Merry Christmas

from my family to yours!

I hope your 2010 has been as blessed as mine.  Have a safe and happy holiday.  Keep the reason for the season close to your heart as you celebrate. 

Luke 2   4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”  15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

I designed this beaded moebius scarf for the AKB (www.knittingboard.com) 2010 holiday design contest.  Click here for the pattern.

This week I'd like to share what i'm thankful for, feel free to leave a comment with what you are thankful for too.

This week at church we were talking about being thankful for the "little" things as well as the big. I've been thinking a lot about this because of my son. When we ask him what he's thankful for he says things like "doors, light, stuffed animals, mama's blanket (!), cooking pots and camp fires. This child-like thankfulness is what we should all have. After all, I'm pretty thankful we have doors too! :)

Make sure to take time out to really be grateful for all that you have, even when you don't have much, you have much more than you think! From the lyrics of one of my favorite songs: "And now the poor stand and confess that my portion is Him and I'm more than blessed." You can here the song here if you'd like, it's very beautiful. 

So this week i'm grateful for my loving family, that we get along (most of the time), that the health problems a few have been having are healed. That we have a home that is warm in the winter and cool in the summer and that we have have food to eat. I thank God for my knitting, as I know it is truly a gift from him and all the wonderful friends that have been brought into my life through it.  I'm so amazed that i've been blessed to be a stay at home mom and watch this little boy grow into a strong, faithful, incredible little guy every day.  I'm blessed by my hubby who works so hard to make this happen - without him also it would not be possible.  I'm thankful for all the many men and women, past and present, who have provided a safe country for me to live in, from our military, police, firefighters and so many others.  And yes, i'm thankful for doors and light and stuffed animals too! :)

I pray that all of you are richly blessed this holiday and that you have time out to appreciate what it is all about.

Kelly

Here are the goals I originally came up with for 2010 and review in May.  Here's taking another look since i'm running out of year!  

1. I hope to break the 100 mark this year for projects. - don't know if this will happen.  Seems like I'm working on a lot of longer projects this year, so I may not make that mark.  - I really don't see this happening as i'm only at the 31 project mark now.  Although I do plan to try knitting 18 little stockings for my son's preschool class!  Yikes, I must be crazy!
2. Finish my son's double knit intarsia blanket. - I'm working steadily on this and hope to easily be done by fall. - I'm done!  Take a look at the post below.
3. Place in the Vanna's Choice contest (why not!). - well, I'm assuming I didn't place since they haven't called me, but it was fun.  I entered my Granny Square Scarf. -  I didn't place, but that's ok, i'll keep trying.  I'm going to enter the Planes Trains Blanket next time.
4. Enter a project in the State Fair. - got to start looking into that soon.  Not sure what to enter...any suggestions? - oops - missed the deadline again!  Maybe next year.
5. Finish all my UFO's! - HAHA, well here's hoping!  I'm down to 2 long term UFO's that haven't been touched in a while and 5 projects that i'm currently working on!  Too many, I know. - Ok here is the Oct count of UFO's....i'm afraid to look!    it's looks like it's 8!  Yes, it's true, i've finished one and added two. 
6. Knit a sweater! - One of my current projects is Graciela's sweater.  I'm over 1/2 done with the back.  I'm so excited and so far it's going easily.  - well I did knit a sweater - the super sleuth one for my son.  I'm still working on the sweater for me - I have one sleeve to go.  I do want this finished before the end of the year!

Well that's my original goals.  New goals added in May

1. Regularly enter Project Yarnway on Ravelry.  It's a group for designers to present their creations based on the criteria for that month.  I just found out about it late April, and have a project in mind for May to start working on.  - well I did enter May, June, and July, but August, September and October have just been too busy with vacation and starting pre-school and trying to finish the blanket.  Maybe Novemeber is my next month to participate...we'll see.
2. Needle Felt - I just learned how to do this at the Markman Farm retreat and I LOVE it!  I'm really excited about trying more things.  I want to try my hand at needle felting soap and doing Christmas ornaments or pins.  If you've never tried it, it's so much fun. - I did hand felt some soap, I think I got a little too impatient with it because it wasn't quite right so I never tried the needle felting on it.  I'll try again sometime. 
3. Find a way to organize all my yarn so I can get to it easier.  That's a never ending goal for sure!  - I actually did this a couple days ago!  I sorted out all my nicer yarn in to separate boxes and sorted the rest by color and labeled the bins that they are in.  I should be able to find things now!  or...at least for a little while.  I still have a few more places to sort through though since it's all over the house.

Ok, here are some must finish goals for the next 2 months!

1. Knit 18 mini stockings
2. Finish the sleeve and final sewing on my sweater
3. Finish the back to the Winter Lace Pillow and sew it together
4. Finish Cabled Scarf I just started
5. Take a nap - just kidding....I won't have time!!!
6. Work on Alpaca Scarf
7. Design and enter something in the AKB contest - due by end of Nov.  I could enter the same thing for Project Yarnway this month too.

Hope i'm not setting my self up for exhaustion and sickness!  Of course nothing makes you feel better than yarn.