Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Flickr Favorites - Crafty






I have been so busy lately that I have had little to no time to just sit down and do something crafty. This week I am hoping to change that.

The question is, should I work on my first knit sweater, or finish up my crocheted floral motif blanket?






















Like the flickr favorites and want to make your own?
Head on over to Mitsy's blog and sign up!

Monday, June 28, 2010

Swallowtail - Modified

Modified Swallowtail Shawl


When my family and I went to Ireland two of us had a goal:

Find Yarn

And we did :)
My mom is not a knitter, but thought it would be fun to buy a little yarn and have me knit a shawl for our next door neighbor as a thank you gift for helping to take care of my parents dog while my mom was on vacation.

She chose Araucania Ranco Multy in PT497.
I chose to knit a modified Swallowtail Shawl.

I knit the shawl on size 7 needles, and it took less than a skein to knit (or less than 376yds)
Measurements after blocking are 19" x 47.25"

My Modifications:

  • Worked stockinette section instead of the budding lace until I had a total of 103 sts (I only worked increases on the RS rows)

-You can make this section any stitch count you want. Just keep in mind the repeat for Lily of the Valley border is 10 stitches. You will want a stitch count in the stockinette section that will work with the Lilly of the Valley section.

  • I skipped Row 1 & 2 of the Lilly of the Valley Border, which left me with 2 extra stitches on each side of the markers when working row 3. I simply k2tog twice on each side in an inconspicuous spot.

  • Worked one full repeat of the Lilly of the Valley Border (rows 3-22), and then worked rows 3-11 once more.

  • Worked the entire Lace Border

  • Worked the entire Scalloped Edging

Bound off using the Elastic Bind Off

K1, (k1, transfer 2 sts back to left needle and k2tog through the back loops)


Here's a picture that shows off the details better:



And here's hoping she likes it! Will find out this weekend when I go up home for the annual 4th of July party :)

Friday, June 25, 2010

Stuffed

A little over a year ago my mom opened her Etsy Shop. (with a tiny bit of help from me!) I was so happy when she finally decided to do it because I have always loved her stuffed animal creations. She has been making animals for my brother and me every Christmas since the day we were born.

My top three favorite animals in her shop at the moment are:











Though I think her pigs, and newest Beastie (aka a dragon) creation are pretty awesome too!
Congrats on your first year mom! Here's to many more :)

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Flickr Favorites - Secrets


- Charles Sanford









The real question is, how long can I keep a secret?




















Like the flickr favorites and want to make one of your own?
Head on over to Mitsy's blog and sign up!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Ireland Part III

My Trip to Ireland, Part III:
Dunluce and Monea Castles


First off, so sorry for the delay in Ireland picture posting!
If you recall, a mere 6 months ago I was helping Lee recover from a kidney transplant, and last week we had a little bump in the road. He was in and out of the hospital all week, and everything is once again in working order!

Now back to the Ireland pictures:




The first set of pictures comes from Dunluce Castle.
This was probably my favorite castle we visited, even more so than the Blarney Castle. It may have been because it was the first castle we visited, but whatever the reason, I loved it!

The castle is surrounded by extremely steep drops on both sides, and at one point part of the kitchen next to the cliff face collapsed into the sea. After the kitchen fell the wife of the owner refused to live in the castle any longer.

Here are a few of my many, many, Dunluce Castle pictures:









Another castle we visited early in our trip was Monea Castle.
This castle ruin was a little bit off of the beaten path, but certainly worth the drive!

Here are a few pictures of it:















Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Flickr Favorites - Ireland Part II

Part II of my trip to Ireland:
The Giant's Causeway






After my death defying trek across the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, and a spot of lunch, we made our way over to the Giant's Causeway.

The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 basalt columns. They are the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. The tops of these columns form stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are a hexagon, but there are others with a different number of sides.


Legend states that it was the Irish warrior Finn McCool who built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner.


However they came to be, they are certainly a site to see!
Here are some of my own pictures from our visit to the causeway:











Tomorrow's post will be about the first two castles we encountered on our trip.
(One being a top highlight of the trip for me!)













Like the flickr favorites and want to make one of your own?
Head on over to Mitsy's blog and sign up!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Ireland Part I


Part 1 of my trip to Ireland:
The view from Larne, and The Carrick-a-rede- rope bridge


First, I wanted to show off just a couple pictures from the town that we stayed in the majority of the time we were on vacation. I don't think Larne is really known as a 'tourist hub' of sorts, but we are lucky enough to have family friends who own a home in and who are originally from Larne. They were nice enough to let us stay there while we were on vacation!

The house was right across the street from the coastal waters:





And even better?
Something called the "Highway to Health."

This fun little walk was right down the road from our house. It was essentially a walking path along the water with super fun, fitness equipment spread out along the walk. My mom and Lee thought this one was the best:
(and it was)




We spent many nights walking and playing along this path, which was really good considering how we ate some nights (can anyone say fish and chips much?!)







Our first actual adventure was up the coastal highway to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.


(the walk over to the actual bridge)



Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge is a rope suspension bridge. The bridge links the mainland to the tiny Carrick Island. It spans 65 feet (20meters) and is 98 feet (30 meters) above the rocks and water below.

Up until we got to the actual bridge I was dead set on going across the bridge. When I got there however, I decided it was most definitely not for me. The wind was blowing really hard, and the swaying bridge was way higher up than I had anticipated. I have an incredibly ridiculous fear of heights, so after pacing back and forth for about 30 seconds I said no way.

My mom and Lee went on ahead and I watched them walk across it feeling a tiny bit let down that I wasn't with them. That was when Ricky grabbed me. Ricky was the man in charge of ripping the ticket to let you across the bridge. He kept telling me I HAD to go across! Then other visitors started telling me I HAD to go across! Ricky (and the peer pressure from every visitor to the bridge) convinced me to walk down the very steep set of steps leading to the bridge with promises that if I felt too scared I could go right back up the steps.

By the time I finished walking down those steep steps I had already made up my mind to just turn around when Ricky was standing on the rope bridge and asking me to just take two steps out to it. Further more he stopped all other traffic on the bridge so that it was just him and me. Once I stepped on the bridge I had no choice but to go across. At the other end all I could think to ask him was if he would please do the same thing so that I could get back across.


He did:
(yes, I am that scared girl in a pink sweat shirt, inching her way across the bridge)


In that moment I didn't even care that there were over 8 people waiting to walk across the bridge behind me, or that my entire family was laughing at me. My mind was only on survival! Once I finished and high fived Ricky I turned around to see Lee and my mom walking with a bunch of other people:



(Lee would be the first person practically skipping across the bridge [no fear of heights], with my mom behind him)


They were walking much faster, and gosh darn-it, even managing to smile while doing it! It's okay though. I gave everyone a good laugh and I am super, super, proud to have walked the bridge myself! Besides that, the view on the other end was amazing and totally worth it.










Well that is all for now!
Tomorrow will be all about the Giant's Causeway (flickr favorite's style)

Friday, June 11, 2010

I'm Back!






I am back from Ireland,
a little jet lagged, but non too worse for the wear.

Everything was amazing!
Over the next week I will be posting lots of pictures and stories. One a day, everyday until all activities have been covered. :)

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin