HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

i made the severed fingers and added some color - so i could call them witch's fingers - everything was going good ....until i baked them..
they turned into MUPPET FINGERS-- perhaps the love child of kermit frog and miss piggy!!!!!

finally finished sage's little pants , the other day.
the tail is removable and the waistband is adjustable with a polka dot tab.
i am also posting a pic of my progress on cotton/cashmere baby blanket for our baby.

this morning i woke up and took a good brisk walk around the event centre by our house. they are having a big show on .. and the was equistrain riders - a circus , carnival.. sheep and sheep herders---dogs-- and more horses and a bunch more tents....... maybe i 'll remember to bring the camera tomorrow morning and take some pics.. it's pretty cool - made the walk interesting for sure..
.then i came home and did some preggie pilates and got winded and didn't finish "the set" ..whatever- some is better than nothing.
i am going to make some severed finger cookies now.....though i forgot to buy baking/parchment paper, i hope that doesn't make to much of a difference... we will see...
i love the weekends!!!!!!!!

here are my wonderful secret pal goodies!!!! i was having such a hard time posting them last night . my secret pal ROCKS!!!

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES - TRIED FOR AN HOUR TO UPLOAD PICS- WILL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW

super cool !!! i got a package from my secret pal - in the UK .... wow - that was so quick!!
i got a great knitting magazine that i am slowly savoring ... polka dot needle case--tooo coool!! , yarn-- very cool cotton - in a deep red-- and an reall y interswting multi colored /textured yarn that goes perfect with the Rowan yarn!!!! and some really cool- ribbon-y yarn .. and amongst all the goodies were little fall leaves and SPIDERS - I absoltuely ADORE!!! and a little crocheted blue flower - it looks vintage.. all wrapped in purple!!!!!!!WOW- thank you secret pal!!! i love this exchange!!!!!

on another note , the preganancy going well - i need to take some pics ...
we finished the spare/baby room , i still need to make sheers for the windows, but i finished the curtains. kind of ..... the lounge area...kind of done .... i have picked out all the fabrics finally and need to sew... one day soon.

also finished and wrapped SAGE's little devil pants ..i'll post that tomorrow. they came out really cute and she'll have room to grow.

and pics of the progression of baby blanket. in 2 weeks we should be able to see if we are having a boy or girl and then i can start making baby stuff - it's hard to pick androgenous stuff-- i like sewing alot - it's a little more instanteous than knitting .

i talked to tamara - sage's mom last night and that was really good to connect with her. it gets lonely here in NZ sometimes . after i got off the phone i realised we've been friends for 25 years - that is frighteningly funny....

the other highlight was i finally got off my butt and went to the pools today - for the first time ever. pretty cool - they have 3 huge pools indoors and a gym upstairs ( which is far too expensive - $12 a session or $170 for 3 months!!!)that over looks the pools and a big pool outside (only $2 top swim).. it's still a little cold out so the outside pool isn't opened yet. i did a few laps and splashed around - practiced all my different strokes and i feel really good. i borrowed a aqua yoga pregnancy book from the library and need to review the exercises.. but this swimming is definitely for me - i wish i started it ages ago!!!

HAPPY ALMOST HALLOWEEN!! too baD they don't really celebrate it here-- no kids trick or treating - or at least in my city... I love Halloween--
this a bat i made years ago- the other thing i want to re-find the recipe and make are this great "finger cookies" sugar cookies - you make them into finger shapes - i added green food coloring to make them look like witch's fingers..and then on the tip you add an almond - blanched almonds- they look like nails and i painted them with red food coloring - they are soooo cool- i am going to make them this week and will post a pic.. even if i can't find the recipe i'll try with a basic sugar cookie recipe and will post if they taste okay..

these are the pants for little sage formerly of tipilandia in canada..... here is pic of sage and her mama tamara. I finally finished knitting them , sewing them together and I crocheted a little scallop edge, folded over the top edge to make a casing for the elastic, which i am going to make elastic with an adjustable tab and buttons.. and the final detail i need to add is the TAIL... la piece d la resistance!!! though, i am think i'll crochet it rather then knit it - i am not comfortable knitting a heart shape ( it's suppose to be like a devil tail)
the legs were suppose to be boot cut - but increased too much so they are bell bottoms -they still look cute
i hope to finish them soon probably before HAlloween ... but they might still be a bit big for her..
i thought about lining them in fleece- but decide they would get used more unlined...

SECRET PAL QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I am not a huge fan of acrylic. I love natural fibers - silk , wool , cashmere, cotton... i would love to try some of the new yarns - like soy and bamboo

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?
I have some bags that I made and needle cases.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
I'm an intermediate knitter .. I'm definitely not advanced- I like to do mindless knitting, like blankets , hats and stuff like that

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
YEs If you type in my email address (kiilani23.23@hotmail.com) it comes up http://www.amazon.com

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.)
lavender ... gardenia .. and oils -- but NOT patchouli or musk

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?
i love chocolate and SALT licorice and malt and GREEN TEA ice CREAM

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

i sew - i embroider - though i haven't in a while. I like crocheting.... I like crafts of most types.. though i 'm not big on scraping

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)
YES YES YES- I love music of all sorts - there is a list on my profile. i like groups like thievery corp - , nick cave, dead can dance , chet baker, 70's rock , zero 7 , female singers-

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand?

i like black , brown, dark reds - not orangey reds.. i like greens - but not mint green - not yellow

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

i am 16 weeks pregnant -due March 26 , I am married and have two awesome kitties. I live in NZ and miss my family and friends... in Hawaii and California.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes -

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
I like to mindless knit.....scarves..hats..... gonna start some baby stuff

13. What are you knitting right now?
a blanket for the new baby in cashmere- cotton in lavender and white( not sure if it's a boy or girl yet). I'm about a third of the way done. and a pair of red knit pants from Stitch and Bitch Nation - for my friend Tamara's 7 month old . they are so cute they have a little tail!!! I 'm about 1/2 done.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?
OF COURSE!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer circulars!!!! I like bamboo !

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift?
Somewhere in Hawai'i I have one in storage.

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

Yikes -- The three sweaters I talk about in the beginning of my blog- 6 yrs - 7 yrs- yikes

18. What is your favorite holiday
? I love Halloween -b ecause I love bats- and SPOOOKY - hahaha stuff. I was a little goth at heart.. They dont' really celebrate HAlloween here.

19. Is there anything that you collect?
vintage clothes esp. 1930's ( though it 's hard to find anything vintage here ) vintage trims - ribbons - and textiles!

We have spent the last weekend and everyday after work this weekre-painting the lounge and the spare room - the lounge was a disgusting bright buttercup yellow - and it's now a muted sage-y green .. it looks so much better .
I have been planning this job for so long. I have picked up bits and pieces of fabric --because i have 12 cushions/pillows to cover.... and the fabric choice is limited here . I know what i want but can't find it in NZ.. i love my banana leaf fabric i got in hawaii.... but i didn't buy 10 yards, which i would need - i have only 4 or so..

we have the last coat to go on tonight -then we are done painting for while.

here is a pic of my horrible fabric choices - curtains need to be thermal lined because they cover french doors and they are needed to keep heat in .. .. everything is too tan and blah.. choice is limited..
anyway-- you can see the wall color in the background..