Ass Project and Gatlinburg

Awhile back I got lost on the internet and stumbled into Derfwad Manor. It’s a place I now visit on purpose cause The “Lady” of the Manor, Mrs. G “has opinions about everything but is an authority on nothing.” Well Mrs. G has decided to run a 5k next spring. You can get the Background Story Here but in my opinion it boils down too is this: None of us is getting any younger (or thinner) or helping ourselves by just thinking about it. So I’m going to join Mrs. G in her “quest to pump a little more blood to her heart and a lot more grit and fortitude to her soul” in the Derfwad Manor '08 Ass Project. You can follow or join her journey (or not) over on her sidebar Derfwad Manor '08 Ass Project. I’ll post my progress report here on Wednesdays. Unlike Mrs. G (who is the bravest woman in the world) I will not be posting pictures of my hiney on the internet for the entire world to see. BUT (no pun intended) I will take said photos and stash them in my nightstand, in a book and under a book. I may be brave enough to post them next to the “after” pics in the Spring.

To start my fitness regimen I trudged around Gatlinburg, TN yesterday. Aside from the heat and humidity and the trudging we had a really nice day. My Nieces turned 12 yesterday. My sister and her husband and 3 of their kids were visiting my parents in Tennessee so I drove up to celebrate with them. Mom was having a good day but the P’s opted out of the all day shop-a-thon and decided to meet us for dinner (Run, Forrest! Run!) instead.

First stop: The Harley Shop.


The Bro-in-Law bought a Harley a few months back and seeing as he was awesome enough to put up with all us girls all day shopping we figured we’d let him get his stuff first.



Next, I had to find Smoky Mountain Spinnery. Find being the operative word.
They’re half a mile off the main drag…
.....UP HILL!! ........Upstairs!! .....Through the Fly Fishing Place!!
I thought I was going to pass out from heat stroke by the time I got there! Why did I have to find them?
They sell Spinsanity Spindles there! Alas, there were only two Spinsanity’s left and too light for this beginner.

Having trudged Half a Mile Up Hill I wasn’t leaving with out somethin’, Dern It!
(I got home after midnight and haven’t had a chance to try it yet but the one I tried in the store spun beautifully)

With my “chore for the day” done I could relax.

Right.



We shopped some more, rode the chair lifts
and shopped,
and visited the wax museum and shopped,
ate ice cream and shopped.


It was hot and humid but we really had a nice day.




The P’s met us at this pretty fountain before dinner at Bubba Gump’s!









You think that was the end of the day? Oh, no! We still hadn’t found “the perfect purse”!


Well I found mine.

A Fat Cat and A Skinny Dog

I know this is called Fat Cat Crochet but most Fat Cat's are well, fat and lazy. Pipurr is no exception. And being a Cat she is generally uncooperative where cameras are concerned. And well, she's boring. She does this....

and a lot of this....and this.

So when I saw came across a web sitefor a Canine Heritage Breed Test, I thought what the heck. The DH and I love our mutt dearly but always wondered just "what" she might be. She runs like a Greyhound, chases anything that runs, happily jumps into the lake and doesn't know the meaning of the word "fetch". Out of basic curiosity I bought the test. The cheek swab tests for over a 100 breeds. The results are divided into 3 catagories.

Primary – contains a majority of a specific breed (50% or greater). Most mixed breed dogs will not usually have a breed in this category unless one or both of their parents are purebred.

The Secondary – category reports breeds that are easily recognizable within your dog. While these breeds may have a strong influence on your pet, each breed listed makes up less than the majority of your dog’s DNA.

In the Mix – This final category identifies breeds that have the least amount of influence on your pet’s composition, however, they still appear, at a low and measurable amount, in your pet’s DNA.

So what do you get when you combine an
English Coonhound,

a Dachshund,

a Collie and

a Shetland Sheepdog?

Apparently that's what they tell us our Sparkie girl is. We just call her our

100% Pure Bred, American Mixed Breed, of the South Carolina Variety !

But the description of English Coonhound does seem to fit her best: renowned for speed and endurance, has a strong but racy body, a deep chest, and well-defined musculature. A balanced, powerful dog with no exaggerated parts, it possesses the grace and attitude of a well-conditioned athlete. In general an English Coonhound denotes a tall and leggy animal, thinly boned and built for the chase.

That's all true of my Sparkie. If it moves she'll chase it; squirrels, rabbits, chipmunks, ducks, butterflies, frogs, beetles. No catching has ever been done, just treeing. Well, the frogs and beetles get caught and sometimes eaten.

Two New Members!

Another successful SnB! Bonnie and Cheryl joined us this week at the Tiki Hut. The weather cooperated this week and it was not nearly as hot as it has been.

I completed a secret project last night and I’ll be sending it to its recipient shortly. Stay tuned for all the details!

I started the Elegant Shell Lion Brand pattern last week

and have reached the armholes.

I’ve substituted the yarn for Plymouth Bella Color cotton. I love it!

In indoor light it just looks brown but outdoors it has a hint of green and red.

I really have to stop goofing off though.....

I still haven’t frogged the two color tiger paw and

I haven’t sewn up the seams on the Clemson colored Pattern Play pillow cover!

I’m going to stop farting with this blog and go stitch!

WOW, What a Trip!

I met Briar Rose Chris.

I MET CHRIS from BRIAR ROSE!!!!

