It's Alive!!!!

The computer is up and running. She is behaving beautifully and purring along happily as I type. This weekend was spent in busily updating and restoring files on the computer and spending time with the kids at the annual ChalkFest. Last year, Caleb and I participated in the Chalkfest that is held in downtown Wausau each summer. We worked on a piece together last year, and Caleb was feeling brave enough to step out on his own this year and be a solo artist. Declan decided he would like to participate too, on his own, so I got bored and chalked my own square. The committee hires an artist to come in and draw a magnificient picture each year and make sure we all know what lowly art skills we have, but it's a lot of fun. Over 200 people participated in chalking this year, with tons of spectators coming to watch the fun. It's a fun weekend in the town of Wausau as they also have the Balloon rally held the same time each year. It is a weekend that makes me feel warm and fuzzy about living in a small town that supports the arts and encourages family time. The boys were very excited as they were quoted on the front page of the Daily Herald and felt like stars. Well, here are the photos of the completed items that I've been promising for a week now.
(Left to Right) Reynolds Odyssey Ribbed Scarf for Steve Meg Swansen Unspun Icelandic Lace Shawl Misti Alpaca Sport weight Baby Hat - adapted from Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino pattern Felted cow pattern wool bag - was supposed to be a felted wool hat for Madison, but even though the gauge was right it didn't felt evenly, so we decided it made a perfect purse for Maddie with some dark wooden handles. Still trying to figure out how to attach wooden handles. Any suggestions?

(Left to Right) Deco Ribbon cropped cardi by Black Purl Purple Cascade 220 Felted Ballet Slippers from Felted Knits Pink Cascade 220 Felted Baby Mary Janes from Fiber Trends Reynolds Odyssey Tunic Sweater Pink Baby Rimini Baby Blanket Great Adirondack Fluff Scarf



Close up of the felted baby mary janes and felted ballet slippers. The pictures do not do them justice.

I have completed some other items that are not pictured yet as they need to be blocked. They are a Koigu Charlotte's Web Shawl and a Koigu Elizabeth I Lace Scarf. I'm in the process of attaching the bobbles to the Bobbles Everywhere bag and am weaving in ends on the Louisa Harding Beachcomber Bay Shawl. I also have been working hard on the Vivian Hoxbro Cardi and am on the right front edging (10 rows to go). Then I have to graft together 340 stitches (ahhhh!) and sew up the seams. I've also gotten a few rows done on the Philosopher's Wool sweater, but have quite a ways to go with that one.

I'm so glad that I finally got going on these projects, they were so ridicuously close to being finished and have freed up tons of knitting bags, so that I can add lots of projects from Stitches.

We got a little rain delayed at the Chalkfest on Saturday, so the boys and I stopped in to visit with Beth at the Black Purl. While we were there Beth and I came up with a couple of designs for sweaters for the boys, so I have started knitting the sample for Declan's. It's in a heavy worsted weight Merino and knits up very fast and is going to be beautiful.

Back to some knitting before I have to take kids to swimming lessons, soccer practice and golf lessons. Ahhh! I am a taxi cab, but may have some time in between to get a few rows in.