guarantee doing so will bring you holiday cheer !!

Let's start bold. This pendant is called "Christmas Tree on The Window Ledge". So fun and creative ! The artist is Zeba, who makes "jewelry that dares you to be different".

Next, is a Christmas Tree hanging ornament, handmade by DycheDesigns. This piece is sculpted from clay, painted, then sealed with a clear spray. I like the elegant simplicity of the symbol and the message.

These sweet plush bumblebees are wearing Christmas Trees on their heads. Just for fun ! Artist BombusLane created these two from fleece, and has a number of other critters in the shop too.

These unique tree ornaments are made from actual acorn tops, with festive bells attached. I just get filled with holiday cheer thinking about them decorating a tree, a package, or even hanging in a doorway !! Artist pinkbeeb0 has certainly created something special and fun !!

I hope you have enjoyed exploring on etsy.com. Please have a peaceful, wonderful holiday season.

✈ Bird Watching ✈

Birds are a special feature on our property and surrounding grasslands. We share our land with meadow larks, hawks, sparrows, burrowing owls, lark buntings, and occasionally golden and bald eagles. In the spring we also see herons migrating through. Although our lake dried up in the 2002 drought, we are planning to build a new one that birds can share with us.

With winter now set in, temperatures are cold, winds are blowing, and snow is not uncommon. Despite these conditions, a nice group of Horned Larks are outside our windows on most days.

I took a few pictures of these cute little birds this morning. The wind was blowing our fresh snow around, yet there were about 15 little birds working the ground for food.

The second picture shows the little horns these birds are named for. It was hard to get a picture of their faces since they were so busy pecking for food.

I hope you enjoy bird watching too. Leave me some comments about what kind of birds you are seeing this time of year.

Violets & Gnats

My pretty violet plant is thriving on the windowsill. Unfortunately, so is the gnat population.

The pesky little flying bugs seem to like the damp soil and standing water in the violet pot. After some Googling for suggestions to help control the bugs, I implemented these two changes.

1. I am trying to capture and remove the larvae by placing a potato slice on the soil and keeping it wet. The gnats are supposed to like putting their next generation in the potato. So then when I pick it out and toss it, the kids are supposed to go along.
2. I place a small amount of Mosquito Dunks into the watering can I use to keep the plant wet. The bacillus ingredient is natural and non-poisonous, so it seemed like a good thing to try.

After using these treatments for about 3 weeks, I don't see much of a difference in the gnat population. I'll keep trying though !!

Do any of my readers have suggestions that have worked for them? Please leave a comment with the information if you can help. Thanks !!!

☆ Holiday Flowers ☆

I think I've started thinking about the holidays a bit early this year. Maybe because of the two batches of snow we have received already here in Colorado. I made a few holiday flowers for my etsy shop, including these roses and a single poinsettia bloom.

I was also lucky enough to snag a treasury this morning, so I filled it with red poinsettia flowers. Here's a picture of the treasury:

Maybe all this holiday talk will bring us weeks of warm weather. That would be great !!

♪ Honey From the Bees ♪

This is the end of the season for our first year of beekeeping. The bees need most of the honey they made this year to get through the winter, but a bit of it will also be enjoyed by us. Here is a frame removed yesterday that is partially filled with honey:

The wax frame expands as the bees fill the combs with honey. The bees then cap the cells with bees wax. To get the sweet liquid out, we will have to extract it. This wiki page gives good information about how that is done.

Here is another picture of the unopened honey combs, a bit closer:

I'll let you know how the honey turns out once we extract it from the honey combs !!

✈ Venus Flytrap ✈

Can I grow this unusual plant on my windowsill? Time will tell I guess. Isn't it pretty, all fresh from the nursery?

I was at the store checking out what I could do about my violet's gnat population. While there, I spotted this adorable Venus Flytrap. I decided it would be fun to try to keep alive in arid Colorado.

The wiki page on Venus Flytraps tells me that this plant likes humid air and wet peat moss for soil. The pot came with an inverted clear cup, so I plan to keep that on top of the plant to make the humidity. I won't transplant the fella for awhile, but when I do I'll use peat moss and wet sand. I read on another website that the mix should be 50:50. If you get a chance, visit the wiki page and check out the cool animated pictures that show the traps closing.

Here is one of the traps on my plant close up. Some of the traps have a red tint inside. They really are facinating and I'm sure this will be a fun adventure. Leave me a comment if you have any suggestions to help.