OMG! I stood next to Chris of Briar Rose Fibers! I even had my picture taken with her! She hates to have her picture taken and made me swear requested that I not post it on my blog or any where else. ( although, I might be able to get away with posting in my bedroom mirror.)But I've gotten ahead of my self.

I'm a Fiber Fest Virgin. This was my Very First time.

There, I said it. And it was such a drool fest that I had to use both arms up to my elbows (and the back of Patti's shirt) just to keep from drooling all over the Pretties!













There were bags of lambs wool,

Buffalo hair Roving,


Suri Alpaca unshorn, ......................and shorn
Angora Rabbits


and Llama and Silk and Bambo.



There was even Pocket Art from a Cigarette Machine






And then...........

There was Briar Rose! I GASPED out loud! "This is Briar Rose!" The booth was jammed full but I just had to buy something. I asked the very nice woman running the booth if she had any Crochet Patterns but alas, no. Screw the patterns! Look at this yarn!!! I just wanted to crawl inside that trunk forever! I mentioned to the nice woman that I "stalked a blog of a girl in Michigan, Holly Bee?" She said "Oh we our LOVE Holly! Wait a minute, aren't you the girl with the bags?"

OMG! She knows me?!!?? Calm, must remain calm. "Why yes, I've made several Haley Waxberg net bags. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name?"

"I'm Chris."

AAAAAHH!!! Chris! THE Chris of Briar Rose! OMG! OMG! OMG!.......DON'Tt panic!!

Chris said "I had trouble with your site (I fixed it), I wanted to donate to Alzheimers and get one of your bags." Briar Rose Chris wants a bag crocheted by ME?!! Being the good crafter that I am I had not one, but two (pale green and a yellow) of said bags in my tote. Chris was very apprecative but hoping for a darker color. Life Saver Cousin Patti whips out the blue one I made for her and hands it over to Chris!

See? There it is! In Chris' very hands!





See? That's me failing miserably at
NOT FREAKING OUT cuz I'm standing next to Chris of Briar Rose!

See? On the right? That's her blond hair!





Well after that the day is a blur. When we got home this is what we had.


Patti bought an entire sheep fleece for spinning! It's gorgeous!



She bought yarn for dying, buffalo roving for spinning
and yarn for knitting.

I bought some sock yarn from Plain & Fancy Sheep & Wool Co. and promised to actually finish a pair!

And my Briar Rose!
"Grace" from Briar Rose

60% Superwash Merino

30% Bamboo

10% nylon

I can't wait to start working with it!


After dinner (cooked by Patti's Awesome DH!) she gave me my First Spinning Lesson on her Louet!

I sort of got the hang of it. It's kinda like playing the drums or patting your head and rubbing your tummy while singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Maybe I should have waited to start drinking until after the lesson.

(Them are some hunka-hunka legs!)




Look! Look! My First Spinning!





Whew! I might be rested up by October.

Just in time for SAFF!

Fiber Fest OMG!

OMG! OMG! OMG! Yarn, yar and more yarn! Roving, raw fiber, alpaca, angora, sheep, silk, bamboo! And the colors! Midwest Fiber Fest! OMG! Can't post now, my dogs are a barkin' and I can't even think. Walked for 6 hours. Saw everything! Almost forgot to take pictures. Will post everything tomorrow when I get home.

Midwest Fiber Fest!!!

I'm leaving on a jet plane! Don't know when I'll be back again.

(O.K. I'll be back on Sunday.)

Yes, in just 3 days I'll be winging my way into Chicago to stay with my Dear Cousin Patti (L84me2 on Ravelry) We are going to have such a blast at Midwest Fiber Fest http://www.fiberandfolk.com/ in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Can't wait! Can't wait! Can't wait!!!
I've already started packing. I know, I know, I'm sick but this is normal for me. I'm a bit (a bit?) obsessive and I tend to over pack. So if I start early and go back and repack just what I NEED, not what I think I MIGHT use and my luggage doesn't weigh 95 pounds. I can usually pare it back to just a backback or under the seat carry on.

CHECK LIST;
socks a
underwear - (clean - always a good thing ) aa

comfy shoes -a

....hmmm....July in Chicago = HOT!
shorts (MUST lose weight first) (yea right!)

capris a

Ravelry T-Shirts aaand a

Double check the airline regulations for restrictions on hooks and scissors. I'm leaving on a jet plane!

On the Crochet Front

I completed the two color crocheted Clemson Tiger Paw. I (tried to) converted Amy Lynn Mitchell's knitted paw print design.

But don't think I got it quite right.

I'll have to pay closer attention to what I'm actually crocheting and not just blindly follow the written directions.

One good thing about carrying your yarn

is you can frog the dern thing and

re-use the yarn to perfect your design!

I bought a pillow insert for the Pattern Play in Clemson colors pillow cover wich is currently being blocked.

Another Successful SnB at the Tiki Hut!

So Pat and I are having a nice time stitching at the Tiki Hut. We're prepared to make a dash inside if necessary.

It starts to cool off a degree or two, a nice breeze blowing, when the wait staff starts picking up napkin holders and salt & pepper shakers.

I look around and see this!

Yikes!

So we make the executive decision to head inside

just incase the bottom falls out.

I'm working on two color crocheted version of Amy Lynn Mitchell's knitted dishcloth.

This is the progress I made tonight.

Pat is starting Vintage Sock by Lisa Grossman from Tsarina of Tsocks.

So with more stitching and counting involved we actually got something done!

Next meeting Wednesday July 23rd. Same time, Same place!